Fattoush Salad Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Wash all produce. Chop romaine lettuce into 1–1.5-inch pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Dice tomatoes into 3/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups). Peel (if desired) and slice the cucumber into half-moons about 1/4-inch thick (about 1 cup). Core, seed, and dice red and green bell peppers into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup each). Thinly slice green onions. Roughly chop parsley and mint and add to bowl.

Make pita chips

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut each pita into 8–10 wedges. Toss pita wedges with 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of salt. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp, flipping once halfway. Remove and cool. Alternatively, pan-toast in a skillet over medium heat 3–5 minutes per side until crisp.

Season salad base

Sprinkle 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, and 2 tsp ground sumac over the chopped vegetables and herbs in the bowl. Toss gently to combine so seasoning is distributed evenly.

Add pita chips

Break cooled pita chips into bite-sized pieces and hold back approximately one-third to one-half for topping (the rest can be mixed in later to keep some crunch).

In a medium bowl or jar, combine 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp ground sumac, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously (or shake in a sealed jar) until emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust: add more salt or lemon if needed, or 1–2 tsp water if dressing is too sharp. Dressing can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature and whisk before using.

Pour and toss: Right before serving, drizzle about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the dressing over the salad (reserve extra for guests to add). Gently toss the salad to coat vegetables and herbs evenly. Mix in half of the pita chips now for some texture and reserve the rest to sprinkle on top so they stay crunchy.