Fattoush
Ingredients
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- 2 pieces pita bread – split into single layers and cut into 1-inch triangles
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil – for frying
- 3 cups romaine lettuce – chopped (~0.5 medium romaine lettuces)
- 12 ounces tomato – cut into 0.75-inch chunks (~3 medium tomatos)
- 8 ounces Persian cucumber – halved lengthwise and sliced 0.25-inch thick (~3 small persian cucumbers)
- 4 ounces radish – thinly sliced (~12.5 small radishes)
- 4 pieces scallion – thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley – coarsely chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves – torn
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic – finely grated
- 2 tsp ground sumac
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. Split the pita breads into single layers and cut into 1-inch triangles.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium heat until it shimmers (about 350°F). Fry the pita pieces in batches, turning once, until golden and crisp, 2–3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and cool completely.
3. Prepare the vegetables: chop the romaine; cut the tomatoes into 0.75-inch chunks; slice the cucumbers, radishes, and scallions; chop the parsley and tear the mint.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the lemon juice, grated garlic, ground sumac, kosher salt, and black pepper. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until slightly thickened. Let the dressing stand 5 minutes to mellow the garlic and bloom the sumac.
5. Add the romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, scallions, parsley, and mint to the bowl. Toss to coat evenly.
6. Just before serving, add the fried pita chips and toss again until the bread is glossy and lightly softened at the edges but still crisp in the center. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon or salt as needed. Serve immediately.
Fattoush is a vibrant, herb-forward chopped salad built around crisp shards of fried flatbread that soak up a lemony, sumac-bright dressing. It balances textures—crunchy pita and radishes against juicy tomatoes and cool cucumbers—while heaps of mint and parsley add freshness. The flavor is zesty, tangy, and savory with a distinctive citrusy lift from ground sumac, making it refreshing yet substantial.
Originating in the Levant, fattoush belongs to the family of bread salads that transform day-old pita into a centerpiece rather than a leftover. Its name is often linked to the Arabic root for “crumble” or “soak,” reflecting how the bread mingles with the juices. Over time, it spread across Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and beyond, with local and seasonal tweaks, but it remains a staple of home tables and mezze spreads throughout the region.