Marie Saba

From My Kitchen To Yours

Fattoush salad is a Lebanese dish that is so fresh and delicious, I crave it weekly! With a tart lemon-sumac dressing, fresh mint and parsley, juicy tomatoes, and crisp cucumbers, the salad tastes like a farmer’s market in every bite!

The Arabic word “fattoush” means “soaked bread.” So a key ingredient in fattoush salad is crispy pita bread that softens a bit when soaked in the dressing. Many recipes require that you fry your own pita bread, but I don’t have the patience. So I tried using bagged pita chips from the grocery store and they’re perfect! The bagged pita chips are thicker than most pita bread, so they don’t get as soggy in the dressing. You can use a whole-grain option if you like.

The dressing is made with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and sumac. (Some people add crushed garlic or pomegranate molasses, but I prefer my simpler version.) Sumac is a Mediterranean spice that has a subtle tart, fruity, smokey aroma. The name means “dark red” in Arabic, a nod to the dark red color of the ground sumac berries that make up the spice. You can find sumac in Mediterranean markets or online.

Fattoush salad is delicious alongside grilled meats or kabobs. For a full Mediterranean spread, add tabbouleh, hummus, baba ganoush, lentils, labne and pita bread.

Fattoush Salad

Ingredients

For the Salad:

5-6 cups (150 g) chopped romaine lettuce, washed and dried
5 radishes, sliced
1-2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 green onions, roughly chopped
4-5 sprigs (6 g) fresh mint
1/4 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cup (75 g) pita chips, broken into pieces

For the Dressing:

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon (2 g) Kosher salt
1 teaspoon (4 g) ground sumac
Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Place lettuce in a large bowl. Add radishes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, green onions, mint, and parsley.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, salt, sumac, and pepper.
Add pita chips just before dressing. Pour dressing over salad. Toss and serve.

Make-Ahead Tips:

Salad can be made 1 day in advance without pita chips or dressing. Cover and store in the fridge. Bring to room temp before serving.
If salad has been dressed, it is best enjoyed the same day.
The dressing will keep well in the fridge in a covered container for up to 2 weeks.

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