Fattoush
This is a salad built for texture. It captures the rhythm of a meal where the base of stale bread is revived by a sharp, citrus-heavy vinaigrette and a heavy hand of fresh herbs.
Freshness is your only seasoning.
Use the firmest cucumbers and the reddest tomatoes you can find; if they are watery, the salad will collapse into a mush before it hits the table.
- Large mixing bowl
- Heavy-bottomed skillet
- Chef's knife
- Whisk
What goes in.
- 2large pita breads, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cupolive oil for frying
- 3ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2persian cucumbers, sliced into thick rounds
- 1green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cupfresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cupfresh mint leaves, torn
- 4scallions, thinly sliced
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsppomegranate molasses
- 1lemon, juiced
- 1 tspsumac
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
Frying for Stability
Avoid baking your pita. Pan-frying in oil creates a durable, golden crust that resists soaking up the dressing for longer, keeping the salad crisp.
The method.
Fry the bread
Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the torn pita pieces and fry, stirring constantly, until they turn a deep, uniform gold. Transfer to a paper towel and salt them immediately.
Prepare the base
In the large bowl, toss the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley, mint, and scallions. Do not salt the vegetables yet.
Mix the dressing
In a small jar or bowl, whisk the extra virgin olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sumac, and salt until it emulsifies into a thick, dark syrup.
Assemble
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. Fold in the fried pita pieces at the very last second. Serve immediately before the bread softens.
Other turns to take.
Winter Fattoush
Replace tomatoes with thinly sliced radishes and add pomegranate arils for a tart, crunchy sweetness during colder months.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your pomegranate molasses is particularly thick, thin it with a teaspoon of warm water to ensure even distribution.
Don't discard the tomato juices left in the cutting board; pour them into your dressing.
Keep the pita pieces irregular to catch more of the dressing in the crevices.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Prep the vegetables and whisk the dressing in advance, but keep the fried bread and the dressing separate from the vegetables until the moment of service.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe