Fattoush Salad (Middle Eastern Pita Bread Salad)

This simple Fattoush salad recipe (alternately spelled Fattouche), traditional to Middle Eastern cuisine, may not be as well known as tabbouli but is every bit as good.

Toasted pita bread is tossed with everyday vegetables like ripe tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, and red onions. A simple olive oil and lemon dressing pulls it all together.

Complete the meal: A great salad to serve as part of a Middle Eastern-themed meal, fattoush is fantastic with Mujaddarah. Another easy idea is to serve as part of a mezze platter — olives, grape leaves, hummus, and more pita (fresh, of course).

You don’t have to stick with a theme, though; this salad is a wonderful companion to most any kind of simple grain or bean dish. It can be served all year round, though it’s especially good in the summer. Try it with grilled dishes and fresh corn.

A little backstory on its origins: Fattouche salad is from the Levant region of the Middle East. Lebanon is often cited as the birthplace of the recipe, and from there, it spread to Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and Syria. Every chef — home or restaurant — has a slightly different way of making it.

The salad’s name is derived from the word “fatta,” referring to recipes that incorporate day-old flatbread. and honestly, the ingredients don’t need to be added in exact amounts. It’s a salad, after all, and eyeballing is always fine. Enjoy!

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Yield: 4 to 6

Fattoush Salad (Middle Eastern Pita Bread Salad)

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This simple Fattoush salad, traditional to Middle Eastern cuisine, may not be as well known as tabbouli but is every bit as good.

Prep Time 12 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large pita breads (or see Variation)
• 1 heaping cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or fresh mint leaves to taste
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• Several radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 to 3 big handfuls of baby greens or 1/2 small head shredded dark green lettuce
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut the pita breads into 1 inch or so squares with kitchen shears or a sharp knife. Toast in a 375º F. oven or toaster oven until golden and turning crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a serving bowl. Add the cut pita and toss again. Serve at once.

Notes

Variation: Use a couple of big handfuls of lightly crushed pita chips. The salad won’t be as pretty, but it works!

If you like this Middle Eastern salad, you might also enjoy …

Quinoa Tabbouli with a Nearly-Instant Mezze Platter

Here are more easy vegan salads & sides.