This gluten-free springtime version of fattoush salad is filled with a mix of fresh herbs, tender peas, crunchy radishes and gluten-free pita chips.
Traditionally a handy vehicle for using up stale pita or flat bread, fattoush is most often a mix of lettuces with chunks of raw vegetables like tomatoes or cucumbers and a kicky vinaigrette. The beauty of fattoush is in its lively mix of flavors and textures.
There’s the crisp lettuce, the crunchy pieces of pita and the sour flavor of lemon juice and sumac to keep your palate happy with every forkful.
It’s a wonderful salad for spring or summer; cool and easy, just the thing for an easy lunch or dinner. A salad with lots of lightness and crunch and a lemony, herby freshness.
My take on the traditional Middle Eastern salad is a gluten-free spring version featuring watermelon radishes and petite peas along with my gluten-free homemade pita chips.
How to make gluten-free fattoush salad:
I use a bed of frisee lettuce as the base to which I add a generous amount of chives and mint. That’s topped with tender peas, paper thin slices of pink hued watermelon radishes and roughly broken chunks of toasted pita chips. These are the same chips from my Mediterranean Nachos just with a sprinkle of sumac instead of oregano.
The dressing couldn’t easier either, just lemon juice, olive oil and a bit of yogurt. It’s that little bit of creaminess from the yogurt I find really brings the entire thing together, making the crisp textures and flavors of spring shine through in every bite.
Crisp, tangy, creamy and satisfying, this gluten-free fattoush is the kind of salad that’s all about freshness and crunch.
Spring Gluten-Free Fattoush Salad (Grain-Free)
This gluten-free springtime version of fattoush salad is filled with a mix of fresh herbs, tender peas, crunchy radishes and gluten-free pita chips.
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh or frozen petite peas
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon/15ml plain whole milk yogurt (I like sheep’s milk)
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 head of frisee lettuce
- 3 to 4 small watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
- ½ a small bunch fresh mint, stems removed and coarsely chopped or torn
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 2 grain-free pita rounds broken into bite sized pieces and sprinkled with a pinch of sumac instead of oregano before baking.
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly blanch the peas in boiling salted water until just tender ( 2 to 3 minutes) and drain. Place into an ice water filled bowl to stop the cooking and retains color.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil and yogurt, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a medium sized serving bowl, combine the frisee along with the radishes, peas, mint and parsley. Add dressing, and toss well to combine. Just before serving, add the pita chips broken into large pieces and feta if using and gently toss again. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 264Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 373mgCarbohydrates: 14gSugar: 7gProtein: 9g
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she’s been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Never heard about Fattoush salad but this salad makes me travelling. It smells foreign far countries and that’s pleasant!
Those watermelon radishes look to die for! I love the peas, too 🙂
Such a lovely salad, and it’s perfect for welcoming spring.
I’m such a sucker for Fattoush! My Lebanese brother-in-law got me hooked and I love the idea of a Spring version!
lemon juice, sumac and crunchy pita pieces! That is what I call a salad
Such a beautiful spring salad! I love fresh peas in salad with homemade vinaigrette. We’ve been enjoying salads for dinner this entire past week and I need to change things up. Cannot wait to try this one, Sylvie! Thanks for sharing and have a fabulous week ahead!
This is beautiful! And so seasonal. 🙂
You make some of the most prettiest salads ever.
Really like the simplicity of this dish.
Loving spring salads right now. Doesn’t matter how cold it is… still tricks my brain into thinking winter is over.
Spring hasn’t quite arrived in my part of the world, but this salad makes me even more excited about its imminent arrival.
Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe.