This isn’t a traditional Lebanese fattoush salad, but it’s inspired by one. Like a traditional fattoush salad, this has pita chips, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes, mint, parsley, and sumac. Unlike a traditional fattoush, I used a tart yogurt dressing instead a sweet pomegranate molasses one. I also swapped out radishes for red bell peppers and added feta, kalamata olives, and crispy chickpeas.
I love this salad because it’s such a fun blend of textures and flavors. The chickpeas and the pita chips give it a delicious double crunch, the olives and feta give it a salty punch, and the yogurt-lemon-sumac dressing gives it a tangy brightness.
I used Minimalist Baker’s recipe and tips for the perfect crispy chickpeas. I loved her genius advice to bake them at 350 degrees and avoid seasoning them with anything other than salt and pepper until after they’re baked. I made mine in the toaster oven so I didn’t need to bake them more than 30-35 minutes, though she recommended a full 45-50 minutes. Watch yours carefully so they don’t burn.
This would be a great make ahead weekday lunch. Just wait til the last minute to add the dressing, crispy chickpeas and pita chips. Enjoy!
Ingredients – dressing
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 – 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, depending on your taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Ingredients – crispy chickpeas
- 14 ounce can of chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Ingredients – salad
- 3 cups romaine lettuce, cut into thin strips
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup sliced English cucumber
- 1/4 cup red bell peppers, roughly chopped
- 1/8 cup kalamata olives, halved
- 2 tablespoons mint, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup pita chips, broken into bite sized pieces with your hands
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac (optional)
- Drain and rinse your chickpeas. Dry them thoroughly. I used a salad spinner and then dried them between 2 paper towels. Place them in a paper-towel lined container in the fridge for 30 minutes. This will help them dry out further.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toss your chickpeas in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/3 teaspoon black pepper until coated evenly. Bake at 350 for 30-50 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy, stirring them about 20 minutes in. Note: Minimalist Baker recommends baking for about 45-50 minutes but mine only took 30-35 before they started burning. Watch them carefully to avoid scorched, unusualness chickpeas. Note: This is likely because I used a toaster oven, which has more concentrated heat. A traditional oven is likely to require a longer bake time.
- Next, make your dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, and garlic. Add salt and sugar to taste and whisk until combined. Note: You may have leftover dressing.
- In a large salad bowl, add your veggies, herbs, and olives. Toss together with about half your dressing. Add more if desired, 1 tablespoon at a time. Top with feta, pita chips, and a sprinkle of sumac. Serve immediately.