Fattoush Salad Recipe

The Fattoush salad recipe has become a classic dish throughout the Middle East. This tangy, flavorful recipe has just the right amount of crispiness from the lightly fried pita chips. The dressing is simple to make but is packed with flavor. The pomegranate molasses gives it the perfect sweet, tangy, savory balance that tastes fantastic.

I made my version of this salad in my café and served it as a main entrée salad. I added lightly charred grilled chicken to the dish for a well-balanced meal. Everyone who tried my Fattoush salad loved it. It became the top-selling salad at my café. This salad will make a great side dish and served next to Oven Roasted chicken with Zaatar and sumac, 

What is Fattoush?

A Fattoush salad is a Middle Eastern salad that typically includes some variation of lettuce, cucumbers, and, most importantly, fried pieces of bread. Practically everyone agrees that it originated from northern Lebanon. It said that farmers wanted to find a way to eat day-old bread, so they broke the pita bread into small pieces and added it to whatever vegetable they had. Thanks to those farmers, this dish is served in many middle eastern restaurants and made at many Middle Eastern homes. The small pieces of bread give the salad its name. In Arabic, the base word of ‘Fattoush’ is ‘Fatteh,’ which means crumbs. Like our lamb Fatteh with tahini yogurt sauce.

What is in a Fattoush Salad Recipe?

We use plenty of nutritious greens to make this delicious Fattoush salad recipe. I use romaine lettuce, Persian cucumbers, green onions, red onions, fresh Italian parsley, and fresh mint for the vegetables.

One of my favorite vegetables to use is purslane. If you’re unfamiliar with purslane, it’s a versatile green, leafy vegetable that can be enjoyed raw or cooked, much like spinach. Like watercress and baby spinach, purslane is one of the few green vegetables full of Omega 3- fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. Unfortunately, it is only available in the spring.

You can customize your favorite topping to your liking. I also like adding crumbled-up feta cheese on top for a salty, cheesy taste. You can also add grilled chicken breast to make it a complete meal.

Pomegranate Molasses

Pomegranate Molasses included in the dressing is a must for an authentic Fattoush salad recipe. To create your own, mix fresh pomegranate juice with sugar and lemon juice and reduce the mixture to a semi-thick syrup. You can easily find pomegranate molasses on Amazon as well. With this flavorful ingredient, your Fattoush salad will taste authentic and delicious.

Since pomegranate molasses have an intense sweet and sour flavor, a small amount goes long. It is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking. Enhance your savory dishes with fruity flavors using this versatile molasses. It’s a popular ingredient in many Persian lamb stews and other delicious dishes. Pomegranate dressing is a great salad dressing and can substitute for balsamic vinegar. Check out other recipes, including pomegranate molasses in them, grilled asparagus, and grilled zucchini with garlic sumac and lemon.