Fattoush salad with pita croutons is a delicious and flavour-packed Lebanese salad of toasted pita bread and chopped vegetables tossed through a vibrant vinaigrette dressing. This ubiquitous salad is everyday fare in Israel & other parts of the Middle East. It reminds me of Panzanella but with a different flavour profile and I’m rather obsessed with it. It can happily be eaten on its own or with a plethora of other dishes as part of a mezze feast.
Fattoush is a salad that can be easily adapted to your taste preference or whatever you have at home. Use sourdough or other sturdy bread if you don’t have pita.
The sweetness and slightly chewy texture of toasted pita really make this dish, so I’ll be inclined to always use it here. The parsley and mint add a strong herbaceous hit and don’t need to be chopped too finely as they form part of the body of the salad in the way they do in tabbouleh. Keep a few of the smaller parsley stems in the mix too. They have so much flavour.
I developed this recipe for MAN Family Wines Free-run Steen Chenin Blanc, a crisp wine that has vibrant aromas of quince, pear, and apple. With refreshing acidity, minerality, and a full-bodied mouthfeel, it stands up perfectly to the acidity in this salad. It’s a versatile food wine that pairs well with seafood, poultry, and vegetable dishes.
Fattoush is a robust and hearty salad that is delicious without lettuce, but baby gem lettuce or other chopped-up crisp lettuce lightens it up. I like to serve it at the base of the Fattoush. Garnish this salad with pomegranate arils and a sprinkle of lemony sumac. To make this salad the main event, serve with warm or room temperature roasted chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken.
What are the origins of fatoush salad:
Fattoush salad is a traditional Lebanese salad that has been enjoyed for centuries in the Middle East. The salad typically includes a combination of fresh vegetables, such as lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and radishes, as well as herbs like parsley and mint, and is topped with crispy pieces of pita bread.
The exact origins of fattoush salad are unclear, but it is believed to have originated in Lebanon or Syria. Fattoush is a variation of the Arabic word “fattah,” which means “crumbled bread,” referring to the crispy pita bread pieces that are a defining element of the salad.
Fattoush salad has become popular throughout the world and is now a staple on Middle Eastern restaurant menus. Its bright flavours and healthy ingredients make it a popular choice for those looking for a nutritious and delicious salad. This fits in perfectly with a Mediterranean diet eating plan
What to serve this fattoush salad with:
The best slow-roasted lamb shoulder with harissa and garlic
Greek lamb souvlaki with homemade pita
Herby lamb koftas with yoghurt sauce
Easy no-yeast Air Fryer flatbread pita
Recipes you might also like:
Panzanella
Tomato salad with fried halloumi and pita croutons
The best BLT pasta salad
See All my salad recipes
*Cooks notes – to make this recipe vegan, simply swap the honey for maple syrup or sugar.
Recipe – serves 6 as a side
Fattoush salad recipe
A delicious and versatile Middle Eastern Fattoush chopped bread salad.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pita bread
- Olive oil to coat approx. 3 – 4 Tbsp
- 450 gms tomatoes mixed
- 200 gms Mediterranean cucumber sliced
- ½ small red onion sliced
- 100 gms radishes cut into quarters
- 20 gms parsley smaller stems included, chopped
- 15 gms mint leaves stripped and chopped
- 1 small head of baby gem lettuce optional
- Rotisserie chicken or roast chicken to serve optional
- Sumac to serve
- Pomegranate seeds to serve optional
Dressing:
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1 Tbps lemon juice half a small lemon
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup to make vegan
- Salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F. Cut the pita in half horizontally and then brush lightly on both sides with olive oil. Tear or cut into bite-size pieces and spread onto a baking tray. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until golden brown and toasted. Set aside.
Make the dressing by placing all the ingredients into a jar and shaking to emulsify.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters or half depending on what size you are using and place them in a bowl and season well with salt & pepper.
Cut the cucumbers, red onion, and radishes and place them in a bowl. Add half the toasted pita pieces, the chopped herbs, and the cut tomatoes, and add the dressing. Toss the salad until well combined.
Line a bowl or platter with the leaves of the baby gem lettuce if you are using it. Fill with the Fattoush salad and serve immediately with the reserved toasted pita pieces (to retain their crunch), a sprinkle of sumac, slices of roast chicken (if you are using it), and pomegranate seeds.
*This post has been proudly sponsored by Man Wines.
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FAQs
Now popular throughout the Middle East, fattoush first originated in Lebanon as a way to repurpose leftover bread. The fresh ingredients can vary, but they commonly include lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and herbs like parsley or mint. Red and green onions are frequent additions as well.
What is Lebanese salad made of? ›
My traditional Lebanese Salad (salata) is a crisp salad of romaine, cucumbers, onion, and tomato with a garlicky, lemony vinaigrette. Mouthwatering! We eat this one almost every day.
What is the difference between Tabbouleh and fattoush? ›
Huge difference! Tabbouleh salad is an herb salad of finely chopped parsley and mint that includes a touch of tomato and bulgur. Tabbouleh salad dressing is a simple, lemony dressing, and also makes a frequent appearance on my plate. Fattoush is a lettuce and vegetable salad, crunchy and full bodied, with pita chips.
What is the origin of fattoush salad? ›
Originating from the Levant area, which includes countries like Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine, Fattoush was traditionally a way to use up stale bread and seasonal vegetables. Its name derives from the Arabic word 'fatteh', meaning 'crumbs', referring to the leftover pita bread pieces mixed into the salad.
What are salad croutons made of? ›
Croutons are very easy to make with just two main ingredients and a few basic seasonings. You'll need bread, of course, as well as olive oil (or melted butter), salt, pepper and garlic powder. The oil or butter helps the bread develop crisp, golden edges, and the seasonings bring out the croutons' best.
What does Fattoush taste like? ›
The flavor of fattoush is bright, assertive, and refreshing, with herbal and vegetal notes that are accentuated by the acidity of the sumac and vinegar. It can be eaten on its own, bulked up with grilled proteins such as chicken or steak, or enjoyed as a side dish or appetizer.
What are 4 dishes traditionally eaten in Lebanon? ›
Chickpeas and parsley are also staples of the Lebanese diet. Well-known dishes include baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, sfeeha, falafel and shawarma. An important component of many Lebanese meals is hummus, a chickpea puree dish, and many dishes are eaten with flatbread. Well-known desserts include baklawa, sfouf and ka'ak.
What are the best Lebanese ingredients? ›
The Most Popular Ingredients In Lebanese Cooking
- Olive Oil. Every meal needs a base to start with. ...
- Lemon Juice. Known for their freshness, Lebanese dishes often feature lemon juice. ...
- Chickpeas. ...
- Parsley. ...
- Yoghurt. ...
- Mint. ...
- Eggplant. ...
- Za'atar Spice Blend.
Kibbeh is considered to be one of the best Lebanese foods in Lebanon and across the Arab world. It is made of ground meat, typically lamb or beef, mixed with bulgur wheat and spices. You can find kibbeh at each and every meal - breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Who invented Fattoush? ›
The origins of Fattoush lie in the rural areas of Lebanon, where farmers would combine their fresh harvest with stale flatbread to create a filling and nutritious meal. The word Fattoush comes from the Arabic word "fatt", which means to crumble bread.
Tabbouleh is basically parsley salad. There's technically no lettuce in it. It's a salad made up of parsley, tomatoes, bulgur wheat, and green onions – all finely chopped and tossed with olive oil and lemon juice!
What are Fattoush chips? ›
Our Fattoush Chips are inspired by the Middle Eastern salad traditionally made with a variety of fresh crunchy vegetables topped with pita chips and a drizzle of light dressing. These artisanal seasoned pita chips are cooked using 100% coconut oil for an authentic taste and a delightful crunch!
What does Fattoush mean in English? ›
What is Fattoush? Fattoush is essentially a "bread salad," said to have originated in Northern Lebanon. Lebanese farmers would fry leftover pita scraps in a bit of olive oil for extra flavor.
Is Fattoush good for you? ›
The health advantages from consuming a diet packed with vegetables and whole foods like the Fattoush salad include weight loss, reduced insulin secretion – better sport performance as well as a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and most cancers.
Which countries eat Fattoush? ›
Fattoush is not a specific recipe. It's an Arab dish found in the Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and other middle eastern countries.
What is the main ingredient of bound salad? ›
Bound salad: ingredients such as meat, poultry, fish, egg, or starch such as potato, pasta, or rice and bound with mayo. Vegetable salad: cooked and/or raw vegetables (coleslaw); can be bound with mayo or mixed with vinegar/oil dressing.
What is a common ingredient in most bound salads? ›
Bound Salads
The reason they are a less-healthy option is that the binding agents are typically mayonnaise-based. Some of the most popular bound salads are egg and tuna. Most egg salad recipes are similar, which means that you can tweak the ingredients to your liking.
What are the components of salad list? ›
Common raw vegetables (in the culinary sense) used in a salad include cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, radishes, mushrooms, avocado, olives, artichoke hearts, heart of palm, watercress, parsley, garden beets, and green beans. Nuts, berries, seeds, lentils, and flowers are less common components.
What does a salad consist of? ›
Most leafy vegetables that can be eaten raw are used: all varieties of lettuce, garden cress and watercress, endives, cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine (cos), arugula, and fresh herbs. Other vegetables, raw or cooked—tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers, beets, and so on—may garnish the green salad.
