This fall fattoush salad recipe is fresh, bright, healthy, and given an autumn twist with roasted acorn squash. A beautiful addition to your dinner table!
Fattoush is a classic Lebanese salad. I was introduced to it fairly recently, and I didn't want to stray too far from the classic ingredients because it's awesome as-is. The colors, textures, and freshness of fattoush always impress me! The mint, tangy dressing, and fresh cucumber really make this salad something special.
I love salads in general, and I wanted to include this amongst all the hearty cold weather recipes I've been posting lately. I think this salad would look great on your Thanksgiving table along with all the heavier side dishes! 😉
I added a simple roasted acorn squash to give this a fall feel. I also am starting to see fresh pomegranates (my ultimate favorite cold-weather fruit) in grocery stores now, so I added some of the pomegranate arils in. They look so pretty in photos, and pomegranate is actually a key ingredient in fattoush (pomegranate molasses), so it seemed to fit. It also adds a some extra tart sweetness and crunch to this salad.
If you're wondering where to get pomegranate molasses, you can find it in Middle Eastern shops and in some grocery stores. I found mine in a large grocery chain (Superstore here in Canada) that has a pretty extensive range of ethnic products. The kind I bought was sold in a glass bottle and cost less than $5 (and here's one I found on Amazon). I'd love to experiment with this ingredient some more!
Sumac is another key ingredient in here. I first came across it a couple of years ago, and now I use it a fair bit - often as a garnish. It's a nice dark purple-hued lemony spice that's used in a lot of Middle Eastern cooking. I've seen it in some regular grocery stores, but you could definitely find it in Middle Eastern stores or online (here's one from Amazon).
The fattoush salad dressing recipe is a simple vinaigrette with red wine vinegar, olive oil, a bit of lemon juice, garlic, sumac, pomegranate molasses, and some salt & pepper.
A couple fattoush salad success tips:
- One I read from Bon Appetit: rub the toasted pita bread with some olive oil to prevent it from going soggy prior to tossing it with the rest of the salad ingredients.
- Make the dressing first so the sumac has a chance to soften up a bit.
I hope you enjoy this Lebanese fattoush recipe as much as I did!
Questions?
Ask me in the comments below!
Fall Fattoush Salad
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash cut into 1/2" rings
- 1 tablespoon olive oil + extra as needed
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
- 1 small handful fresh mint chopped finely
- 1 small handful fresh parsley chopped finely
- 4 Persian (mini) cucumbers sliced
- Arils from 1/2 pomegranate
- 1/2 medium red onion sliced thin
- 1 small head romaine lettuce torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 handful little tomatoes cut into halves
- 3 (6 inch) pitas toasted
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground sumac
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
- Prep the squash and add the slices to a baking sheet. Coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and lightly dust the pieces with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Roast for 25 minutes. Turn halfway if you want even color on each side (I did not do this).
- While the squash cooks, prep the other ingredients (except for the pita) and add them to a large salad bowl.
- Toast the pitas then coat them with a bit of olive oil. This helps prevent them from going soggy as soon as they're added to the salad. Break them into bite-size pieces once you complete this step and add them to the salad bowl.
- Once the squash is cooked, let it cool for a few minutes. Toss the salad and then place the squash rings on top. Season salad with extra salt & pepper and a sprinkling of sumac if desired.
Notes
- Serves 2 as a main course or 4+ as a side.
- As with any salad, I encourage you to adjust the oil/vinegar quantities as needed to suit your tastes. I also suggest adding the dressing to the salad a little bit at a time (you can always add more if needed).
If you like bread salad recipes, you may also like my panzanella salad.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I have yet to grab an acorn squash at the market Natasha. I've been all apples and sweet potatoes recently, but you're really inspiring me with this yummy healthy salad. I bet it would be a hit on the Thanksgiving table.
Natasha says
Thank you!! I've definitely grabbed a bunch of sweet potatoes and apples too. Let me know if you try this 🙂