Description
A vibrant and hearty roasted roots fattoush salad featuring caramelized root vegetables tossed in dukkah, crispy sumac-coated pitta crisps, fresh herbs, and a tangy nut-brown butter yogurt dressing. This Middle Eastern-inspired dish beautifully balances smoky, sweet, and tart flavors for a satisfying vegetarian meal or side.
Ingredients
Scale
Root Vegetables and Seasoning
- 2 turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
- 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into quarters lengthways
- 1 swede, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp dukkah, plus extra for sprinkling
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
Pitta Bread
- 3 pitta breads
- ½ tbsp sumac
- Remaining olive oil (from the 4 tbsp total)
- Salt, to season
Dressing
- 75g butter
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 200g natural yogurt
Garnishes and Herbs
- Large pack parsley, roughly chopped
- Small pack mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced, deseeded if preferred milder
- 100g pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Roast Roots: Heat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/Gas mark 6. Toss the peeled and cut turnips, parsnips, and swede in 2 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp dukkah, then season generously with salt and pepper. Spread evenly between two baking trays. Roast in the oven for about 1 hour until the vegetables are soft and starting to char around the edges.
- Prepare Crispy Pitta: While the roots are roasting, tear the pitta breads into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a bowl and toss with the remaining olive oil, ½ tbsp sumac, and a pinch of salt for seasoning. Spread the pitta pieces on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 15 minutes until they turn golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Make the Dressing: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter slowly, allowing it to foam and turn a nut-brown color, which should take about 8 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Immediately remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice to stop the cooking, then allow this mixture to cool thoroughly. Once cooled, stir in the natural yogurt until well combined.
- Assemble the Fattoush: On a large sharing platter, arrange the roasted root vegetables. Sprinkle the roughly chopped parsley and mint over the top. Scatter the sumac pitta crisps evenly, then add thinly sliced red chilli and pomegranate seeds for vibrant color and a flavor kick.
- Serve: Drizzle some of the nut-brown butter and yogurt dressing over the salad just before serving, and provide the remaining dressing on the side for guests to add more as desired.
Notes
- The roasting time may vary depending on the size of the vegetable cuts; ensure they are tender and caramelized.
- Remove seeds from the chilli if a milder heat is preferred.
- The nut-brown butter dressing can be made ahead and kept chilled; bring to room temperature before stirring in yogurt to avoid curdling.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute pitta bread with gluten-free flatbreads or omit altogether.
- Dukkah adds a wonderful nutty spice; feel free to use store-bought or homemade blends.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: roasted root vegetables, fattoush salad, dukkah, pitta crisps, Middle Eastern salad, nut-brown butter dressing, pomegranate seeds, healthy vegetarian dish
