This fattoush salad recipe is super fresh and vibrant! It’s full of crisp veggies, fresh herbs and crunchy gluten free fried pita chips – all piled together and tossed in a bright & tangy dressing.
Fattoush Salad At a Glance
- Gluten free pita chips:
- I’m using leftover pita made from my gluten free pita recipe, but store-bought pita works great here too! In fact, I think frying pita to make chips/croutons is the best way to enjoy the normally dry/bland store-bought pita.
- De-seed the tomatoes and cucumber:
- It’s not strictly necessary, but I highly recommend you take a few extra minutes to scoop out the tomato seeds and surrounding pulp to reduce the excess water in the salad so they stay fresh a bit longer. Unless you’re using a Persian cucumber or another low seed/seedless variety I recommend you do this with your cucumbers as well.
- Best enjoyed the same day:
- Though scooping out the watery insides of your tomatoes & cucumber can prolong the freshness a few hours (ideal if you’re want to bring to a summer BBQ or social gathering), leafy salads like this that are full of high-water content veggies are still best enjoyed sooner rather than later. Check the recipe notes if you want to prep this salad a bit in advance.
🌟First Things First – Pita Bread🌟
Try my homemade gluten-free pita bread recipe! It’s made with Greek yogurt to make the pita extra soft & tender! Bake until golden & puffy. Check the recipe notes for tips on making Vegan pita!
How to Make this Fattoush Salad with Crunchy Homemade Pita Chips
Pita Prep
Slice or tear pita: Tear the pita pieces into bite-sized pieces or slice neatly if you prefer a cleaner look.
Fry pita: Carefully add pita to heated oil in a single layer. Fry until golden brown, then flip over and fry the other side.
Remove pita & season: Transfer pita to a paper towel lined plate then sprinkle with salt while still warm.
↳💡Tip for Extra Crispy Pita Croutons!💡
Divide the pita in half so that you end up with thin pieces of bread. If you’re working with pita pockets, just divide the two pockets then tear or slice your bread.
If your pita doesn’t have pockets and is thicker than a stack of 3-4 tortillas, then I recommend you carefully cut the bread in half to create two rounds pieces of thin bread, then move on to cut/tear the bread into pita chips.
Dressing & Veggie Prep
Make the vinaigrette: Whisk the oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, garlic, sumac, salt & pepper together in a small cup or jar. Set aside.
Prep veggies: Wash then chop, slice or dice the veggies & herbs as needed then add to a large bowl.
↳ More fresh veggies to include: Try this with purslane (common in more traditional fattoush recipes), watercress, spinach, bell peppers, spring onions, whole pomegranate seeds (arils) or whatever seasonal vegetable you’ve got available.
Combine
Add vinaigrette: Pour the salad dressing over the veggies. Don’t add the chips just yet – those go in last so they don’t get soggy too fast.
Toss & combine: Use a pair of kitchen tongs, spoons, whatever to toss everything together until evenly coated in the vinaigrette. Just before serving, add the pita chips and toss once more.
More Crunchy Salads & GF Summer Recipes
- What to Make When It’s Too Hot to Cook
- Gluten Free Summer Desserts & Snacks (60+)
- Gluten Free Summer Dinners Recipes (45+)
- Spicy Apple and Red Cabbage Salad with Chilli Cashews
- Shirazi Salad (Salad-e Shirazi)
- Greek Lemon Cucumber Pasta Salad
- Crispy Rice Salad with Lemony Chickpeas & Cucumber
- Strawberry Feta Salad with Candied Hazelnuts
- Tomato Arugula Salad with Walnuts
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this Fattoush salad recipe! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
Fattoush Salad with Crispy GF Pita Chips
This fattoush salad recipe is full of crisp veggies, fresh herbs & gluten free fried pita chips tossed in a tangy sumac dressing.
Ingredients
Fried Pita
- 1-2 gluten free pita pockets
- oil for frying (olive oil, avocado, vegetable, etc)
Dressing
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (120g)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (45g)
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (30g)
- 1 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
- 2 tsp ground sumac
- ¼ tsp salt & black pepper, each
Salad
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 Persian cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, scoop out the seeds & dice
- 2 medium tomatoes, scoop out the watery insides & dice (about 200g)
- 1 cup radishes, diced (230g | 8oz)
- ½ small red onion, sliced
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint - hardy stems removed, chopped
Instructions
- Pita Prep: For extra crispy pita chips, pull the pita halves apart or carefully cut down the middle to create two thin pita breads then tear the pita halves up into 1-2 inch sized pieces.
- Fry Pita: Add about 1-2 inches of oil to a large pot or a sauté pan and warm over a medium-high heat. Add the pita to the hot oil and fry until golden and crisp on both sides for about 2-4 minutes (depending on thickness). Remove from the oil and set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for now.
- Vinaigrette: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, zest, pomegranate molasses, garlic, sumac, mint, salt and pepper together in a small cup or jar. Taste and season as you see fit with more salt, pepper, lemon, etc. Set aside.
- Salad: Wash, chop, dice and prepare the salad ingredients as needed then add everything to a large salad bowl.
- Combine: Pour the dressing over the salad then use a pair of tongs or salad spoons to toss everything together until well coated in the sumac-vinaigrette. Add the fried pita and toss once more.
- Serve: Taste and season with more salt & pepper as you see fit and enjoy. This salad is best enjoyed the day you make it.
- Make ahead: If you'd like to prep it early, prepare the veggies but don't toss together. Store tomatoes, cucumber, onion and radished on the bottom of your bowl/storage container and keep the lettuce/fresh herbs on top so they don't get soggy. Store the vinaigrette in a separate airtight container in the fridge and store the pita in an airtight container at room temperature. Combine just before serving.
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