Kale Fatoush Salad

Kale Fatoush Salad is our superfood version of this traditional Middle Eastern favourite bursting with nutrients and so satisfying it will keep you going all day long. Learn how to transform chewy, tasteless kale into a green that everyone will love.

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Kale fatoush salad in a ceramic bowl without any pita crisps.

This Middle Eastern salad is a delightful combination of fresh kale leaves, crisp vegetables, and crunchy pita chips, all tossed in a tangy sumac dressing.

Discover the secrets to reducing kale's bitterness and enhancing its texture with our simple step-by-step instructions. Whether you're a food enthusiast or health-conscious, this nutritious kale salad recipe is a must-try.

If you are a kale lover and want to try some more kale salad recipes why not try our Crunchy Kale Salad or our tangy Kale Lemon Parmesan Salad?

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What Is Fatoush Salad?

Traditional fatoush was a delicious way to use up leftover pita bread; it is made with chopped romaine/cos lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, onions, herbs and fried bread which are all dressed in olive oil, lemon dressing with some sumac added.

Our version replaces the lettuce with nutrient-dense kale, and we bake the bread in the oven until golden brown instead of frying it.

You Will Need

Labelled ingredients needed to make kale fatoush salad.

How To Prepare Kale So It's Delicious

Carefully wash the kale to remove any dirt.
Remove the stems either by stripping them by hand or by cutting them out with a sharp knife. You can either discard them or freeze them to use in a stir fry, soups or casseroles.
Bunch up your kale leaves and thinly shred them with a sharp knife.
Transfer it to a mixing bowl, pour the vinaigrette over the kale and massage for at least three minutes, don't overdo it as you will turn your kale to mush.

WASHING KALE UNDER COLD RUNNING WATER — WASH YOUR KALE

STRIPPING KALE STEMS BY HAND — WASH YOUR KALE

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Grill Pita and Shake-up The Vinaigrette

Heat your grill and place the pita bread underneath until golden brown on each side. Approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. When done, leave it on the side to cool.

To fry the pita for traditional fatoush - heat some olive oil in a large pan, tear the pita bread into bite-sized pieces and fry in batches until golden brown, add some sea salt, black pepper and some sumac while it is frying for an additional hit of flavour.

Place all the vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar, season with some salt and pepper then shake until emulsified.

Shaken ras el hanout dressing in a glass jar.

Step 2 - Chop-Up Your Vegetables

Rinse your vegetables well under cold running water and pat them dry.

Cut your mini Romas in half, I like to use a serrated or tomato knife to do this as it doesn't squish them.

Trim your radishes and slice thinly (mandoline/v-slicers are great for this).

Trim and peel your cucumber leaving alternative green strips then cut into half-moons.

Remove the core and seeds from the red capsicum (pepper) and chop it into small dice.

DICING RED PEPPER INTO A SMALL DICE ON A WOODEN BAORD

Trim your onion, remove the papery skin and chop into small dice.

Add all the chopped vegetables to your kale.

DICING RED ONION INTO A SMALL DICE ON A WOODEN BOARD

Step 3 - Chop The Herbs

Wash your herbs and either pat them dry or spin them dry in a salad spinner.

Cut off the stems from your parsley and roughly chop the leaves.

Pick the leaves from your mint and roughly chop them, then add them to your mixing bowl.

Step 4 - Assemble Your Fatoush Salad

Season your prepared salad with some sea salt and cracked black pepper.

FATOUSH SALAD INGREDIENTS IN A MIXING BOWL

Sprinkle some additional sumac on top and toss until everything is well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your taste.

Keep your salad in the fridge until you are ready to serve then, just before serving, snap the pita bread into medium-sized pieces and stir through your salad, reserving a few pieces for a garnish.

Arrange the salad in a large salad bowl, then scatter the reserved pita on top to garnish. Serve and enjoy!

Kale Fatoush salad garnished with pita crisps in a ceramic bowl with wooden servers and more pita crisps on the side.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

This fatoush salad pairs well with most meals, particularly with anything Middle Eastern, such as kebabs, falafels or spicy chicken.

But I just love serving this salad at our big family barbecues as it is so easy to make a huge batch and leave it in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Leftovers are never a problem as it keeps so well and can be enjoyed throughout the week.

Tips and Questions 💡

Do I Need to Add the Sumac and What Can I Use Instead?

Sumac is a dark purple Middle Eastern spice that has a tangy lemony taste that is less tart than lemon juice.

You should be able to find it in the spice section of most supermarkets but can be substituted in this fatoush recipe with the zest of one medium-sized lemon.

Can I Prepare the Salad in Advance?

This salad can be made the day before without the pita and kept in the fridge until you are ready to serve it that day.
There is no need to massage the kale if you are making it the day before, all you need to do is toss everything together and the kale will soften overnight in the fridge.
On the day, you may need to drain off any liquid that has formed and add the pita just before serving.
You can toast the pita the day before and keep it in an air-tight container, but if you are going to make it the traditional way with the fried pita crisps, fry them on the day otherwise they will become chewy.
Of course, you can make the dressing several days ahead and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

How to Make It A Traditional Fatoush Salad Recipe

To transform this Kale Fatoush Salad into a traditional fattoush salad, all you have to do is replace the kale with one medium-sized cos/romaine lettuce and fry your pita in some olive oil instead of baking it in the oven.

How to Food Prep Kale Fatoush for Lunches

Fatoush is just perfect for food prep for your weekday lunches as it keeps well in the fridge and is substantial enough to keep you energised throughout the day. Just keep the pita bread in an air-tight container to add on top at the last minute.
You can add any form of protein that you like, such as crumbled feta, kofta, meat or chicken skewers, or some falafel would be fantastic as a vegetarian option.

How Do I Store Leftover Kale Fatoush Salad?

To keep the salad fresh, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However, it will lose some of its crunchy texture after a couple of days.