Father's Day

Crispy Chickpea Fattoush with Asparagus and Radishes

by:
April 24, 2019
5
2 Ratings
Photo by Rocky Luten
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

A staple of Middle Eastern cuisines, fattoush is a chopped salad of tomato and crispy pita bread. Cucumbers, romaine, sumac, and lots of herbs are common additions. Once you know the basic formula (crispy pita + vegetables + herbs + dressing), you can mold and shape it into whatever you’re craving in the moment. This is my springtime riff with crispy chickpeas, asparagus, and radish that I can't stop making and eating. I absolutely adore the combination of flavors, textures, and colors — especially the rich creaminess of the za’atar yogurt sauce with all of the crispy, crunchy elements. Drizzle or spoon it over the salad versus tossing it in to get the greatest textural contrast. —EmilyC

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Ingredients
  • 1 16-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 large or 3 small pita breads, torn or cut into bite-sized chunks (about 3 cups in total)
  • 1 large bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon za’atar, divided, plus more for finishing the dish
  • Kosher or sea salt plus freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Juice from 1 large lemon, divided
  • 6 to 8 large radishes, thinly sliced (about 1 cup in total)
  • 1/4 cup pistachios (raw or roasted and salted), chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 1 cup whole-milk yogurt (regular or Greek)
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
  2. On the first sheet pan, toss the chickpeas and torn pita in 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons za’atar until evenly coated, and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer.
  3. On the second sheet pan, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer.
  4. Place both sheet pans in the oven. Roast the asparagus for 6 to 8 minutes, or until crisp-tender, and the chickpeas and pita for about 10 to 12 minutes, until toasty and crispy. Toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon lemon juice immediately out of the oven, and season to taste with salt. Let everything cool for about 5 to 10 minutes before assembling fattoush.
  5. Meanwhile, to make the za’atar yogurt: combine yogurt with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon za’atar. (If using Greek yogurt, you may want to add a bit more olive oil to thin the yogurt.) Season with sea salt and add more lemon juice, to taste.
  6. In a large low bowl or serving platter, combine the asparagus, chickpeas, and pita, then add the radishes, pistachios, dill, and mint. Spoon or drizzle a portion of the yogurt sauce evenly over the fattoush; serve the rest at the table. Sprinkle the fattoush with a little more za’atar, if desired.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: EmilyC

I'm a home cook. I love salads. Two things you'll always find in my refrigerator are lemons and butter, and in my pantry good quality chocolate and the makings for chocolate chip cookies.

2 Reviews

Darian October 20, 2024
Made exactly as written - delicious! This came together quickly and was a light, fresh dinner. It is a great meatless meal option.
Cassia P. March 25, 2023
I love this recipe! But actually I replaced the pita with focaccia which I had on hand, and it was perfect. Excellent mix of textures and the flavors are so wonderful and springy!