Lebanese · Salad / Mezze · Testée 10 fois

Fattoush — salade libanaise au pain croustillant

The Levant's vibrant bread salad: crisp shards of toasted or fried pita tossed at the last minute through crunchy cucumber, tomato, radish, herbs and crisp lettuce, all dressed in a tangy lemon-and-sumac dressing brightened with pomegranate molasses. Sour, herby and refreshing — a mezze-table staple that turns stale flatbread into something irresistible.

Par Amir Khoury · Levant editor · Publiée 2026-06-01 · Mise à jour 2026-06-01
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Prép.
20 min
Cuisson
8 min
Total
28 min
Donne
4–6 servings
Difficulté
Easy
#lebanese#salad#vegan#mezze#summer
Réponse rapide · Réponse en 30 secondes

Toast or fry pita bread until crisp and golden, and break into shards. Chop a generous mix of crunchy vegetables — cucumber, tomato, radish, spring onion, romaine — and plenty of parsley and mint. Whisk a dressing of olive oil, lots of lemon juice, sumac, a little pomegranate molasses, garlic and salt. Toss everything together and add the crisp pita right at the end so it keeps some crunch. Finish with extra sumac.

  • Sumac (and a little pomegranate molasses) give fattoush its signature tangy, fruity sourness.
  • Toast or fry the pita until properly crisp, and add it at the last moment so it doesn't go soggy.
  • Use lots of crunchy vegetables and herbs, and dress generously — it should taste bright and sharp.

Equipment

  • Oven or frying pan (for the pita)
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk

Ingrédients

Salad

  • 2 pita breads, toasted or fried and broken up
  • 2 cucumbers, chopped
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 radishes, sliced
  • 1 romaine heart, chopped; 3 spring onions
  • Large handful parsley and mint, chopped

Dressing

  • 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1–2 lemons
  • 10 g sumac, plus more to finish
  • 15 ml pomegranate molasses
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed; salt

Préparation

  1. ÉTAPE
    01

    Split the pita, brush lightly with oil, and toast in a hot oven (or fry) until crisp and golden, 6–8 minutes. Cool, then break into bite-size shards.

  2. ÉTAPE
    02

    Chop the cucumber, tomato, radish, romaine and spring onion into bite-size pieces, and roughly chop the parsley and mint. Put them all in a big bowl.

  3. ÉTAPE
    03

    Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, pomegranate molasses, crushed garlic and salt into a tangy, slightly thick dressing. Taste — it should be sharp and bright.

  4. ÉTAPE
    04

    Pour the dressing over the vegetables and herbs and toss well to coat.

  5. ÉTAPE
    05

    Just before serving, fold in the crisp pita shards so they keep some crunch. Scatter with extra sumac and serve immediately.

Make ahead

Crisp the pita, chop the vegetables and make the dressing ahead, keeping them separate. Toss together with the pita only at the last moment so the salad stays crunchy and bright.

Storage

Best eaten right after assembling, while the pita is crisp and the vegetables fresh. Undressed chopped vegetables keep a day refrigerated; keep the crisp pita and dressing separate and combine just before serving. Dressed leftovers go soggy.

Variations

With purslane

Add fresh purslane (baqle) for the traditional Lebanese touch.

Fried vs baked pita

Fry the pita for a richer, crunchier shard, or bake it for a lighter version.

Extra tangy

Add more sumac and pomegranate molasses for a sharper, fruitier dressing.

Serve with

Hummus, baba ganoush and other mezzeGrilled kebabs or shawarmaWarm flatbreadAyran or mint lemonade

Nutrition per serving

220 kcal 13 g fat 24 g carbs 4 g protein 6 g sugar 4 g fiber 360 mg sodium
Allergens: Gluten
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free

Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.

Questions fréquentes

What is sumac and is it essential in fattoush?

Sumac is a tangy, deep-red ground spice made from dried berries, with a lemony, slightly fruity sourness. It's the signature seasoning of fattoush, both in the dressing and sprinkled on top. It's hard to replace exactly — extra lemon gives acidity but not the same fruity depth — so it's worth seeking out.

How do I keep the pita crisp?

Toast or fry it until properly golden and crunchy, and — crucially — add it to the salad only at the very last moment before serving. Pita tossed in early soaks up the dressing and goes soft. For a make-ahead salad, keep the pita separate and combine at the table.

What is pomegranate molasses?

Pomegranate molasses is a thick, tangy-sweet syrup of reduced pomegranate juice, common in Levantine cooking. A spoonful in the dressing adds a fruity, sweet-sour depth that's characteristic of many fattoush recipes. If you don't have it, a little extra lemon (and a pinch of sugar) approximates the tang.

What's the difference between fattoush and tabbouleh?

Both are Levantine salads, but tabbouleh is a finely chopped parsley-and-bulgur salad, while fattoush is a chunkier mixed-vegetable salad defined by crisp pieces of toasted or fried pita and a sumac dressing. Fattoush is all about that bread crunch and tangy sourness.

Can I make fattoush ahead?

Partly — chop the vegetables, crisp the pita and mix the dressing ahead, but keep all three separate. Dress and add the pita only just before serving, or the salad turns soggy. Assembled fattoush doesn't keep, so toss it at the last minute.

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