Fattoush (Syrian Bread and Sumac Salad)
Local name: فتوش
In short: A bright chopped salad of tomato, cucumber, radish and herbs with crisp fried pita, dressed with lemon, sumac and pomegranate molasses. It takes about 33 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Total
- 33 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Fattoush is the salad Syrians make to use up day-old flatbread. The bread is fried or baked until crisp and tossed at the last minute with tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, mint and plenty of parsley. The dressing is sharp with lemon, sumac and a little pomegranate molasses. It belongs on the iftar table in Ramadan and beside almost any grilled dish in summer.
Instructions
- Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the torn pita for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a pinch of sumac.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and add salt or more lemon if needed.
- Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, spring onions, parsley, mint and purslane (if using) in a large bowl.
- Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
- Fold in the fried bread, sprinkle with more sumac and serve at once so the pieces stay crisp.
Tips
- For a lighter salad, toss the bread with 2 tablespoons of oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 8 minutes until crisp.
- Keep the bread and dressing separate until the last minute. If you want some pieces to soften slightly, as many cooks like, add the bread 5 minutes before serving.
Questions and answers
Can I make fattoush ahead?
Chop the vegetables and make the dressing up to 6 hours ahead and store them separately. Fry the bread the same day and combine everything just before you serve.
What can I use instead of sumac?
Add extra lemon zest and juice with a pinch of paprika. Sumac has a fruity sourness that lemon alone does not quite match, so look for it in Middle Eastern shops.
Is fattoush the same as tabbouleh?
No. Fattoush is a lettuce and tomato salad with crisp bread and a sumac dressing, while tabbouleh is mostly chopped parsley with fine bulgur and lemon.
How long does it take to make Fattoush (Syrian Bread and Sumac Salad)?
About 33 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 8 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Fattoush (Syrian Bread and Sumac Salad)?
About 320 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 29 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 320 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 420 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
