Fattoush salad is one of the most loved Lebanese salads: crunchy, fresh, and bright. It’s a bread salad made with toasted pita, crisp vegetables, and lots of herbs, finished with a lemony dressing and sumac for that signature tang.

Compared to tabbouleh, the vegetables in fattoush are usually cut a bit larger, and the toasted pita adds the best texture. This is the kind of salad that makes people go back for seconds.

Protein-forward note:

Fattoush is a fresh salad, so on its own, it’s not high-protein. The easiest way to make it protein-forward is to pair it with a grilled protein or add chickpeas.

Protein Score

Protein per serving: 4g
Category: ???? Treat (<10g)

Fattoush is vibrant, crunchy, and refreshing, but it is not designed to be a protein anchor. On its own, it functions best as a nutrient-dense base or side dish.

Protein Boost Options

Want to turn this into a Balanced or Powerhouse plate?

Add grilled chicken or shrimp
Toss in chickpeas or white beans (+6 to 8g protein per ½ cup)
Drizzle with Garlic-Lime Greek Yogurt Crema for an extra 5g of protein and a creamy, tangy finish
Serve alongside or stuffed into a Healthy Chicken Shawarma Wrap for a complete high-protein meal

This keeps the freshness of traditional fattoush while giving your plate the protein structure it needs.

Fattoush Salad with Crispy Pita Croutons and Sumac Dressing

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Servings:

Author: Adapted from RecipeTinEats

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This is my go-to fattoush when I want a Lebanese salad that’s crunchy, fresh, and full of flavor. The crispy pita acts like croutons, and the dressing is lemony and tangy with sumac. If you have pomegranate molasses, it adds that little sweet-tart edge that makes fattoush taste restaurant-level.

Ingredients

Crispy pita croutons

2 pita breads thin works best
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Optional: ½ teaspoon sumac for extra flavor

Salad

5 to 6 cups romaine lettuce chopped into bite-size pieces
1 cucumber sliced or chopped
2 cups tomatoes cherry halved or diced
5 radishes thinly sliced
½ red onion thinly sliced
½ bell pepper or cubanela pepper, thinly sliced
½ cup mint leaves
½ cup parsley roughly chopped

Dressing

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice add more to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses optional but so good
1 small garlic clove grated or crushed
1 ½ teaspoons ground sumac
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
Optional: ½ teaspoon honey if you skip pomegranate molasses

Instructions

Crispy pita croutons

Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan).
Split the pita into thinner layers if possible, then cut into small squares or rough bite-size pieces.
Toss with olive oil and salt (and sumac if using).
Spread on a tray and bake 5 to 7 minutes, tossing once, until crisp. Cool on the tray.

Dressing

Add dressing ingredients to a jar, close, and shake until emulsified (or whisk in a bowl).
Taste and adjust: more lemon for tang, a touch of honey if you want it less sharp.

Assemble

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, radish, onion, pepper, mint, and parsley.
Add about ⅔ of the dressing, toss.
Add most of the pita croutons, toss once more.
Top with remaining croutons and serve immediately.

Nutrition

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other Protein Boost Options

Add 1 to 2 cups of chickpeas (easy and still on-theme).
Serve with grilled chicken or fish on the side for a full meal.
Add halloumi if you want a hearty vegetarian plate.
Keep the pita moderate and increase veggies if you want it lighter.

To make it a 30g+ protein meal

To make this a 30g+ protein meal: pair your fattoush with a main protein (grilled chicken, fish, or kafta), or add chickpeas plus hummus on the side.