Fattoush Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove outer leaves of the iceberg, cut the head crosswise into 1"–1.5" thick wedges or chop into large bite-sized pieces depending on preference. Rinse under cold water, spin or pat dry thoroughly and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Prepare tomatoes

Core and dice the tomatoes into roughly 1/2" pieces. If using very juicy tomatoes, drain briefly in a sieve to avoid watering down the salad, then add to the bowl.

Prepare cucumber

Trim the ends of the cucumber, remove seeds if very watery, and slice into half-moons or dice to match the tomato size. Add to the bowl.

Prepare herbs and aromatics

Remove parsley stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Stack mint leaves, roll and chiffonade or chop finely. Trim and thinly slice scallions. Thinly slice radishes if using. Add parsley, mint, scallions, and radishes to the bowl with the lettuce and vegetables.

Add seasonal fruit

If using pomegranate, seed to yield approximately 1 cup arils and scatter over the salad. If using stone fruit (peach/nectarine), pit and dice into 1/2" pieces and add. The fruit should be fresh and firm, not overly ripe.

Toast pita

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Brush pita pieces lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Toast in the skillet 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp, or bake at 400°F (200°C) for 6–8 minutes. Once cool, tear into irregular bite-sized shards and add to the bowl just before tossing to keep them crunchy.

Season

Sprinkle the salad with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, reserving a little to finish after dressing.

In a small bowl or jar, mash the garlic clove with a pinch of salt using the flat side of a knife or a microplane. Add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sumac (if using), and honey (if using). Whisk to combine.

Slowly whisk in the 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing emulsifies into a smooth vinaigrette. Alternatively, close the jar and shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper as needed.

If the dressing is too tart, add another 1/4 teaspoon honey or a few drops of olive oil to mellow. If too thick, thin with 1–2 teaspoons water and whisk again.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette for those who prefer dressing on the side.

Pour about two-thirds of the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients in the large bowl. Gently toss with clean hands or salad tongs to coat all components, taking care not to bruise the lettuce. Add more vinaigrette to taste (reserve the remainder for topping at the table).

Add the toasted pita shards and toss briefly so some pieces remain on top for crunch. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Serve immediately on individual plates or family-style. Offer the reserved vinaigrette on the side for additional dressing and extra toasted pita for sprinkling.