Fattoush (فتوش): Lebanese Bread Salad
Overview
Fattoush is the salad every Lebanese family makes when the fridge has no plan. Tomatoes, cucumber, radish, lettuce, herbs, day-old pita torn and toasted crispy, all tossed in a sharp dressing of pomegranate molasses, lemon, olive oil and sumac. The pita is non-negotiable, fattoush without bread is just a chopped salad. The genius is in the sumac, the deep red sour spice that makes Lebanese cooking taste Lebanese, sprinkled across the top to finish. Eaten across the Levant from Aleppo to Beirut to Amman, served year-round but tastes best in summer when the tomatoes are at their peak.
The Ingredients
For the salad
- • 2 large pita breads, day-old
- • 1 head Baby Romaine Lettuce (Crysp)
- • 250g Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine (Crysp)
- • 2 Cucumbers (Crysp)
- • 1 small Red Onion (Crysp)
- • 30g Parsley (Crysp)
- • 20g Mint (Crysp)
- • 1 tbsp Peashoots (Crysp), to garnish
- • 6 radishes, sliced
- • 1 tbsp sumac
For the dressing
- • 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- • 2 Crysp Limes, juiced
- • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- • 1 garlic clove, crushed
- • 1 tsp dried mint
- • 1 tsp sumac
- • Salt & black pepper
Instructions
Crisp the Pita
Tear the pita into bite-sized pieces, separating the top and bottom layers as you go for maximum crispness. Spread on a baking tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, toss to coat. Bake at 200°C for 8 minutes until deep golden and audibly crisp when you tap them. Let cool, the bread must be properly crisp, not chewy.
Whisk the Dressing
In a jar, combine the lime juice, pomegranate molasses, crushed garlic, dried mint, sumac, salt and pepper. Pour in the olive oil while whisking. Taste, the dressing should be sharp, sour, faintly sweet from the molasses, properly seasoned. The acid is the whole point, do not soften it.
Cut the Vegetables Properly
Tear the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces, do not chop with a knife, torn edges absorb dressing better. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Quarter the cucumbers lengthways then slice into 1cm pieces. Slice the red onion paper-thin. Slice the radishes into thin rounds. Finely chop the parsley, tear the mint leaves whole, do not chop them.
Toss in Layers
In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, radishes, parsley and mint. Pour over half the dressing, toss gently with your hands, lifting and turning, do not crush the leaves. Add the crispy pita, toss again briefly. The pita will start absorbing dressing immediately, this is the moment to plate.
Plate and Sumac Heavy
Tip the salad onto a wide shallow platter, mound it generously, fattoush is meant to look abundant. Drizzle the remaining dressing across the top. Dust the entire surface with the tablespoon of sumac, it should look dramatically red. Pile peashoots in the centre. Serve immediately while the pita is still crispy, fattoush waits for no one.
The Tradition
Fattoush belongs to the family of Levantine peasant salads built around using stale bread, the same kitchen logic that gave Italy panzanella and Tuscany pappa al pomodoro. The dish appears in Aleppo cookbooks from the 18th century and likely existed long before that. The pomegranate molasses is the modern Lebanese signature, the dried mint is Syrian, the sumac is universal. In Beirut today fattoush is the salad ordered automatically with grilled meats, mezze, or anything else, the way Italians order a green salad. The version that uses radish is more common in Damascus, the version with purslane (baqle) is the most traditional, but baby romaine is the closest substitute available year-round.
💡 Pro Tip: Add the pita to the salad only at the very last second before serving. Crispy pita absorbs dressing within 60 seconds and goes from golden crisp to soggy mush. If you are prepping ahead for guests, keep the bread separate in a bowl beside the salad and let everyone toss their own portion at the table. This is also the most authentic way to serve it in Lebanese homes.