This Fattoush Salad is a twist on the traditional Lebanese Dish focusing just on the delicious crunch and colour of all the vegetables and herbs included in this recipe leaving out the fried pita bits to make this salad a little friendlier to the waistline.
Fattoush is usually made with romaine lettuce but who says you can’t make a Fattoush Salad without lettuce? Am I right?
Every year around this time I start to get bored with lettuce salads. Summer is so exciting with all the fresh lettuce from my Mother In Laws garden or the fresh produce from the farmers stands in the area but then…. Ho Hum creeps in!
Does salad always need to be filled with mayo or filled with lettuce? Not this one… just a rainbow of crunchy veggies with a light lemony dressing.
Now I know that Fattoush Salad typically uses Sumac in the dressing and to be honest I am just too lazy to go on the hunt for this ingredient.
I look for recipes that have the things I need when I need them. I mean I am sure Sumac is great and all but who has time to find it? Really who? Out of pure curiosity I may go to a store in downtown called Nations next time I am nearby just to give it a try.
This store is known for having the most curious of ingredients from around the world.
I once saw Blue Chickens on sale there… and they were supposed to be blue not old ones left on the shelf and forgotten about.
For those who already have Sumac in their house or are interested in hunting some down I have included a dressing recipe with sumac and the one I used without.
SO WHAT IS SUMAC ANYWAY?
- Sumac is actually a type of bush that is indigenous to the Middle East and produces dark red berries
- The berries are dried and then crushed into a course powder adds a tartness to dishes similar to when lemons are used… that is why I use lemons (they are at the variety store)
- Has a tangy and lemony flavour but is less tart than lemons
- Since sumac is red so when used it gives a nice pop of colour to dishes and dressings
- Depending on where you live it may be hard to find but it is sold in many Middle Eastern Grocers, Ethnic Food Markets and can be ordered online.
To make this salad lighter and gluten free I chose to leave out the pita bread or middle eastern breads that have been fried or baked with olive oil until crispy like a chip.
If you like the added crunch go for it and add those crunchy bits back in.
FATTOUSH SALAD – GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN
A colourful and crunchy take on Fattoush Salad with a scrumptious mix of fresh vegetables and herbs dressed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing. A perfect side dish for chicken or fish.
If you like this recipe please give it a 5 star rating.
Fattoush Salad with a twist on the traditional Lebanese Dish focusing just on the delicious crunch and colour of all the vegetables and herbs included in this recipe leaving out the fried pita bits to make this salad a little friendlier to the waistline.
- 1 large English cucumber peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 7 oz radishes trimmed and quartered
- 6 oz cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup mint leaves coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest finely grated
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
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Placed the cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, red onion, mint and parsley leaves in a medium sized bowl.
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In a smaller bowl add olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey and sea salt. Mix well and pour over top of vegetable mixture.
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Just before serving pour dressing over vegetables, toss and serve.
Add diced feta, olives, chopped romaine lettuce and/or crispy pita bread to add some added protein and fat and make a more filling salad for a complete lunch or dinner. Adding feta of course will no longer make this recipe vegan but would count as vegetarian.
Optional Fattoush Dressing with Sumac
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced (or pressed)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground sumac
- (optional: 2-3 teaspoons honey, if you’d like a sweeter dressing)
This great recipe shared from Gimme Me Some Oven.
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This recipe can also be found on Full Plate Thursdays on Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen.