This vegan fattoush salad features peak season bell peppers, tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, crispy chickpeas and fried pita bread dressed in a light vinaigrette dressing.
Fattoush salad is a bread salad that's perfect for using up leftover pita bread. Particularly if the bread is a little stale. Fattoush is served at room temperature, so make it ahead to simplify dinner time!
Updated July 13, 2022
Bread salads that use leftover bread pieces with peak season summer vegetables have been popular for a couple hundred years. And with good reason.
Pieces of bread make a dish go further, a perfect solution when food is scarce. And it's the perfect refreshing dinner on a hot evening.
This fattoush salad is a perfect example, although I switched it up a bit with grilled peppers. So is this Peach Panzanella salad with peaches, of course, fresh tomatoes, mint, basil, burrata (!) and a garlicky ciabatta.
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What is Fattoush?
Fattoush is a Lebanese bread salad that uses leftover, slightly stale pita in a salad of fresh vegetables. The type of vegetables used isn't as important as the fact that they're fresh and in season.
Typical vegetables used have always been tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and often some greens.
Historically, it was a way for farm families to use leftover pita bread with fresh vegetables from the farm, tossed with a little olive oil. It was therefore known as peasant food.
The leftover pita helped turn the fresh produce into a more filling meal, and ensured that nothing was wasted.
My version of fattoush
My version switches it up by adding red peppers, fresh mint and parsley, and kalamata olives.
And if you want this to be a main entree like I do, add crispy, spiced chickpeas to make this a complete meal with protein.
Ingredients for Fattoush
- Pita bread
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Cooked chickpeas - either canned or cooked from dried chickpeas or if you have Crispy Chickpeas on hand
- Red bell peppers
- Cucumber
- Grape tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
- Scallions
- Herbs and spices - I used cumin powder, fresh mint and parsley
- Baby spinach greens
- Vinaigrette - either purchased or make your own (recipe below)
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Recommended Equipment
Instructions
Step 1 (10 minutes)
Sauté the pita bread. Tear the pita into pieces that are around 2 inches. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and lightly oil. Add the pita pieces and add a little more oil over the tops of the bread pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly toasted.
Step 2 (7 minutes)
Make Crispy Chickpeas. Either roast chickpeas up in the oven using this method, or toast them in a skillet (described in the recipe card). The skillet method is fastest, but requires more attention so they don't burn.
Step 3 (10 minutes)
Prep, dress and toss. Prep the vegetables and make the dressing. Chop the herbs.
Step 4
Serve. Toss the baby spinach greens, vegetables, chickpeas, herbs and pita together in a large bowl with ½ of the dressing. Add more dressing as desired and serve.
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Simple Fattoush Salad with Crispy Chickpeas Recipe
Ingredients
Fattoush
- 2 slices pita bread
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas or if you already have Roasted Chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 medium red peppers stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 1 English cucumber diced (about 1 ½ - 2 cups)
- 1 ½ cups halved grape tomatoes
- ½ cup halved kalamata olives
- ½ cup sliced green onions including a few inches of the green stalks
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
- 4 cups baby spinach greens
Vinaigrette
- 1 lemon juiced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic or Gourmet Gardens Garlic Paste
- ¼ teaspoon sugar or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Fattoush
- Sauté the pita bread. Tear the pita into pieces that are around 2 inches in size. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and lightly oil. Add the pita pieces and add a little more oil over the tops of the bread pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly toasted. (Depending on how dry the pita is, you may use up to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If the pita is fresh, you won't need as much oil.)
- Make Crispy Chickpeas. Either roast chickpeas up in the oven using this method, or toast them in a skillet. Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet and add the chickpeas, salt, and cumin. Sauté until crispy, moving the chickpeas around the pan. This takes ~ 7 minutes.Note: The skillet method is fastest, but requires more attention so they don't burn.
- Prep, dress and toss. Prep the vegetables and make the dressing. Chop the herbs. Toss the baby spinach greens, vegetables, roasted chickpeas, herbs and toasted pita together in a large bowl with ½ of the dressing. Add more dressing as desired.
Vinaigrette
- Mix together all of the ingredients in a small bowl, except the olive oil.
- Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
Liz
Oh, the workshop sounds like fun!!! I'm in a rut with just one type of yoga---and would love to expand my repertoire. Your salad sounds amazing---the grilled veggies push it over the top!!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It was an interesting day, Liz! I, too, have been in a rut with just one kind of yoga 🙂
laura@motherwouldknow
Oh yes!! This is the perfect summer salad. I could eat it as a main dish, as an appetizer, or as a salad with a meat, poultry or fish main course. I haven't done yoga in a while, but I really should get back to it - and you're an inspiration in that regards, as in so many others:)
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Laura - and I'm a huge believer in the benefits of yoga. I've moved away from it for long periods, but I go pretty regularly now. I have a friend I go with, and that greatly helps in the motivation department 🙂
Jenni
The yoga expo sounds really cool, Susan! That Kundalini class was a real bait and switch! Sounds like it would be exhausting even at the beginning of the day!
Thanks for introducing me to fattoush--I love panzanella, and I am happy to make room in my world for another bread salad!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
It was quite a jolt to start the day with, Jenni. I followed it up with a very relaxing class of Tao Yoga (which I’d never heard of). Love those bread salads!!!
Jane, The Heritage Cook
Sweet Susan, you constantly impress me, and now more than ever. I tried yoga and it nearly killed me. The fact that you survived the yoga camp blows me away! And so does this incredible salad! What an amazing collection of vegetables and delightful flavors! I am literally drooling over this recipe and your photos. And I can't begin to thank you enough for featuring my book on your blog. That is incredibly kins and thoughtful of you! Can't wait to hoist a few cocktails at IFBC with you!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you, my friend. I will be looking for you at IFBC too so we can spend some time together!! I am such a huge fan of yours, and am delighted to help get the word out on your new book!!!
sippitysup
Fattoush is fun to say. Yours is gorgeous. GREG
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thank you so much Greg!! I'm a huge fan of your blog and your food!
jeanette |
What a gorgeous salad! Sounds like the yoga expo was very interesting and a good experience.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks Jeanette! The Yoga Expo was really interesting - I thoroughly enjoyed it!
TerriSue
Dear Susan,
Had the salad tonight. It is wonderful! I subbed out summer squash and eggplant for the peppers and zucchini. That is what I had in my vegetable drawer. I left everything else as you had it except I added 1 tsp of sumac with the cumin. The dressing is fantastic. My husband kept going back for more. He left a little so he could take it for lunch tomorrow. This is a great summer dinner.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Oh you've made me so very happy, TerriSue!!! Sumac is a perfect addition too. Absolutely perfect! I'm so happy you guys liked it so much 🙂
Ansh
HA HA! The lengths to which marketing people go these days :)) I have never heard of Nervous System Overhaul yoga .. hehe. I am glad you had a chance to go an retreat. And I am with you on getting in better shape . This salad does sound like a step in the right direction.
Rahul @samosastreet.com
The fattoush looks amazing, So many great flavors!