Fattoush is an easy and crunchy bread salad from the Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. It’s a colorful side dish with fresh vegetables, herbs, and toasted pita bread.
For more Mediterranean Diet recipes, try our shirazi, tabouleh, Mediterranean salad, and panzanella.
Fattoush is one of those dishes that Louise and I instantly fell in love with.
It’s a vibrant Eastern Mediterranean bread salad that’s bursting with flavor, and it couldn’t be easier to make.
It reminds me a lot of Panzanella, the classic Italian bread salad that I grew up with in Italy. The two share similar ingredients and the same rustic charm.
Fattoush is beloved across the Levant region—from Lebanon and Syria to Palestine, Jordan, Israel, and even parts of Turkey and Cyprus.
It’s excellent as part of a colorful mezze platter with dips and sauces.
Louise loves it with baba ghanoush, hummus, and tahini sauce for a creamy contrast.
I love serving fattoush with zaalouk and muhammara to bring in deeper, smoky and spicy flavors.
Together, these dishes create a delicious and inviting spread that’s perfect for sharing.
It’s also perfect as a colorful side dish, a light dinner idea, or a fresh addition to a potluck spread.
Ingredients
- Lettuce: We prefer romaine, but any crunchy lettuce works.
- Scallions (Green Onions): Mild and fresh onion flavor. Can be substituted with red onions or shallots.
- Cucumber: Any type—Persian, English, Kirby, American, or small cucumbers—is suitable.
- Radish: Adds a spicy, zesty kick and crunch. Common in traditional Fattoush.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe, flavorful varieties like beefsteak, vine, cherry, Roma, or heirloom. Drain excess liquid if very watery.
- Green Bell Pepper: Contributes refreshing crunch. Red or yellow peppers can be used instead.
- Arabic Bread (Pita): Traditionally made with leftover flatbread, cut into pieces and fried or toasted. Homemade pita chips tossed with olive oil, salt, and sumac are a healthier, tastier option.
- Fresh Herbs: Flat-leaf parsley and mint are recommended. Purslane is traditional but less available outside the Mediterranean.
Fattoush Dressing
Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Essential for authentic flavor.
Lime or Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed.
Pomegranate Molasses: Adds sweet-tart depth; sub with balsamic vinegar or glaze.
Garlic: Freshly minced or grated.
Sumac: Provides citrusy tang; optional if unavailable.
How to make fattoush
Cut the bread into small bite-size pieces, toss it in olive oil, salt, and sumac, and toast it at 400°F or 200°C in the air fryer or oven until crispy and golden brown – about 3 to 5 minutes.
To a small jar, add extra virgin olive oil, lime or lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, grated garlic, salt, and sumac. Close and shake well.
Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.
To a large bowl, add chopped Romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced bell pepper, diced cucumber, thinly sliced radishes, thinly sliced scallions, and finely chopped parsley and mint.
Toss the salad with the dressing and top it with homemade pita chips.
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and pomegranate molasses on top is always welcome.
Variations
Fattoush with crumbled feta: this variation of Fattoush is inspired by a Greek salad.
Mix in thinly sliced black or kalamata olives and top the salad with crumbled feta cheese and a generous sprinkle of dried oregano.
Fattoush with yogurt tahini sauce: try a couple of dollops on top of Fattoush salad, and you’ll fall in love with this incredible combination of flavors.
To make it, mix 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, 2 to 3 tablespoons of tahini, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 clove of grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and a sprinkle of sumac.
Serving Suggestions
Serve it with protein-rich mains and make it a complete plant–based meal:
Make Ahead & Storage
Make ahead: chop the veggies, toast the bread, and make the dressing but store them separately in the refrigerator. Combine veggies, salad, and bread shortly before serving so the veggies and the bread won’t lose their crunch.
Refrigerator: keep Fattoush leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Freezer: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
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Fattoush
Ingredients
PITA CHIPS
- 2 pita breads chopped
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon of salt
SALAD
- 1 head of Romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 1 large cucumber diced
- 1 small green bell pepper diced
- 6 radishes thinly sliced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
DRESSING
- ¼ cup of olive oil extra virgin
- 3 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses
- 2 tablespoons of lime juice
- 2 teaspoons of sumac
- 1 teaspoons of salt or more to taste
- 1 clove of garlic grated
Instructions
- Cut the bread into small bite-size pieces, toss it in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and optionally a pinch of sumac.Toast it at 400°F or 200°C in the air fryer or oven until crispy and golden brown – about 3 to 5 minutes.
- To a small jar, add ¼ cup of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 2 teaspoons of sumac, 1 teaspoons of salt, and 1 clove of garlic (grated). Close and shake well.Alternatively, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- To a large bowl, add 1 head of Romaine lettuce (chopped), 2 medium tomatoes (diced), 1 large cucumber (diced), 1 small green bell pepper (diced), ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped), 2 tablespoons fresh mint (chopped), 6 radishes (thinly sliced), 3 green onions (thinly sliced).
- Toss the salad with the dressing and top it with the toasted bread.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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