Today’s Fattoush — Crumbled Pita Chip Salad is one of my favorite salads. I eat it several times a week through the cold months when everything outside is white and all I crave is green.
With crisp romaine lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes dotted with fresh herbs, crunchy pita chips, and a bright garlic-lemon-za’atar dressing, this Fattoush lifts winter doldrums or makes summer feel fresher. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
It’s salad time—and crouton time. This recipe gives you both: crunchy baked pita chips that work as croutons and are perfect for dipping into hummus or your favorite spreads.
I’m a big fan of pita chips. When a fresh batch comes out of the oven, there’s a rush of crunching until the last crumbs are gone. I always set aside some of those chips to make a large batch of Fattoush.
Fattoush is a classic Middle Eastern salad: crisp romaine forms the base for a refreshing, herby mix dressed with a garlicky, lemony dressing often brightened with sumac and za’atar. If you haven’t had real Lebanese Fattoush before, you’re in for a treat—its citrusy tang and fresh herbs make it a summer staple.
A quick note about sumac: this is the edible spice used in Middle Eastern cooking, not the poisonous plant you should avoid. Edible sumac comes in varieties like smooth, staghorn, and dwarf and is recognizable by bright red or brown clusters of small berries. It provides a sour, citrusy lift—like lemon on steroids—and adds a distinctive punch to the dressing. If you can’t gather sumac in season, a small jar from a store will do fine.
Mint and parsley are essential to a great Fattoush. They don’t overpower, but they add freshness and depth; omit them and the salad will feel flat. Finely chop the herbs so they distribute evenly through the salad.
One of the charming features of Fattoush is how the pita chips change after the salad is dressed: they soften slightly as they absorb the dressing. Done well—meaning you don’t drown the salad in dressing—the chips won’t go soggy but will become pleasantly tender. I love the salad both one hour after dressing and even several hours later, which makes it ideal for picnics or packed lunches.
Make yourself a batch of Baked Garlic Pita Chips and try this Fattoush. It’s bright, herb-forward, and satisfying.
Do you prefer croutons dead crisp or a little soaked? Fattoush offers a delightful middle ground as the pita chips gently yield to the dressing.
Fattoush
For the best results, drizzle this Fattoush with a fresh Middle Eastern-style dressing made from lemon, garlic, olive oil, and za’atar. Start with less dressing than you think you need, toss, taste, and add more to preference. It’s simpler to add than to take away.
Try to keep the lettuce, cucumber, and tomato pieces roughly the same size so each bite has balance. Finely chop the mint and parsley so they disperse evenly through the salad.
Tools to make Fattoush – Crumbled Pita Chip Salad
- Large salad bowl
- Chef’s knife or vegetable knife
- Wooden cutting board
- Salad hands or tongs
If you like substantial side-dish salads, try other favorites like Bresaola Parmesan Salad, Cranberry Brussels Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette, Farro Salad with Kale, Marinated Chickpea Salad, and Mediterranean Tuna and White Bean Salad.
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Baked Garlic Pita Chips and Fattoush (Crumbled Pita Chip Salad)
Ingredients
For the Baked Garlic Pita Chips:
- 6 pita breads
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
For the Dressing:
- 2 to 4 tablespoons Best Middle Eastern Salad Dressing
For the Fattoush (Crumbled Pita Chip Salad):
- 2 cups Baked Garlic Pita Chips
- 1 large heart of romaine lettuce
- 2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 English cucumber, seedless and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 sweet or Vidalia onion, peeled and thinly sliced into half moons
- 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried mint, finely chopped)
- About 1/4 to 1/3 of a batch of Fattoush dressing, to taste
Instructions
To make the Baked Garlic Pita Chips:
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Cut pitas into 1-inch strips and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder and salt, and bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until fully crisp and deep golden brown. Start checking around 45 minutes; chips often take about an hour. Cool completely and store in an airtight jar at room temperature for up to two weeks.
To prepare the salad:
- At least 10 minutes, and up to 6 hours, before serving: remove the core end from the romaine heart. Slice the heart lengthwise, then turn and chop into bite-sized pieces. Combine the chopped romaine with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley, and mint in a large mixing bowl. Shake the dressing well, pour about one-third over the salad, and use clean hands to toss and coat everything evenly. Let the salad rest anywhere from 10 minutes to 6 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld and the pita chips to soften slightly. Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate values using your actual ingredients and preferred nutrition tool.
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This post was originally published May 13, 2013.