Fattoush is a fresh and colourful Levantine salad known for its mix of crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs and crunchy pieces of toasted flatbread. Tossed in a tangy dressing made with lemon, olive oil and sumac, it is light, refreshing and full of texture. It is also a wonderful way to use up leftover bread, turning simple ingredients into a vibrant and satisfying dish.
Levantine cuisine comes from the Eastern Mediterranean region and is especially associated with Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan.
FLATBREAD
What type of bread should be used in fattoush salad?
Bread is an essential part of Fattoush, giving the salad its characteristic crunch. Traditionally, flatbread is torn into bite-sized pieces and toasted or fried until crisp. It is also a great way to use up stale bread and turn it into delicious Levantine-style croutons.
Thin flatbread or pita bread works best, although flour tortillas can also be used. Avoid corn tortillas, as their distinctive flavour does not pair as well with the fresh vegetables and tangy dressing.
There are several suitable store-bought gluten-free options, including Schär flatbreads, pita breads and wraps. For a homemade alternative, try my gluten-free flatbread or flour tortilla recipes. Any leftovers freeze well and can be toasted straight from frozen whenever you are ready to make fattoush.
How to toast the bread
Once the bread has been cut into squares or torn into bite-sized pieces, toss it with the seasoned olive oil, making sure both sides are lightly coated.
You can crisp the bread in an air fryer, oven or frying pan. For the air fryer or oven, preheat to 180°C (350°F) and toast for 5–8 minutes, or until golden and crisp. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bread.
When frying the bread, heat the pan to medium before adding a few tablespoons of oil. Add the bread and turn frequently to fry both sides evenly. Once golden, transfer the bread to a paper-lined plate to cool down.
Allow the toasted bread to cool completely before adding it to the salad. Alternatively, store it in an airtight container until you are ready to serve.
FATTOUSH SALAD DRESSING
Three key ingredients give fattoush dressing its distinctive flavour: lemon juice, sumac and pomegranate molasses. Sumac and pomegranate molasses are widely available in Middle Eastern grocery stores and many international supermarkets.
Sumac is a deep red spice made from dried and ground sumac berries. It has a bright, tangy and slightly fruity flavour, similar to lemon but less sharp. In fattoush, it adds the dressing’s characteristic zesty taste.
Pomegranate molasses is a thick, dark syrup made by reducing pomegranate juice, sometimes with a little sugar and lemon juice. Its rich, sweet-and-sour flavour adds depth and balances the sharpness of the lemon and sumac.
FRESH SALAD
Before the flatbread and dressing are added, fattoush begins as a simple garden salad. It is usually made with roughly chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, thinly sliced spring onions and radishes, torn lettuce leaves and finely chopped fresh herbs.
Once the crisp flatbread and tangy dressing are tossed through, it becomes a classic Eastern Mediterranean salad bursting with fresh, sweet and zesty flavours.
For an extra-special finish, add pomegranate seeds and crumbled feta cheese.
GOOD TO KNOW
Fattoush is also spelt fattush, fatush, fattoosh, and fattouche, depending on which Eastern Mediterranean country it is prepared in.
Gluten-Free Fattoush Salad
Equipment
- Air fryer optional
- Frying Pan If selecting to fry the flatbread
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Flatbread Squares (Croutons)
- 2 portions store-bought or homemade gluten-free flatbread (or pita bread or flour tortillas)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Fattoush Salad Dressing
- 1 medium lemon, juiced
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or put through the garlic press
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tsp ground sumac
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of allspice
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh Salad
- 4-5 Cos (romaine) or curly-leaf lettuce, torn
- 2 spring onions (scallions), sliced thinly
- 1 large tomato, roughly diced
- ½ telegraph (English) cucumber, roughly diced
- 4 red radishes, topped and tailed, sliced thinly into rounds
- ½ pomegranate, seeds removed
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Garnishing
- 2 red radishes, sliced thinly
- Extra pomegranate seeds
- Extra fresh mint leaves, whole
- Extra toasted flatbread squares
- 1 sprinkle of ground sumac
- Some feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
Instructions
Gluten-Free Flatbread Squares (Croutons)
- Prepare the flatbread by slicing it into small, bite-sized squares.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the garlic powder and salt.
- Pour the olive oil mixture over the squares and mix to coat them thoroughly.
- Preheat an air fryer or oven at 180°C (350°F) to cook the squares until golden and crisp.
- If frying the bread in a pan, heat the pan to medium before adding a few tablespoons of oil. Add the bread and turn frequently to fry both sides evenly. Once golden, transfer the bread to a paper-lined plate to cool down
- Set them aside to cool down while preparing the rest of the salad. Alternatively, if making the flatbread squares in advance, store them in an airtight container once they are thoroughly cooled.
Fattoush Salad Dressing
- Combine the extra-virgin olive oil with the crushed (or minced) garlic, ground sumac, ground cinnamon and allspice.
- Pour in the lemon juice.
- Mix thoroughly using a fork or shaking the dressing in a closed jar. Set aside to add before serving.
Fresh Salad
- Wash and dry the lettuce leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions, radishes and fresh herbs.
- Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces and place them in the salad bowl.
- Slice the unpeeled cucumber in half and remove the seeds. Roughly dice them.
- Cut the tomato in half and roughly dice it.
- Top and tail the radishes. Slice them thinly.
- Finely chop the fresh herbs.
- Add all the prepared salad ingredients to the salad bowl.
- Tap the pomegranate seeds out of their shells by knocking them with a rolling pin or meat mallet. Add the seeds to the salad.
Assembling the salad
- Just before serving the salad, mix the dressing once more, then add it to the fresh salad, gently mixing
- Add the toasted flatbread squares and mix again.
- Top the fattoush salad with the listed garnishes. Serve immediately.
Notes
Notes:
- The Fattoush salad dressing keeps for 3 days chilled.
- The toasted flatbread squares keep in an airtight container for 3 days; however, they may need to be refreshed in the air fryer or oven to regain their crispiness.
- The fresh salad ingredients are best prepared on the same day, and may be stored chilled, covered and undressed for a few hours before serving.
Alternatives
- Replace spring onions with red onion slices
- Replace pomegranate molasses with a combination of honey and a few drops of lemon juice
- Replace gluten-free flatbread with either pita bread or flour tortillas. Avoid using corn tortillas, as the corn flavour does not pair well with this salad.
