Easy Lebanese Fattoush salad is a fresh and crispy delight packed with veggies and pomegranate seeds, with a zesty, oil-free dressing and toasted pita chips.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
✔ Fattoush salad, also known as Fatoosh, Fattaush, Fatush, or Fattouche, is a crispy green salad with flavors of the Middle East from a combination of pomegranates, lime, sumac, and pomegranate molasses.
✔ The tart flavor is tempered by homemade crispy pita chips, which you can also make from leftover pita scraps after making your own pita bread.
✔ A tasty salad is so easy you can make it anytime, but the vibrant colors and textures make it the perfect side dish for special meals.
✔ Unlike traditional fattoush salad recipes, this one is entirely oil-free.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Pita bread. Pita chips are as simple as cutting a few pita slices into small pieces and baking them. If you order an authentic Lebanese Fattoush salad, likely, it includes fried bread, but we skip the oil and bake them.
Pomegranate seeds. The extra crunch and sour flavor of pomegranate seeds are a must-have.
Cucumber. Persian cucumbers are traditional for Fattoush, but you can use a regular salad cucumber or English cucumber.
Bell pepper. Use a green or red bell pepper or a mix of tiny peppers. Red pepper is sweeter, with raw green pepper adding a more distinctive and slightly bitter flavor.
Cherry tomatoes. A fresh salad stays crispier for longer if you use cherry or ‘grape’ tomatoes because they have less water content than dicing larger tomatoes.
Sumac. Sumac is a spice from a flowering plant with a dark reddish color and a lemony tart flavor. Sumac is the primary ingredient in Za’atar seasoning, so it's a good alternative.
Pomegranate molasses. In my humble opinion, pomegranate molasses or pomegranate syrup should be stocked in every pantry. There are several good substitutes for pomegranate molasses, such as tamarind or a combination of lime or lemon juice and maple syrup.
Fresh mint. Refreshing mint can be mixed with the Fattoush dressing or salad ingredients (my preference). Mint leaves are hearty. You can chop or tear them without fear of them browning. Toss in other fresh herbs such as parsley – another green thing always welcome in this salad.
Fresh lemon juice. Even more tart flavor coming your way with zesty lemon juice. Fresh lemons are the best for zesty flavor, or, for convenience, use the prepared kind.
Maple syrup. Add a little maple syrup or date paste to balance the tangy dressing. If you use granulated sugar like date or coconut sugar, stir it well to dissolve it.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
Easily turn this salad into a main dish by adding plant-based proteins like chickpeas, green lentils, or grains like quinoa or quick Instant Pot bulgur.
Traditional Lebanese salad is usually made with Romain or iceberg lettuce; however, any leafy greens, including spinach or chopped kale, can be used.
If you want a thicker, oil-free dressing, replace the maple syrup with 2 whole dates. Use a spice grinder or small blender to puree them with the rest of the dressing ingredients.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Dice or tear pita bread into small pieces, and bake them for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
Step 2: Prep the veggies and add them to a large salad bowl along with half the pomegranate seeds.
Step 3: Make the dressing in a small bowl or jar.
Step 4: Add the pita chips, pour over the dressing, and garnish with the rest of the pomegranate seeds.
Pro Tips
For crispy lettuce, separate the leaves, wash, and carefully dry them. If you have time, lay the leaves between a few paper towels, and let them chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Before slicing cucumbers, cut them lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and gooey middle. This helps cucumbers to stay crisper and eliminates the main cause of cucumber indigestion.
Dress the salad immediately before serving. Crisp pita chips will start to get mushy after soaking up the dressing.
Serving Suggestions
Fattoush is great with a main dish that leans into Mediterranean cuisine, but it's great with many vegan dinner recipes that you might serve with a green salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pomegranate molasses (pomegranate syrup) is found at many grocery stores. You'll find it alongside salad dressings, regular molasses, or syrup, depending on how it is stocked. Look for pomegranate molasses that is concentrated, pure juice with no sugar added. You can also find it at specialty stores with various Middle Eastern or Mediterranean foods.
Use crispy, dry lettuce and veggies, including deseeded cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Once you dress the salad and add the pita chips, Fattoush can get soggy over time. If you plan to serve this salad later, add the dressing and chips immediately before serving. You can also serve salad dressing and chips on the side.
Fattoush is a crisp veggie salad with pita chips. Tabbouleh contains bulgur or another grain. Because the veggies are the star of Fattoush, they are usually bite-sized, whereas, for tabbouleh, the veggies are finely chopped, so the texture matches the cooked bulgur wheat.
Fattoush salad is best served fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 1 day if pita chips are mixed in. The best way to ensure a crispy leftover salad is to add the dressing and pita chips as you eat it.
Recipes to Serve with Fattoush
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It’s much appreciated!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Lebanese Fattoush Salad Recipe (Oil-Free)
Rate this Recipe:
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium pita bread
- 2 heads romaine lettuce - 4 cups shredded
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes - 3 cups, cut in half or diced
- 1 medium cucumber - deseeded and diced, 2 cups
- 8-10 green green onions - 1 cup sliced
- 4 ounces radishes - 1 cup sliced
- 1 medium bell pepper - red or green chopped
- 1 medium pomegranate - the seeds
- 1 cup fresh mint - chopped
- 1 medium lemon - juiced (½ cup)
- 1 -2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic - minced or crushed
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make pita chips. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut 2-3 pita bread slices into bite-sized cubes and put them in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake the chips for 10-15 minutes, tossing them a few times.
- Prep the vegetables.Chop or tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Cut the cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and mushy middle before slicing it. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarter them, and slice the scallions and radishes. Clean the seeds and core from the green pepper and dice it into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, pomegranate molasses, black pepper, and sumac.
- Finish the salad. Mix the vegetables and pomegranate seeds in a large bowl, add the dressing, and top with pita chips.
Notes
- Look for pomegranate molasses (pomegranate syrup) at grocery stores. Try near the salad dressing, syrup, or traditional molasses. You can also find it at stores specializing in Middle Eastern or Mediterranean foods.
- Be sure to dry veggies before preparing them. For extra crispy lettuce, wash the leaves, gently wrap them in a few paper towels and chill them for a few hours.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
James Strange
When made with fresh ingredients fattoush is probably my favorite salad.
Denise
I completely agree. Good stuff.