Lebanon · Lebanese cuisine (village salads, mezze)
Fattoush
A crunchy Lebanese bread salad of crisp lettuce, cucumber, tomato, radish and fresh herbs, tossed with golden toasted pita and a lemon, garlic, sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | Lebanon
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
Photo: Public domain · Public domain · Source · cropped
translation Translated from French. Translation by Cookhuddle Editorial. Read the original
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- Servings
- 4
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Cuisine / tradition: Lebanese cuisine (village salads, mezze) (LB) — declared by the author
- Salad
- Starter
- Side dish
Ingredients
For 4 servings
- 2 piece pita breads, torn into bite-size pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for the pita
- 1/4 tsp fine salt, for the pita
- 1 piece romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 piece small cucumbers, chopped
- 2 piece medium tomatoes, diced
- 5 piece radishes, sliced
- 2 piece spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for the dressing
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 clove garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp sumac
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, for the dressing
Method
- Step 1. Heat the oven to 220 °C. Toss the torn pita with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the salt, spread in one layer on a tray and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing once halfway, until golden and crisp. Leave to cool completely.⏱ 10 min
- Step 2. Put the romaine, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, spring onions, parsley and mint in a large bowl.
- Step 3. Whisk the lemon juice with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the pomegranate molasses, garlic, sumac and salt, and taste and adjust.
- Step 4. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Step 5. Add the crisp pita just before serving, toss briefly, and serve at once so that the bread stays crunchy.
Story and cultural note
Fattoush is a Lebanese village salad, a bread salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, radish and herbs topped with torn, crisped pita and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, with sumac that gives it a tart edge. The sources agree on this base and treat pomegranate molasses as an optional but popular addition, with garlic and sometimes dried mint. The pita is toasted in the oven, air-fried or fried, and added just before serving so that it stays crisp. Some versions add bell pepper, pomegranate seeds or other leaves.
Tips for success
Toast the pita until deep golden and let it cool completely, so that it is crisp. Dress the salad and add the pita at the last moment, or it will go soft. Use ripe tomatoes and very crisp lettuce. Taste the dressing: it should be tart with lemon and sumac, with a hint of sweetness from the pomegranate molasses.
Serving and presentation
Serve in a wide bowl, tossed at the table, with a sprinkle of sumac over the top and a few pita pieces left whole for the crunch.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietVegetarianVeganDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-free
ContainsGluten (cereals)
