Easy Fattoush Salad (1 Bowl!)
Easy fattoush salad made in 1 bowl in 20 minutes! A weeknight-friendly take on the classic Levantine dish with crunchy veggies, crispy pita, fresh mint, and pomegranate arils.
Servings 4 (side servings // or half for entrée servings)
Ingredients
SALAD
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce (or other crunchy, neutral-flavored greens // 1/2 head lettuce yields ~3 cups or 130 g)
- 2 cups chopped fresh, crunchy veggies of choice (we like 1 cup or 150 g cucumber*, 3/4 cup or 150 g chopped tomatoes, and 1/4 cup or 40 g radish)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (or balsamic vinegar, though not traditional)
- 3/4 tsp ground sumac
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp maple syrup (optional // plus more to taste, depending on the sweetness of your pomegranate molasses)
- Extra virgin olive oil (optional // ensure high quality and avoid adding too much)
FOR SERVING
- 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, removed from stems and left whole (~1 small bunch mint)
- 1 ½ cups pita chips, slightly crushed (gluten-free as needed // we used Simple Mills Veggie Flour Pita Crackers // see notes for homemade*)
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils (find our favorite way to cut a pomegranate here // or sub sliced strawberries when in season, though not traditional)
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (optional // include if serving as an entrée)
Instructions
- PITA CHIPS: See notes for instructions on making homemade pita chips. We like using store-bought pita chips for ease!
- SALAD: To a large mixing bowl or serving platter, add lettuce, chopped veggies, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, sumac, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat veggies with dressing. Taste and adjust as needed, adding maple syrup for sweetness (we used a sweetened pomegranate molasses, so we didn’t find it necessary), more lemon juice for brightness, more pomegranate molasses for a rich, tart flavor, or a drizzle of olive oil for richness (ensure high-quality olive oil and avoid adding too much — we found standard grocery store olive oil added too much bitterness).
- FOR SERVING: When ready to serve, garnish with fresh mint leaves, pita chips, pomegranate arils, and chickpeas (optional). Serve right away to keep the pita chips from getting soggy.
- Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep stored separately for up to 2-3 days. Not freezer friendly.
Notes
*Persian or Lebanese cucumbers are best as they have more flavor. English cucumbers are the next best option. However, other types of cucumbers will also work. Option to peel and remove seeds for best flavor/texture.
*Prep time does not include making pita chips.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 4 side servings calculated with Simple Mills pita crackers and without optional ingredients.
*HOMEMADE PITA CHIPS:
1 ½ cups pita bread (gluten-free as needed // we used BFree stone-baked pita breads)
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano (optional)
1/2 tsp ground sumac (optional)
1/4 tsp sea salt Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut pita bread into small triangles (~1/2-inch x 1/2-inch x 1 inch) and separate layers of pita to ensure all the chips are a single layer.
Place the pita triangles on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with oregano, sumac, and sea salt and toss to evenly coat.
Arrange pita triangles in a single layer and bake for 8-12 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges and beginning to crisp up. Watch closely after 8 minutes because they go from crisp to burnt quickly. Pita may take longer to cook depending on its freshness and thickness.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan to crisp up further before adding to salad.
*Prep time does not include making pita chips.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 4 side servings calculated with Simple Mills pita crackers and without optional ingredients.
*HOMEMADE PITA CHIPS:
1 ½ cups pita bread (gluten-free as needed // we used BFree stone-baked pita breads)
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano (optional)
1/2 tsp ground sumac (optional)
1/4 tsp sea salt Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut pita bread into small triangles (~1/2-inch x 1/2-inch x 1 inch) and separate layers of pita to ensure all the chips are a single layer.
Place the pita triangles on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle with oregano, sumac, and sea salt and toss to evenly coat.
Arrange pita triangles in a single layer and bake for 8-12 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges and beginning to crisp up. Watch closely after 8 minutes because they go from crisp to burnt quickly. Pita may take longer to cook depending on its freshness and thickness.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan to crisp up further before adding to salad.
Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)
Serving: 1 side serving Calories: 127 Carbohydrates: 21.6 g Protein: 2.8 g Fat: 4.1 g Saturated Fat: 0.4 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.18 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.07 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 138 mg Potassium: 446 mg Fiber: 4 g Sugar: 7.5 g Vitamin A: 562 IU Vitamin C: 14 mg Calcium: 63 mg Iron: 1.8 mg