Lebanese-Style Fattoush Salad

Taste

Fattoush is all about contrast — crisp pita shards against juicy greenhouse tomatoes and cool cucumber, with peppery watermelon radishes adding bite and colour. The sumac vinaigrette ties everything together with its tart, almost citrusy edge, while generous handfuls of fresh parsley and mint from Lufa keep the bowl bright and aromatic. It comes together in about fifteen minutes and is best eaten immediately, before the pita chips soften.

Instructions

1. Toast the pita. Tear or cut the pita rounds into rough 2–3 cm pieces. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Toast under the broiler at 220 °C (425 °F) for 3–4 minutes, flipping once, until golden and crisp. Watch closely — they go from golden to burnt fast. Set aside to cool. ⏱︎ 4 min

2. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, and minced garlic. Season with salt. The dressing will look rusty-red from the sumac — that’s what you want.

3. Assemble the salad. In a large, wide bowl, combine the torn lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, watermelon radish slices, green onions, parsley, and mint.

4. Dress and serve. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Scatter the toasted pita chips on top and toss once more — just enough to mix them in without crushing them. Finish with an extra pinch of sumac if you like. Serve immediately.

Tips

• Crunch factor: For maximum crunch, keep the pita chips separate and let each person add their own at the table. This is especially useful if you’re serving the salad over a longer meal.
• Substitution: If you can’t find sumac, use an extra tablespoon of lemon juice plus a pinch of za’atar — it won’t be identical, but it gets you in the neighbourhood.
• Radish swap: Any crisp radish works here. Lufa often stocks purple daikon or red daikon, both of which slice beautifully and add the same peppery snap.
• Make it a meal: Add a scoop of hummus on the side or top with crumbled feta to turn this from a side into a full lunch.