Fattoush Crunch Salad (Printable version)

A fresh, crunchy salad featuring mixed greens, vegetables, and zesty sumac dressing with crispy pita chips.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 4 cups mixed greens (romaine, arugula, or spinach)
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 cucumber, diced
04 - 1 bell pepper (red or yellow), diced
05 - 4 radishes, thinly sliced
06 - 3 green onions, sliced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

→ Pita Chips

09 - 2 pita breads, cut into bite-sized pieces
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac

→ Sumac Dressing

13 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
16 - 1 teaspoon ground sumac
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
02 - Toss pita bread pieces with olive oil, sea salt, and ground sumac. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until golden and crispy. Allow to cool.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, ground sumac, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well combined.
04 - In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced bell pepper, thinly sliced radishes, sliced green onions, chopped parsley, and chopped mint.
05 - Drizzle the sumac dressing over the salad and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
06 - Top the salad with cooled pita chips just before serving to maintain their crunchiness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pita chips stay shatteringly crisp right up to the moment you serve it, defying every soggy salad you've ever known.
  • Sumac brings a sunny tartness that makes lemon feel shy by comparison, and you'll find yourself craving that tangy whisper long after dinner.
  • You can have this on the table in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that tastes like you spent all day on it.
02 -
  • The dressing can be made a few hours ahead and actually tastes better after sitting, allowing the sumac to fully bloom, but the entire assembled salad must be served immediately or the pita will surrender to sogginess.
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the pita chips—they firm up as they cool and become properly crispy, whereas warm chips are still soft and won't give you that textural contrast that makes this salad sing.
03 -
  • Buy sumac from a Middle Eastern or Indian grocery store where the turnover is fast and the spice is fresher—grocery store sumac sometimes tastes dusty by comparison, and you'll immediately taste the difference once you've had the good stuff.
  • If you have leftover pita chips, store them separately and add them to soups or grain bowls over the next few days; they stay crispy for longer than you'd expect and add wonderful texture to places you wouldn't normally think to put them.
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