Description
Vibrant, wholsome, and flavorful, this Oil Free Lebanese Fattoush salad is a nod to the classic dish with a delicious, healthy twist.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 3 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, rough chop *
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, fine chop *
- 3 baby cucumbers, diced
- 2 to 4 radishes, sliced
- 1 cup tomatoes, seeded, small dice
- ¼ cup red onions, fine dice (+/-)
- 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] chickpeas, drained and rinsed *
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onions
- ½ teaspoon sumac *
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (+/-)
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- 2 teaspoons white miso *
- 2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- Pinch sea salt (+/-) *
- 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses (optional) *
Other Ingredients:
- 1 Zaatar Quinoa Flatbread – torn into pieces *
Instructions
- Make the Zaatar Quinoa Flatbread (see recipe), set aside to cool. Or use your own baked flatbread/pita bread.
- Make the dressing by placing all the Dressing Ingredients into a bowl, whisk well to combine, and set aside.
- Make the salad by placing all the Salad Ingredients into a large bowl, toss, then drizzle with half to three fourths of the dressing, toss again. Taste test and add most dressing until you reach your desired amount.
- Place the torn Zaatar Quinoa Flatbread pieces into the salad, lightly toss. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Tips for Success:
- Fresh Herbs: The Lebanese really love their fresh herbs. This recipe is a way to showcase those fresh herbs. If you are not sure or unfamiliar, this salad has some elements of a Tabbouleh salad regarding lemony freshness, featuring parsley and mint. If you are not a big fan of fresh parsley or fresh mint as a major component of a dish, then pass on this recipe.
- Traditional Fattoush: We recognize that a traditional fattoush is made with olive oil and has deep-fried pita bread triangles throughout the salad. This version is a healthy nod to the traditional fattoush.
- Taste: We are often asked what does fattoush taste like as people are trying to get a frame of reference. That is a tough question as it is unique and definitely different. We have found that individuals who are not used to having fresh parsley as a main salad component as well as fresh mint in a salad, are not typically fans of this salad. If you enjoy experiencing new foods and flavors, then give this recipe a try! If you are more prone to shy away from the unusual, then skip this recipe.
*Notes Continued:
*Sumac: We used Penzeys Sumac Berries, Turkish Ground. Feel free to use your favorite brand of sumac. You can typically find sumac in most Mediterranean and Middle Eastern markets.
*Pomegranate Molasses: We used Cortas Pomegranate Molasses. It does contain a small amount of sugar. This brand is generally accepted by the Whole Food Plant Based Community. You can find pomegranate molasses in most Mediterranean and Middle Eastern markets. The pomegranate molasses is optional. You can leave it out; however, it does lend a flavor element of authenticity to the traditional fattoush salad.
*Miso: We used Miso Master Organic Mellow White Premium Lite Miso, Certified Gluten Free. Miso really lends itself to balancing flavors when you don’t use oil. You can also use chickpea miso for a soy free version. The miso helps balance the acidity of the lemon.
*Tahini: The tahini helps balance the acidity of the lemon. You can leave it out, but the salad will be exceptionally tart. We do not recommend leaving it out.
*Fresh Parsley: We lightly packed fresh parsley leaves (no stems, leaves only) into a one cup measurement, then did a rough chop.
*Fresh Mint: We used a .5 oz. package of fresh mint leaves. This comes out to roughly ½ cup of lightly packed mint leaves (no stems, leaves only), then did a fine chop.
*Zaatar Quinoa Flatbread: You can use your favorite flatbread in this salad. A traditional fattoush is made by taking day-old pita bread, cutting them into triangles and deep frying them, then mixing into the salad. You can add your favorite pita or flatbread to the salad. The bread/pita in a traditional fattoush is generally crisp and gets moistened by the salad dressing and other salad elements.
*Chickpeas: We lightly seasoned the chickpeas with a sprinkle of sweet paprika just to give them some color. This is totally optional.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Serving: 2 to 3
*Storage: Refrigerate leftovers, use within 1 day