Don’t be intimidated if the flavor-packed salad known as “fattoush” is unfamiliar to you – it’s about to be your new favorite! The signature feature of fattoush is the addition of pita chips for crunch, but this version has the added texture of seasoned roasted chickpeas, creamy tahini dressing, and soft-boiled eggs.
I owe my love of fattoush salad to Cook Smarts where it is a fan favorite that we dish up through our meal plans at least once a year. And really, who can resist any excuse to put chips in a salad? Add a runny-yolk soft-boiled egg on top and friends, this salad is some of my favorite things on a plate.
What is Fattoush?
Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad made with fresh vegetables. It gets its signature crunch from the addition of toasted pita bread.
This recipe is:
- Healthy
- Fresh
- Colorful
- Vegetarian (Easily Vegan)
- Good for Lunch or Dinner (or breakfast if you’re a salad-for-breakfast person!)
Ingredients
- Chickpeas – Canned chickpeas add a plant-based protein to this salad. Toss them in a mixture of spices and roast them so they are a warm, intensely flavorful addition to the other fresh ingredients.
- Paprika, Ground Sumac, Curry Powder – This blend of spices adds warm flavor to the roasted chickpeas. Look for mild curry powder or substitute ground turmeric if you don’t want any spicy heat. See below for more details on ground sumac.
- Chopped Salad Greens – Use your favorite. I like a mix of romaine (for crunch) and baby spinach (for color and flavor).
- Pita Chips – Don’t skip the pita chips for crunch! I like to just buy these, but you can also buy pita bread, tear it into bite-sized pieces, and toast it yourself (this is the traditional method for making fattoush).
- Cucumber and Cherry / Grape Tomatoes – These are classic vegetables to use in this style salad.
- Green Onions – These add a fresh, tart flavor to the salad. They’re worth adding, but feel free to skip them if short on time.
- Feta Cheese – This adds salty, savory flavor. Goat cheese is also delicious here and avocado works well as a non-dairy stand-in.
- Eggs – A soft-boiled egg on top really puts this salad over the top and makes it feel worthy of a stand-alone lunch or dinner.
- Tahini – This creamy sauce / paste is made from ground toasted sesame seeds. It’s the key ingredient that adds flavor to hummus and can be found in most grocery stores in the international aisle.
- Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Balsamic Vinegar, Honey – Pantry / fridge staples you’ll need for the dressing.
What is Ground Sumac?
Ground sumac is a red powder that comes from grinding the fruit of a sumac plant. It is most common as a seasoning in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine and has a tart, slightly sweet, citrusy flavor.
Ground sumac has such a wonderful, unique flavor that it’s a shame it isn’t more common outside of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. It is so flavorful that it can be used entirely on its own to flavor chicken, fish, lamb, or steak, but a sprinkle of this bright red powder also really makes the flavors pop in salads and on roasted vegetables. It’s great sprinkled over hummus and makes this fattoush salad extra special. I try not to recommend too many obscure spices and seasonings, but ground sumac really is worth tracking down. Once you taste it, you’ll definitely find ways to use it!
Possible Variations for Fattoush Salad
- Make it Vegan – Skip the egg and feta. Use a vegan-friendly sweetener instead of the honey. If making this vegan, I highly recommend adding the avocado mentioned below for an extra texture.
- Make it Gluten-Free – Skip the pita chips and use your favorite gluten-free chips, crackers, or croutons for crunch.
- Skip the Egg – To save time or if you’re serving this salad as a side dish to other more hardy dishes, skip the egg.
- Add Avocado – This salad is great with chopped avocado.
More Entree-Worthy Salads
- Asian Chopped Salad with Sweet Sesame Vinaigrette
- Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Pan-Seared Chicken with Balsamic Tomato Salad
- Crunchy Thai Ramen Noodle Salad
- Thai Beef Salad (Nam Tok)
Favorite Tools
- 6-inch Global Knife
- Cutting Board
- Half Sheet Pan
- All Clad Saucepan
- Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls
- Salad Bowl
- Salad Tongs
Fattoush Salad with Spiced Chickpeas
Equipment
- Half Sheet Pan
- Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Fattoush Salad:
- 1 14 ounce can Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Ground Sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon Curry Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 8 cups chopped Salad Greens (any will do, but I like a combination of romaine lettuce and baby spinach)
- 2 cups Diced Cucumber (preferably a seedless variety like Persian cucumbers)
- 2 Green Onions / Scallions, chopped
- 1 cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup cubed or crumbled Feta Cheese
- 4 Eggs
- 1 cup crumbled Pita Chips
Creamy Tahini Dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Tahini
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sumac
- 1 teaspoon Honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F / 218°C.
- Toss chickpeas with 1 Tbsp oil until coated. Add curry powder, paprika, sumac, and salt and toss well. Spread out on a sheet pan and roast, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Fill a saucepan with water (leaving room for the eggs) and bring to a boil.
- While chickpeas roast and water comes to a boil, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine salad greens, cucumber, green onions, tomatoes, and feta.
- Return to boiling water and reduce to a simmer (a steady stream of bubbles rising from the bottom). Using a spoon, gently drop the eggs into simmering water. Set a timer and boil eggs for exactly 8 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl with ice water. When eggs are done, drain and drop into ice water. Let cool for 1 minute.
- Add chickpeas and crumbled pita chips to salad. Add dressing and toss until dressed to your liking. (You may not need all the dressing, depending on how heavily dressed you like your salads.)
- Peel eggs and slice in half.
- Top salad with eggs (season them lightly with some salt). Serve immediately while the chips still have some crunch.
Nutrition
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Wow, this salad blew my mind. I’d never had chickpeas roasted like that before and they were amazing. I was just popping them like candy while I was cooking. I didn’t have sumac so I left it out and it was still so flavorful that I can’t imagine how good it would be with it. I just subbed curry powder in the dressing for the sumac. Not only did I love it, but this was a hit with my husband and all three kids!