If I had to pick a favorite type of salad, the traditional Fattoush salad would be right up there in the Top 5. It took me a long time to figure out what was so special about it, besides the toasted pita chip croutons. It’s the powdered sumac, which has a citrus-y, lemon-y, cranberry-type flavor that really brightens everything up.
Rather than using pita chip croutons, I spiced up some chickpeas with extra sumac for a gluten-free version of the salad. You can crisp up the chickpeas by roasting them in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. I just didn’t have the patience to make them because I was hungry now!
I made up a nice big batch of this salad to have on hand for the next few days (my husband and I go through a lot of salad). To keep it fresh, I’m storing the chickpeas in a separate container and adding the dressing right before serving.
A traditional Fattoush dressing can either be made with a vinegar, lemon or tahini. Since I saved calories by leaving the pita chip croutons out, why not splurge on the tahini!? And since I felt like being heavy-handed with the sumac, I threw some in for good measure. Truly yummmmm.
Ingredients (make about 8 servings)
3 medium heads of Romaine lettuce – roughly chopped
1 large bunch of parsley – finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped mint
1 pint cherry tomatoes – cut in half
1 cucumber – thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced radishes
1/2 small red onion – thinly sliced
1 14-ounce can chickpeas – rinsed, drained and patted dry
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons powdered sumac
1/4 teaspoon salt
extra sumac for garnish
Dressing Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup tahini
3 teaspoons powdered sumac
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 – 4 tablespoons water, optional (for desired consistency)
Directions
- Drain the chickpeas, rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. (This helps the oil and sumac adhere to the chickpeas.) Place in a bowl along with the olive oil, sumac and salt. Toss until chickpeas are well coated. Set aside.
- Place all of the dressing ingredients, except water, in a jar. Screw on the lid tightly and shake vigorously until the ingredients are well mixed. If a thinner consistency is desired, add water one tablespoon at a time and shake, until desired consistency is achieved.
- Place all of the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss until well mixed.
- To serve, place a mound of salad on each plate or bowl. Divide the coated chickpeas between the servings. Drizzle dressing over the top.
- Garnish with a light sprinkling of sumac. Serve chilled.
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