Description
A vibrant and refreshing Loaded Fattoush Salad featuring crispy pita chips, fresh vegetables, tangy sumac, and a zesty pomegranate molasses dressing. Perfect as a light meal or side, this salad combines crisp textures and bold Middle Eastern flavors in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pita Chips
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 pieces pita bread, cut into pieces
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sumac, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
For the Salad
- 1 cup peeled and sliced English cucumber
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced radish
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 4 cups washed and chopped green or red leaf lettuce (about one head)
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup torn mint leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the Pita Chips: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pita bread pieces and sauté until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes. Once crisp, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sumac, pomegranate molasses, salt, and grated garlic until well combined to create a tangy, flavorful dressing.
- Combine the Salad Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, cooked chickpeas, thinly sliced radish, red onion, chopped lettuce, crumbled feta cheese, and torn mint leaves. Toss gently to mix all the fresh ingredients evenly.
- Add Pita Chips and Dressing: Pour the crispy pita bread pieces into the salad bowl, then drizzle the prepared dressing over the top. Toss everything gently once more to combine, ensuring the dressing coats the salad ingredients uniformly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle extra sumac over the salad for an additional burst of color and flavor. Serve immediately to enjoy the crispness of the pita chips and freshness of the vegetables.
Notes
- Use fresh sumac for the best tangy flavor, but ground sumac available in most spice shops works well too.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute pita bread with gluten-free pita or omit it entirely.
- Feel free to add other fresh vegetables like bell peppers or radishes to customize your salad.
- This salad is best served immediately to keep the pita chips crunchy.
- Leftover dressing can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days and used in other salads.
