Fattoush with Khubz
During a once-in-a-lifetime trip in the spring of 2022, my husband and I visited Muscat in Oman. It’s not a destination that had ever been on our travel bucket list, but it was a stop in a pre-planned itinerary with a tour company we enjoy, called TCS World Travel. Because of covid restrictions and outbreaks, a couple destinations were omitted from the original itinerary. Of course, as is typical with traveling, Oman was a delightful surprise. We toured a market in Muscat, and then ventured out into the sand dunes, visited a Bedouin home and shared tea, and stopped at an oasis. And the hotel, located on the coastline of the Gulf of Oman, had the most stunning views.
Omani cuisine was incredible. For dinner one night at the hotel, Al Bustan, I started my meal with fattoush – a Middle Eastern/Lebanese version of Italian panzanella. It was fresh and delicious but the crunchy bread really got my attention. The waiter informed me that the bread is an Omani specialty called khubz. For the salad it’s deep fried.
While in Oman, I’m pretty sure I came across khubz a couple of times. One I saw it on a buffet, and served myself some with my salad assortment. It was unique – super thin and really flaky. And, honestly, there wasn’t much to it. It sort of melted in your mouth, sort of how I imagine communion wafers.
Another time, khubz was being made while I watched – a very thin batter on a flat griddle, the cook using a paint scraper to lift it off. You can tell how thin the bread is.
I originally wanted to make fattoush for my blog so I could make the khubz myself just for the heck of it, but it turns out from what I read, fattoush is commonly prepared with fried or baked pieces of pita bread. And when I looked over recipes for khubz they were basically identical to pita or flat breads, although some thinner than others. If there was a unique preparation to this bread, I would have been excited to make it from scratch. But, as with most breads around the world, khubz begins with flour and water…
This fattoush recipe is in three parts: the basic salad is a lovely combination of vegetables, the fried or baked pita toasts, and the dressing. I recommend making the dressing in advance, even the day before. The pita toasts can be made that day so they remain crisp, but what’s most important is that the salad is made at the last minute, right before serving.
Fattoush
Serves 2 large or 4 small
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon ground sumac
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Place all of the ingredients in a blender jar and blend until smooth.
Serve at room temperature.
Pita toasts:
3 pita breads, white or whole wheat, halved and sliced into rectangles
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Sumac
For the pita toasts, Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. I purchased a bag of 6 white pita breads, and used four to cut up the pieces to toast as follows. Save the remaining two whole pitas for serving.
Sprinkle the pita pieces with oil, then season with salt, pepper, and salt. Bake in the unit there’s some browning, then gently toss the pieces, and bake a few more minutes.
I also save all extra bread in the freezer. You never know when you need fresh bread crumbs!
Salad:
1 small head trimmed romaine, cleaned, dried
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved, drained on paper towels
3 or 4 mini cucumbers, sliced
1 small bell pepper, finely chopped
5-6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 small purple onion, diced, to taste
Chopped parsley, to taste
Mint leaves, to taste
Place the romaine in a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper and radishes. Then add the onion and parsley.
When you’re ready to serve, add a couple of handfuls of the pita toasts, then add the vinaigrette to taste.
Serve in two bowls, and sprinkle with mint leaves, if desired.
You an also serve the fattoush with the remaining pita bread.
If you want to make the khubz from scratch, also known as Omani bread, here’s a recipe.
It’s salad season for sure, and this sounds like a fun way to mix things up! I don’t know much at all about Omani cuisine – thanks for sharing! Those khubz sound quite delicious.
Its cuisine was impressive. So fresh and flavorful. And lots of salads and hummus!
What a lovely experience Mimi! It’s so much fun to find these treasures when we travel, and this salad and khubz are great souvenirs of your journey!
They really are! What a great trip it finally was to take!
I really should have made the Omani bread, but the recipe was one of a million. Fattoush is a really wonderful salad.
Yes, except that I didn’t deep fry the pita. It’s all flour and water!
Mmmmmm – how delicious ! So fresh and spot on for hot days. I’ve always wanted to visit Oman. By the way , the word khubz is the Arabic word for bread. The Omani bread sounds amazing – but to them it’s ‘just’ bread, I suppose! (Khubz -the Arabic name for “bread” – has alternative names of khoubz, khobez, khubez, and khubooz. It’s also known as: Pita bread. Arabic bread or Arab bread.)
Oh, so interesting! That explains why some times it’s flaky and some times it’s like pita or flatbread. It’s just bread! So good to see you! Are you still blogging?
Isn’t it great to be able to travel again? I missed that so much over the last couple of years. We managed to get to Turks and Caicos a couple of months ago. The sea food was so fresh. Planning a big trip to Cambodia next year (hopefully). Anyway khubz sounds amazing. Oman might have to go on the travel list!
It was a great experience, but we were sad about a couple of canceled stops in India. It’s about going with the flow these days…
Thank you! Traveling creates so many inspirations of all kinds!
Traveling is the BEST! What a terrific combination of flavors & textures in this tasty salad.
Exactly. The great ingredients create wonderful flavors and textures both.
What fun! I’ve never been to Oman, but (assuming our trip actually happens) will be visiting it this fall (Salalah, though, not Muscat). Anyway, this dish looks terrific. Thanks!
Oh that’s exciting! You will love the food.
I don’t think there’s anything specific with the recipe – the flaky bread just uses a thinner batter. A very good salad.
The salad is amazing. I’d heard of it but never made it. It’s worth making!
Thank you. It was a wonderful experience, both Oman and its cuisine.
This salad is incredible. Better than panzanella, but don’t tell anyone!
Those pita crisps will give that fattoush salad an edge, adds a nice texture and when its flavoured it gives and interesting twist as well
They are really wonderful!!!
oh how delicious and fresh this looks. It would never have occurred to me to visit Oman but as you say, it’s the unexpected sometimes that gives the most reward.
Yes! It was so wonderful. And wonderful food as well.