Fattoush Salad

This Fattoush salad recipe is a classic dish served 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, and savory balance that makes it taste fantastic..

I made my version of this salad in my café and served it as a main entrée salad. I also 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.

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.

Tips for The Best Fattoush Salad

• Day-old pita bread works best since it is drier and won’t take long to fry. All they need is a little drizzle of olive oil and then pan fry them until brown and crispy.
• Traditionally, the toasted pieces of bread should be tossed with a bit of sumac before adding it to the salad.
• You can also use my baked pita chips recipe for a healthier option. All you have to do is reserve 1 tablespoon of the salad dressing and spread it on the pita triangle. Then bake it in the oven until brown and crispy.
• I like to toss the pita chips with the salad just before serving it, so I get a bite of crunch with every piece of salad.
• Use Persian cucumbers because they have fewer seeds and less water.
• You can order pomegranate molasses on amazon for an authentic salad or make your own.
• Use romaine hearts since they are crunchier and more tender than the outer leaves of romaine lettuce.

What is in a Fattoush Salad?

Fattoush salad is made with plenty of nutritious greens. 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. Unfortunately, it is only available in the spring. If you have never heard of purslane, it is a green, leafy vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked similarly to how spinach is eaten. Like watercress and baby spinach, purslane is one of the few green vegetables full of Omega 3- fatty acid and vitamins and minerals.

I also like to add some crumbled-up feta cheese on top for a salty, cheesy taste. You can also add grilled chicken breast if you want to make it a complete meal. This can be customized to include your favorite topping. A traditional Fattoush salad also always has pomegranate molasses included in the dressing. Asian Coleslaw Salad with Rice Vinegar Dressing is another amazing dish you must try if you like healthy eating.

Pomegranate Molasses

This authentic recipe is best with pomegranate molasses. You can easily find pomegranate molasses on Amazon, or you could make your own from fresh pomegranate or pomegranate juice. All you have to do is mix the pomegranate with sugar and lemon juice until the mixture is reduced to a semi-thick syrup.

Since pomegranate molasses have an intense sweet and sour flavor, a small amount goes long. It is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking. This molasses is used in various dishes to enhance savory dishes with fruity flavors. It is also used in many Persian dishes, such as lamb stews. Pomegranate dressing is a great salad dressing and can be used to substitute for balsamic vinegar.