Fattoush is a classic Middle Eastern salad whose name comes from the Arabic word fatt, meaning “crushed” or “crumbled”—a nod to the crispy pita chips that give the salad its signature crunch alongside the greens, veggies and herbs. Like other traditional salads that make use of day-old bread, such as Italian panzanella, fattoush was originally created as a way to use up leftover pita.
What really makes it shine is the punchy dressing—a simple mix of lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic—and many traditional versions also include sumac and pomegranate molasses for extra tang and depth. Since those ingredients aren’t pantry staples for most people, I give you the option to include them or skip them—the salad is fantastic either way.
You can make your own pita chips by baking pita bread with a little olive oil and salt, or just use store-bought chips to keep things easy. Either way, it works! Fattoush is perfect as a side or a light main, and it pairs nicely with other Middle Eastern dishes, like hummus, labneh, grilled fish, chicken kabobs, or kofta.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE FATTOUSH
- Mixed Greens: The crisp, fresh base of the salad—use romaine, arugula, watercress, mesclun, or whatever mix you like for a variety of textures and flavors.
- Fresh Mint And Parsley: These herbs add tons of bright, fresh flavor.
- Cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, bell pepper & radishes: These colorful veggies bring juicy sweetness, refreshing crunch, and just the right amount of peppery bite.
- Pita Chips: The signature crunch—they add that irresistible toasty texture that fattoush is famous for. Store-bought chips like Stacy’s are totally fine!
- Dressing ingredients (lemon juice, olive oil, shallots, garlic, honey, sumac & cumin): A bright, zesty dressing with citrusy tang, a touch of sweetness, and warm, earthy flavor. The sumac is optional—you can find it in the spice section of well-stocked grocery stores.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, shallot, garlic, honey, sumac (if using), cumin, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Step 2: Toss the salad. In a large bowl, add all the salad ingredients except the pita chips. Right before serving, drizzle about half the dressing over the salad and toss gently, adding more dressing if needed.
Step 3: Add the pita chips and serve. Toss in the pita chips and serve immediately so they stay nice and crunchy.
Other Mediterranean salads You May Like
Israeli Salad with Feta
Mediterranean Bulgur Salad
Panzanella Salad
Tabbouleh
Fattoush (Middle Eastern Bread Salad)
Meet your new go-to summer salad! This fattoush recipe is chock-full of fragrant herbs, colorful veggies, and crunchy pita. Simple, fresh, and full of flavor.
Servings 4 portions
Calories 286kcal
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from 2 lemons (see note)
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots, from 1 small shallot
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- Scant ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
- 4 cups mixed greens (romaine, watercress, arugula, mesclun, or any combination)
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh mint, very roughly chopped
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley, very roughly chopped
- 1 cup (6 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English/hothouse cucumber, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 cups pita chips (see note)
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
For the Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, shallot, garlic, honey, sumac (if using), cumin, salt, and pepper.
For the Salad
- Combine all the ingredients except for the pita chips in a very large bowl. Right before serving, drizzle half of the dressing over top and toss gently to combine. Add more dressing, little by little, until the salad is adequately dressed (you may not need all of it). Add the pita and toss gently. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If you’d like to incorporate pomegranate molasses, a traditional ingredient in fattoush, substitute 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses.
- To make homemade pita chips, you’ll need 1 pita bread, split into two thin rounds and cut into 1-inch pieces. Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Directly on the foil, toss the pita bread with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes, until crisp and golden. Let cool.
Nutrition
Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 403mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g
Nutritional Data Disclaimer
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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