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A vibrant bowl of Lebanese Fattoush Salad with crispy pita chips, fresh vegetables, and pomegranate seeds.
Layla

Lebanese Fattoush Salad

A vibrant Lebanese bread salad with crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and toasted pita, all brightened by a tangy sumac dressing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 2 large rounds pita bread split open, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil divided, for toasting pita
  • 1 head romaine lettuce chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups cucumber diced, about 1 medium English or 2 Persian cucumbers
  • 2 cups tomatoes chopped, ripe but firm
  • 1 cup radishes thinly sliced, about 8 radishes
  • 1 cup fresh parsley roughly chopped, flat-leaf preferred
  • 0.5 cup fresh mint torn or roughly chopped
  • 4 green onions thinly sliced, white and green parts
For the Sumac Dressing
  • 0.25 cup olive oil extra virgin
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed, about 1 large lemon
  • 2 tsp sumac plus extra for garnish
  • 1 clove garlic minced to a paste
  • 1 tsp pomegranate molasses or substitute 1/2 tsp honey + 1/2 tsp more lemon juice
  • 0.75 tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Small bowl for dressing
  • Baking Sheet

Method
 

Toast the Pita
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Tear pita into rough 1-inch pieces and spread on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss to coat, and spread in a single layer. Bake 8-10 minutes until deep golden and crisp, stirring once halfway through. Set aside to cool completely - they will crisp further as they cool.
Make the Dressing
  1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, minced garlic, pomegranate molasses, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust - it should be bright, tangy, and lightly fruity from the sumac.
Prepare the Vegetables
  1. In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, radishes, parsley, mint, and green onions. The vegetables should be cut into similar bite-sized pieces so every forkful has variety.
Assemble and Serve
  1. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss gently to coat. Add about two-thirds of the toasted pita and fold in briefly - you want some pieces to absorb dressing and others to stay crunchy. Transfer to a serving platter, scatter remaining pita on top, and finish with a generous sprinkle of sumac. Serve immediately while textures are distinct.

Notes

For the crispiest pita, use day-old bread or dry fresh pita in a low oven for 5 minutes before tearing and toasting. Sumac is essential here - its lemony, wine-like depth defines fattoush; find it at Middle Eastern markets or well-stocked spice shops. If you must prep ahead, keep vegetables, dressing, and pita separate until the last 10 minutes, as dressed pita softens quickly.