Lebanese Fattoush Salad

Once you start making Lebanese Fattoush Salad, it will be a go-to favorite salad! My Fattoush recipe is an authentic Lebanese salad made with fresh vegetables, an addictive tangy Fattoush dressing, and pita chips.

There are a few traditional Lebanese salads that belong in most every cook’s salad rotation: tabbouleh salad, Lebanese salata, and the darling of my own table and plate, Lebanese Fattoush salad. Read about how I got there in my story here.

Fattoush is made with a wonderful variety–lettuce plus fresh vegetables and herbs. Dress Fattoush with a unique dressing that is sweet-and-sour, bright with sumac spice, pomegranate molasses, and lemon. Finish Fattoush with a crush of crisp pita chips and a shower of fresh herbs.

Fattoush is so addictive for me that I will, in the face of enormous, epic Lebanese feasts of my own making, fill my plate half with Fattoush. The rest is just a supporting cast!! With a little chicken or kofta skewer alongside, I have all I need to feast and feast well.

Here’s how to make homemade Lebanese Fattoush salad with dressing we can’t get enough of:

What is Fattoush?

Also known as fatoush or fatoosh, the word Fattoush comes from the Arabic word “fatteh,” which refers to little “crumbs.” Both Fattoush salad and fatteh (a Lebanese dish with pita chips, yogurt and trimmings) are made with pita chips. They are among that class of dishes most every culture devises to make delicious use of dry bread. Cooking with economy!

We don’t, however, wait for dry pita bread to make Fattoush or to make the pita chips that are so essential to a Fattoush salad! The pita chips in Fattoush are traditionally fried for superior flavor and crunch.

What is the difference between tabbouleh and Fattoush?

Big difference. Huge difference!

Tabbouleh salad is an herb salad of finely chopped parsley and mint that includes a touch of tomato and bulgur. Tabbouleh salad dressing is a simple, lemony dressing. Fattoush is a lettuce and vegetable salad, crunchy and full bodied, with pita chips. Fattoush dressing includes pomegranate molasses, sumac, and lemon.

Ingredients for Fattoush salad.

Fattoush is certainly flexible in its salad components. Here is a list of ingredients to use as a guideline. Have other favorites, such as bell peppers, cucumbers, or baby lettuces? Go for it!

Romaine lettuce. Romaine has what it takes to stand up under Fattoush salad dressing and all of the other vegetables and pita chips.

Cherry or grape tomatoes. Why do I specify these? They hold together much better than slices of big, juicy summer tomatoes. Plus, we make Fattoush year round (you will too!). Cherry or grape tomatoes taste sooo much better than roma or other big tomatoes in the off-season.

Red onion. Slice it thin. Love the flavor, love the color.

Radishes. Slice these thin too. The bracing flavor and crunch of radishes are a thing of beauty in Fattoush.

Fresh mint. Don’t miss this special ingredient in your salad. Oh the freshness! The authentic Lebanese flavor! Use spearmint, which is the typical garden mint and the fresh mint sold in the grocery store.

Pita Chips. Do what works best for your time here: purchased pita chips will suffice, but most offerings are lackluster. Homemade pita chips are so good. Try them! Instructions are below.

Note that the traditional Fattoush salad in Lebanon, and for many who lived this flavor there, purslane (a flavorful, delicate green) is an important Fattoush ingredient. In my Lebanese-American making and eating of Fattoush, purslane isn’t there! But do know this and try it if you like!

Ingredients for Lebanese Fattoush Salad Dressing.

I call this the Ultimate Lebanese Salad Dressing because I make a jar, then use it on lots of salads, not just Fattoush! Here’s what you need, some are unique ingredients:

Pomegranate Molasses. Have you tried this fabulous flavor maker? Pomegranate molasses for Fattoush is as important as the pita chips to imparting the unique taste that is Fattoush. This syrup is simply reduced pomegranate juice and it is readily available. Find pure Lebanese pomegranate molasses here.

Lemon juice. Your road to acidic flavor is here. Use fresh! From one lemon will do for a big salad.

Fresh garlic. A small clove, minced. I like to grate my garlic on a microplane zester. So fast! Just watch your knuckles so that they don’t get caught in the shuffle!

Spices. Sumac spice is a citrus-like flavor, deep red in color, and a Fattoush must-have! We also include dried mint to level up the mint flavor that is hallmark Lebanese taste. Find both of these spices here.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The good stuff will make your Fattoush salad dressing sing!

Salt and pepper too.

How to make Fattoush salad?

Here is a step-by-step guide to making the very best Lebanese Fattoush salad:

Step 1. Are you making your own pita chips? If so, get those made right away. I like to make them and keep them on hand at-the-ready for Fattoush anytime. To make the pita chips, heat neutral oil (such as expeller-pressed avocado oil, safflower oil, or canola because these handle high fry temps without burning easily). Use pita cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces, or use a whole pita here (if your pita is of the thinner variety). Fry them quickly taking care to remove the pita immediately when it starts to turn golden. Salt them right away (or not at all).

P.S. purchased pita chips are alright too!

Step 2. Clean, dry, and chop or tear the romaine into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half. Thinly slice the radishes. Cut the red onion in thin slices. Finely chop the mint.

Step 3. Dress the salad (see how to make the Fattoush dressing below). Add the pita chips just before serving and toss with the salad. Finish the salad with more crushed pita chips on top and a dusting of sumac and fresh mint.

How to make Fattoush salad dressing.

This is such an easy Fattoush dressing! So many flavors:

In a small bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, garlic, sumac, dried mint, olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste, looking for balanced sweet-tart flavor. You likey?! Adjust as needed. Take care not to overdo it with the pomegranate molasses.

Leb Pro Tips for making the best Lebanese Fattoush salad.

1. Use the freshest lettuce and vegetables you can find. The crisp fresh flavor of quality vegetables will make your salad ever so great.
2. Keep the salad cold. I like to combine the lettuce and vegetables in a big zip lock bag or in the salad bowl covered with plastic wrap, and keep this in the refrigerator until just before serving.
3. Add the pita chips just before serving. This way they will stay crisp without soaking too much dressing before serving.
4. Toss some pita chips in the salad, then garnish with more on top. Pretty!
5. Do everything in your power to get a bottle of pure pomegranate molasses. This flavor is so key to a great Lebanese Fattoush Salad! I promise you will use the bottle again and again (it won’t sit unused in the pantry like some speciality ingredients do). Then, don’t use too much pomegranate molasses! A balance of the essential sweetness here (not too much) is best.

What do you serve with Fattoush?

The possibilities are huge! To eat Fattoush salad as a main dish, slice some chicken on top, add some chickpeas, or chopped chicken shawarma (oh yes). Bam, easy good protein!

We Fattoush for the holidays (any and all) around here, so consider Fattoush for those menus too (Memorial Day, 4^th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, you name it!). And yes, Fattoush is both a noun and a verb in our house. As in, “want to Fattoush tonight? Yes, let’s!”

Your Fattoush salad menu (because we build the menu around the Fattoush!), try:

Chicken Shish Tawook (chicken skewers)

Lamb or Beef Kofta Skewers

Kibbeh any and all ways

Fatayer, little savory hand pies filled with spinach or meat

Chicken Shawarma or Roasted Cauliflower Shawarma with Lebanese Vermicelli Rice

Frequently Asked Questions.

More Lebanese Recipes to Try:

Authentic Lebanese Mujadara

Lebanese Salata

Tabbouleh Salad

Easy Lebanese Cabbage Salad with garlic and lemon

Lebanese Fattoush Salad

Maureen Abood

Once you start making Lebanese Fattoush Salad, it will be ago-to favorite salad! My Fattoush recipe is an authentic Lebanese salad made with fresh vegetables, an addictive tangy Fattoush dressing, and pita chips.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the pita chips (if making homemade)

• Neutral oil for frying (such as avocado, safflower, or canola)
• 2 large pitas, cut in 2-inch pieces
• table salt, for dusting the pita chips

For the Fattoush Salad and Dressing:

• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Few grinds black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried mint or Garlic Mint Salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons sumac, divided
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large hearts of romaine, chopped or torn in pieces
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 radishes thinly sliced
• 10 fresh mint leaves, chopped or torn

Instructions

 

• For the pita chips, in a large heavy pot, fill oil up to about 3 inches from the bottom. Heat to 375°F, or until a small piece of bread dropped into the oil makes lively bubbles. Add a big handful of the cut pita bread and fry for about one minute, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined pan or dish. Repeat to make as many pita chips as you'd like! Finish with a dusting of table salt (optional).
• For the vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, garlic, kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of the dried mint, 1 teaspoon of the sumac, and olive oil until it is thoroughly combined.
• In your big salad bowl, combine the romaine, tomatoes, onion, radishes, and pita chips. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette, tossing it to evenly coat everything. Dust the fattoush with the remaining Garlic Mint Salt and sumac, fresh mint, and serve immediately.

Notes

1. Use the freshest lettuce and vegetables you can find. The crisp fresh flavor of quality vegetables will make your salad ever so great.
2. Keep the salad cold. I like to combine the lettuce and vegetables in a big zip lock bag or in the salad bowl covered with plastic wrap, and keep this in the refrigerator until just before serving.
3. Add the pita chips just before serving. This way they will stay crisp without soaking too much dressing before serving.
4. Toss some pita chips in the salad, then garnish with more on top. Pretty!
5. Do everything in your power to get a bottle of pure pomegranate molasses. This flavor is so key to a great Lebanese Fattoush Salad! I promise you will use the bottle again and again (it won’t sit unused in the pantry like some speciality ingredients do). Then, don’t use too much pomegranate molasses! A balance of the essential sweetness here (not too much) is best.

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