Fattoush salad
Bright Middle Eastern salad with crisp toasted pita, sumac-spiked dressing and fresh herbs — zesty, crunchy and perfect for summer.
Fattoush is the cheeky, crunchy cousin of a green salad — all the fresh veg you love with shards of toasted pita for texture and a lemony, sumac-forward dressing that wakes everything up. It’s brilliant for a summer lunch, a mezze spread or whenever you need something bright and unfussy.
This version keeps things simple: fresh herbs, radishes for peppery snap, pomegranate for sweet-tart bursts and a dressing that combines lemon and pomegranate molasses. Add the crispy bread at the very end and you’re rewarded with glorious crunch.
Ingredients
- 2 pita breads — large; about 240 g total
- 60 ml olive oil
- 30 ml pomegranate molasses
- 2 lemons — juiced (about 60 ml)
- 1 garlic clove — crushed
- 5 ml sea salt
- 5 ml black pepper — freshly ground
- 10 ml sumac
- 3 little gem lettuces — washed and leaves separated
- 50 g rocket
- 3 ripe tomatoes — about 400 g; cut into wedges
- 1 cucumber — about 250 g; halved and sliced
- 8 radishes — thinly sliced
- 1 red onion — small; thinly sliced
- 3 spring onions — finely sliced
- 30 g flat-leaf parsley — roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh mint — leaves picked and chopped
- 50 g pomegranate seeds
- 0 ml dried chilli flakes — optional
Equipment
- baking tray
- large salad bowl
- whisk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Tear the pita breads into bite-sized pieces, put them in a bowl, drizzle with about 15 ml olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and 1 tsp sumac, toss to coat and spread in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake until golden and crisp, 8–12 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, the remaining olive oil (about 45 ml), pomegranate molasses, crushed garlic clove, the remaining 1 tsp sumac, sea salt and black pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be bright, slightly tart and fragrant.
Prepare the vegetables and herbs: core and tear the little gem lettuce into bite-sized pieces, roughly chop the rocket, cut the ripe tomatoes into wedges, halve and slice the cucumber, thinly slice the radishes and red onion, slice the spring onions, and chop the parsley and mint.
Combine the salad: in a large bowl add all the prepared salad leaves, vegetables and herbs. Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the salad and gently toss for 20–30 seconds until evenly coated. Reserve the rest of the dressing for anyone who wants extra.
Just before serving add the toasted pita pieces and the pomegranate seeds to the salad and toss lightly so the bread remains crisp. Scatter over a little extra sumac and, if using, the dried chilli flakes.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, transfer to a serving platter and offer the reserved dressing at the table for people who prefer extra tang.
Tips
- Tear the pita by hand rather than cutting — uneven pieces get crispier edges.
- Make the toasted pita ahead and keep in an airtight container for up to 24 hours; add to the salad only just before serving to avoid sogginess.
- If pomegranate molasses is hard to find, mix extra lemon juice with a little honey or agave (see substitutions) for a quick substitute.
- Dry the washed salad leaves thoroughly in a spinner or with kitchen paper to help the dressing cling and prevent dilution.
- Reserve a little dressing and extra pomegranate seeds at the table so guests can top their own bowls.
Substitutions
pita breads → gluten-free flatbreads toasted until crisp
Noticeably differentpomegranate molasses → 15 ml extra lemon juice + 10 ml agave syrup (or honey if not vegan)
Stays closeflat-leaf parsley → 30 g fresh coriander
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 326
- Calories
- 6 g
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 450 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make the pita croutons ahead?
Yes — cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Add them to the salad only at the last moment to keep them crisp.
Is this salad suitable for vegans?
Yes — as written it contains no animal products. Use agave instead of honey if you make a substitution suggested above.
How can I make this gluten-free?
Replace the pita with a toasted gluten-free flatbread or crisp chickpea crackers; texture and flavour will be slightly different but still delicious.
What else can I add for more protein?
Add grilled halloumi (not vegan), cooked chickpeas or slices of roasted chicken. Any addition will change the salad from a light starter to a more substantial main.
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