Fattoush

Fattoush: The Crunchy Lebanese Salad With Fried Pita and Sumac

Byorevia
Prep15 minutes
Cook5 minutes
Serves4
Total20 min
2 min readJump to Recipe ↓

Fattoush is a Levantine bread salad and a regular on Lebanese and Syrian tables. It is a mix of crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs and pieces of fried or toasted pita, with a tangy lemon and sumac dressing. It is a good way to use stale flatbread.

In This Guide
  1. Did You Know?
  2. Ingredients
  3. Method
  4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
  5. Storage and Reheating
  6. Quick Answers

Did You Know?

Fattoush is a Levantine bread salad made with crisp pieces of toasted or fried pita. It is a good way to use stale flatbread. The tangy dressing relies on sumac, a deep red spice made from dried berries, with lemon and olive oil.

Ingredients

  • 2 pita breads or thin rotis, torn in pieces
  • 1 romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 4 radishes, 1 capsicum, diced
  • 4 spring onions, a handful of mint and parsley or coriander
  • Dressing: 4 tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove crushed, 1 tbsp sumac, salt, pepper

Method

  1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Fry the pita pieces until golden and crisp, then drain. You can bake them instead.
  2. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
  3. Toss all the vegetables and herbs in a large bowl.
  4. Just before serving add the pita and the dressing and toss gently so the bread stays crisp.

Tip: Sumac is available in most spice stores. If you cannot find it, use a little extra lemon and a pinch of chilli powder. Serve alongside our mujaddara.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Dressing the salad too early. The bread turns soggy. Add the pita and dressing just before serving.
  • Cutting vegetables too large. Bite-sized pieces mix better.
  • Skipping the sumac. It gives fattoush its tart flavour.

Storage and Reheating

Fattoush is best fresh. Keep the dressing, vegetables and bread separately in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Quick Answers

What if I do not have sumac?

Use a little extra lemon juice, though the flavour will be different.

Can I bake the pita?

Yes. Brush it with oil and bake until crisp for a lighter version.

Written byorevia

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