I'm going to say something controversial: I strongly dislike most Fattoush salads. It's always way too oily, doesn't have enough acid or salt, and leaves much to be desired. This Fattoush Salad recipe? It's so herby and zesty with parsley, fresh mint, baqleh (or purslane), cherry tomatoes, persian cucumbers, romaine lettuce, green onions, and radishes. The dressing uses lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar, sumac, and salt, and it's all topped with crunchy homemade pita chips. I love it next Yellow Lentil Soup or 20 Minute Oven Chicken Shawarma.

What is Fattoush?

Fattoush is a classic Middle Eastern salad that typically contains seasonal vegetables and herbs, a simple lemon vinaigrette, and fried day-old pita bread. In Arabic, "fattoush" is derived from the root word "fatteh," which means "crumbs." So basically, any salad that uses fried bread can be called Fattoush. Side note: "Fatteh" is a whole category of food. Some examples are Fattet Jaj, Fattet Hummus, and Fattet Makdous.

What makes this Fattoush recipe special? Balsamic vinegar adds a nice zing that's missing in most Fattoush salads, and copious amounts of pomegranate molasses balances the acidity with some sweetness. I also offer tips on how to best prepare your herbs to make assembling the salad super quick.

Salad Ingredients

Parsley - I've provided tips below on how to prepare the parsley so it lasts days in your fridge, ready to throw in any salad. Choose flat leaf instead of the curly variety, which doesn't have much flavor.

Mint - Mint adds a wonderful freshness to the salad.

Baqleh - Baqleh is also called purslane, and it's a wild herb that can be found across the world. In the US, buy it in either Mexican or Middle Eastern markets. It adds a nice lemony herbiness that can't be replicated any other way, but if you can't find it, the salad will still be delicious without it.

Cherry tomatoes - Any variety of tomato will be delicious in the salad, especially during tomato season, but cherry or grape tomatoes tend to be delicious any time of year.

Persian cucumbers - I like smaller-variety persian cucumbers because they taste fresh and somewhat sweet. You can keep the peel on or peel in a "stripey" fashion.

Radishes - Radishes add a lovely pop of color, and they add a really nice flavor to the salad.

Green onions - Green or spring onions are just pungent enough but not overpowering like red onion.

Lettuce - Romaine or little gem lettuce works well in this salad.

How to Make Fattoush Salad

First, chop the ingredients into even, bite-sized pieces, and transfer to a large bowl.

Then, mix the salad dressing. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, pomegranate molasses, sumac, and salt in a small bowl.

Then, make the pita croutons. Cut it into bite-size pieces using kitchen shears. In a large skillet, heat oil until it comes up 1/2" or 1 cm up the sides of the pan. You'll know the oil is ready when a piece of bread is dropped in and it sizzles right away. Add the rest of the bread and stir frequently until golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Pita croutons can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for many days.

All of the salad ingredients can be prepped several hours ahead of time and stored covered in the fridge in a large bowl or container. Just before serving, toss with desired amount dressing, transfer to a serving bowl, and top with the pita croutons.

Tips

You can make the pita croutons in the oven, if you prefer. Toss the cut bread in oil and salt and toast in a 375° F/190° C oven until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.
Save time the day of serving by washing and chopping the parsley beforehand. Swish it around a bowl of water, transfer to a colander, and repeat until the water runs clear, about 2-3 times. Spin dry and then spread across paper towels to fully dry. Snap off the stems and chop finely. Store between layers of paper towel in an airtight container.
Mint and purslane are best prepped the day of serving.
The salad ingredients can be prepped and stored covered in a large bowl or container in the fridge. Make sure it comes to room temperature before serving, and don’t mix in the pita croutons just yet.
Reserve the dressing on the side until you’re ready to serve.
Adding the pita croutons should be the final step. Let them sit on top so they stay crunchy.

I hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to put it in the comments so everyone knows how it worked out. I also love to see your creations! You can tag me on social media at #omayahcooks, @omayah.atassi on Instagram, @omayahcooks on Pinterest, and @omayahatassiphoto on Facebook.

I know you get bogged down with what to feed your family every week because believe it or not, I do too. That’s why I created my monthly meal prep guide. I map out the month with a calendar, recipes, and weekly grocery lists to make cooking super streamlined for you. Be sure to sign up to get the next one to your inbox.

I’ll catch you next time!

*This post was first published on February 5, 2019 and has been updated with additional information and photos.

The Best Fattoush Salad Recipe

Yield 4

Author Omayah Atassi

A fresh, herby salad with crispy pita chips that's customizable with any seasonal vegetables. The lemony balsamic vinaigrette with pomegranate molasses makes this recipe balanced and really special.

Ingredients

2 small pita rounds cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small or 1/2 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
6 mini cucumbers, sliced
4 green onions, sliced
1 bunch of parsley, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 bunches of purslane, leaves removed
1/2 bunch of mint, chopped

Dressing

1/3 c good extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1.5 Tbsp sumac
Salt to taste

Instructions

Start by making the pita chips. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat enough oil to come up the sides of a skillet by 1/2". You'll know the oil is ready when a piece of bread is dropped in and it sizzles right away.
Add the bread and toss frequently until golden brown. Transfer to the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.
Alternatively, if you prefer to make in an oven, preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C) and line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the pita chips with the olive oil and season with salt. Toast in the oven for about 7-8 minutes, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy. Let cool.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake to combine.
Add the veggies and herbs to a salad bowl. Just before serving, add the dressing, a little bit at a time until you feel you have enough dressing and toss to combine. Top with pita chips.
Salad (up until tossing with dressing) can be refrigerated up to 2 hours ahead. Pita chips stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Dressing can be refrigerated for 5 days.