Chickpea Fattoush Salad (Vegan)

Name: Chickpea Fattoush Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped; 1 cup diced cucumber; 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes; 6 small radishes, thinly sliced; 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley; 3 tbsp fresh chopped mint; Half of a small red onion, thinly sliced; 1 14.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; Pita chips, store-bought or homemade (instructions in note section); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 tsp agave, pomegranate molasses or date syrup; 3/4 tsp ground sumac; 1/2 tsp fine kosher salt; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp onion powder; Pepper to taste

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This vegan fattoush salad with chickpeas is filling and such a delicious lunch or light dinner! Ready in about 10 minutes with a zesty, bright sumac dressing, crispy pita chips and protein and fiber-rich chickpeas.

overhead view of chickpea fattoush salad with pita chips in wood salad bowl.

Why we love this recipe

Quick and easy: in addition to this Quinoa Tabbouleh, Chickpea Fattoush Salad is one of our favorite weeknight salad recipes! It comes together in under 10 minutes (or 30 if you make your own pita chips).
Chickpeas add plant-based protein and fiber for a more filling salad.
Crunchy fresh vegetables + crispy pita chips: the perfect textural components for a light, refreshing salad.
Perfect for a light main dish or a side dish!

Ingredients

Here are some of the key ingredients you'll need to make this chickpea fattoush salad:

Canned chickpeas
Cucumber
Tomatoes
Red onion
Romaine lettuce
Pita chips

Fattoush salad dressing

The lemon sumac dressing comes together in just a few ingredients:

Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest
Extra virgin olive oil
Pomegranate molasses
Sumac
Salt and pepper
Garlic and onion powder

close up view of chickpeas in sumac dressing on fattoush salad.

Ingredient Notes

Lettuce: romaine works well here, since it has a crisp, sturdy texture that holds up well to the other ingredients. However you can also use another variety of lettuce, a spring mix, or any other greens you have on hand.
Pita chips: for a quick and easy version, use store-bought. If you have the time, we suggest making your own! We toss sliced or torn pita in olive oil, salt and za'atar and roast until crispy. (Instructions in the recipe card below.)
Red onion: not a fan of raw red onion? (Same here.) Try quick pickling it instead!
Vegetable substitutions: feel free to add more (or sub) vegetables, like green bell pepper, celery, carrot, etc.
Fresh parsley and mint are best in this chickpea fattoush salad, but you could also add green onion and/or chives.
Pomegranate molasses is traditional in fattoush salad dressing. If you can't find any, you could substitute with balsamic glaze or date syrup.
Sumac is also essential to this chickpea fattoush salad dressing. It has a zesty, tangy flavor reminiscent of lemon juice. It's available at many grocery stores, but if you can't find any, you could add a bit of extra fresh lemon zest to the dressing.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make the dressing

Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing.

You can make the dressing up to a few days in advance and store in a sealed container. Before serving, shake well.

Step 2: Marinate the chickpeas

Once the dressing is prepped, drain and rinse the chickpeas.

Toss the chickpeas in a few tablespoons of dressing while you prep the remaining ingredients. They don't need long, but the extra few minutes of marinating makes the chickpeas much more flavorful!

Step 3: Assemble salad

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss well in dressing. If you're not serving right away, wait to add the pita until just before serving.

Expert Tips and FAQs

Make this without lettuce for a more filling salad: this salad is great without lettuce! Double all of the other ingredients, leave out the lettuce and enjoy as a bean salad.
Add the dressing just before serving to make sure the pita doesn't get soggy.
If you're not a fan of raw red onion, rinse the sliced onion under super hot water for 30 seconds, then rinse with cold water. This takes out the bite.
Storage: store leftovers for up to a day (this salad gets soggy quickly). For longer storage, wait to add dressing and pita chips until just before serving.
This salad would also be delicious topped with these za'atar spiced crispy chickpeas!

close up view of za'atar spiced pita chips on fattoush salad.

Can you make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can prep all of the ingredients up to a few days ahead of time, but we suggest waiting to toss with dressing until just before serving. Otherwise, the salad will get very soggy.

What do you serve with chickpea fattoush salad?

I love this salad on its own, but for a more filling meal, you can serve with your favorite grilled or roasted protein. (We love it with this Mediterranean grilled tofu!)

It's also great with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes.

What else can you use sumac for?

If you bought ground sumac specifically for this chickpea fattoush salad, here are a few more ways to use it up!
-Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
-Tahini Sumac Dressing
-Mediterranean Salad with Falafel

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