One of my favorite restaurants in Scottsdale, Pita Jungle, serves the best Fattoush salad I have ever eaten. Although most fattoush salads are all vegetables, this particular version has brown rice and lentils. Not only is this salad hearty, it is served warm and cold.

After eating it several times, I figured why not make it myself a little healthier. The restaurant version has fried pita and caramelized onions. I order it without pita and onions in order to reduce the calorie count, and avoid the oil.

First, I started with the simple ingredients in a Fattoush Salad: Romaine Lettuce, Ice Burg Lettuce, Red Cabbage, Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Red Onion.

Then, I cooked organic brown rice and brown lentils separately. I added a sautéed white onion to the lentils, and then combined the lentils with the brown rice.

Then, its all about building the salad. The lentil/brown rice mixture is served warm in the center of the salad.

Then, add the salad mixture around the lentils, and drizzle with Sumac Lemon Tahini Dressing. I topped with micro greens for added color.

My husband said my version is a “200% keeper.” And, now I can order 10 of the other items I love on Pita Jungle’s menu and reserve this one for home.

Lentil Fettoush Salad

Author: Kathy Carmichael
Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

This hearty salad will leave you full and satisfied. It is a combination of comfort food inside of a salad.

Scale

Ingredients

SALAD

3 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 head ice burg lettuce , chopped
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 small red onion, sliced thin
20 grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 cucumber, chopped in one inch cubes

Brown Rice/Lentil Mixture

2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked brown lentils
1 white onion chopped
1/4 cup vegetable broth

DRESSING

1/2 cup Tahini
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons Sumac
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

SALAD

In a separate bowl, combine salad ingredients
Toss
Set aside

LENTIL/BROWN RICE MIXTURE

LENTILS (I made ahead of time)

Rinse 2 cups of lentils in water in a colander
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil
Add lentils, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt
When water boils, cover and reduce heat to simmer
Cook 20-30 minutes until lentils are tender

BROWN RICE (I made mine ahead of time)

Rinse one cup of brown rice (yields 2 cups cooked)
Combine 2 cups water and 1 cup brown rice in a pan
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Stir
Bring to a boil
Cover and reduce heat.
Cook for 30-40 minutes until water is absorbed
Remove from heat
Fluff with a fork

COMBINE

In a skillet, sauté one chopped white onion
Add lentils and vegetable broth
Stir ad cook until onion is translucent and liquid has dissipated
Add warm lentil/onion mixture to brown rice
Add metal mixture to rice and stir together

DRESSING

Combine water, lemon juice, tahini, sumac, salt and pepper in a blender.
TIP: If you add the water and lemon juice first, before the tahini, the tahini will not stick in the bottom of your blender
Blend until smooth
Refrigerate to make cold

SERVING