Baby spinach salad with dates & almonds from Jerusalem (page 30) by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

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Ingredients

sumac
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chile flakes
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- Burlap & Barrel - USA & Canada
- The Spice House - United States
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Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

mingwai_cy960g on May 28, 2026

Simple and delicious.
anna_1bxel8 on April 07, 2026

Delicious
lucia_dbdl2m on March 30, 2026

Seems like a simple salad but was really flavorful and delicious. I loved the croutons and the dates were the perfect sweetness. This may become a staple salad at my house
rachael_18bc7s on March 25, 2026

Added more acid and salt
linda_nvwzz8 on March 08, 2026

This cookbook has so many good recipes snd this is another one! No notes on this salad.
courtnay_ltb1fj on March 05, 2026

This was a really great salad! My kids (10-18) ate every bit of it and requested it again soon!
courtnay_ltb1fj on March 05, 2026

This recipe was great! I was looking to use some barberries that I had bought for the spinach salad (also in this book) and came across this recipe. It has really great flavors. My family loved it!
rachelefry on February 13, 2026

Delicious.
jennifer_vszvd1 on February 04, 2026

Added chicken and used naan instead of pita. Cut dates into eighths. Simple and so good.
korkyporky on January 28, 2026

I’ve made this so many times and each time I can’t believe how good such a simple salad is. I almost always have all ingredients to whip it up as a side dish too.
ricki on January 17, 2026

we liked this! several substitutions to work with what I had on hand, but all in all pretty close to the recipe as written. Fewer dates would be fine.
Hiker010 on January 11, 2026

Made Dec 2018 -- pretty good (may have been my favorite use of dates at the time -- vinegar may temper them a bit)
dogo on May 26, 2025

Nice salad, can use little more olive oil
joeljkp on February 18, 2025

Great salad - very festive with the pita croutons and almonds. Maybe cut the dates once crosswise? They were kind of large just quartered lengthwise. I was out of sumac so substituted za'atar instead - I'm sure a different flavor altogether, but it was delicious nonetheless.
ellwell on January 26, 2025

This was pretty good. No one was wowed by it, but a solid side salad to serve along with a meal.
apw2020 on January 21, 2025

Phenomenal salad. Great for weekend brunches.
treay on October 25, 2024

I have made this salad for many years, and it never disappoints, everybody likes it! A favourite in our household, especially served next to the Turkey and zucchini burgers.
lholtzman on June 10, 2024

This is much better when the spinach absorbs the dressing, otherwise it’s a bit bland.
aeybkme on September 09, 2023

Really nice but next time I'd add more vinegar to the dates and onions as I liked the sweet and sour taste.
hbakke on July 31, 2023

Very nice salad. Will repeat.
hlange on July 11, 2023

This is even better than everyone says. I've made it several times and each time it's hard to stop eating it. The flavor combinations just sing. I use a good champagne vinegar instead of white wine vinegar, and fresh naan in place of pita. It's been a huge hit with a guest even saying through mmmms that it was "restaurant-level good." Then wanting to know the ingredients.
Kag2020 on July 03, 2023

For some reason I needed to see close to 40 reviews before I made this. Absolutely delicious. I used one and a half Mediterranean flatbreads, Aleppo pepper and walnuts. I would cut the amount of bread a bit the next time but that’s pretty much the only thing I would change.
dc151 on June 09, 2022

This was great salad to bring to a potluck. Lots of positive comments. Not time consuming to make. Used vegan butter to crisp up bread so everyone could partake.
Apollonia on June 06, 2022

Lost track of how many times I've made this one. I increase the vinegar on the pickled date/onions and punch up the dressing as well. Always enjoy it!
danielat on January 08, 2022

This salad is outstanding! My husband's favourite line is "you don't make friends with salad" but after trying this one, he proclaimed that THIS is a salad you can make friends with. He had multiple servings and was looking into the empty bowl hoping there was more. I served this to a group of friends (lol) and they all begged for the recipe. I served this alongside chicken shawarma and it was a perfect addition.
Ganga108 on December 27, 2021

What a great salad this is, as we travel to Israel via Ottolenghi’s book Jerusalem. The salad is composed of marinated dates, crispy flatbread, toasted nuts, and baby spinach. It does sour via lemon juice, vinegar and sumac, hot via chilli, pungent with onion, and sweet with the dates. A fabulous blend of tastes and textures.
luluf on October 28, 2021

Great salad. The toasted pita bread pieces are amazing and the kids have started making them to eat with hummus as well
KarinaFrancis on August 17, 2021

How did I go this long without making this salad? It’s delicious and those croutons take it over the top. I couldn’t get my hands on dates so used dried apricots. Can’t wait to make this again
ChelseaP on May 21, 2021

Favourite salad of all time! I can't count how many times I've made it. Everyone always loves it... fights break out over the last pieces of olive oil and sumac soaked crispy pita bits.
lmhester on May 19, 2021

This recipe was delicious!! Such simple ingredients yet so much flavor. The sweetness of the dates was the perfect counter to the sourness of the lemon. My husband said it was good enough to eat again for dessert!
jhallen on November 27, 2020

This is a real upgrade on a spinach salad - very flavorful and the onion and spices come together so well. Simple to put together but flavors are delicious.
chezmaryb on November 10, 2020

Delicious! Practically vegan and you won't miss the cheese at all. The almonds cook faster than the pita so I would add those later.
boing4 on September 06, 2020

Time and time again I return to making this salad. It's tasty and ridiculously easy to put together. Sweet dates and a tangy vibe from the red onion - what's not to love about that??
LFL on August 10, 2020

1.5 stars. Meh. Let me be the lone dissenter who thinks this salad is mediocre. Made this for lunch (in addition to a main dish) when a friend came over and was disappointed in the results. The notation for pita croutons (2 pitas, 3.5 oz.) were unclear. Was 3.5 oz. the weight of both pitas together or of each of the two pitas? I wasn’t sure. I opted for 3.5 oz. per pita. It turned out to be too many croutons and the results made the salad very dry. Recipe directions should be clear. The taste didn’t wow me either but keep in mind that I lived in Israel as a child and so the flavor profile was pretty mundane for me. My friend was born and raised in the US, though, and she seemed underwhelmed as well. I won’t make this again.
mharriman on July 17, 2020

I made half a recipe, omitting the chili flakes, and my husband and I loved it. I would make this again in a heartbeat.
mharriman on July 17, 2020

I made half a recipe, omitting the chili flakes, and my husband and I loved it. I would make this again in a heartbeat.
mamacrumbcake on January 25, 2020

01/08/20 Nice salad, different, surprising. Based on all the components, I could not imagine how it would come together, but it does. The sour of the sumac and lemon is balanced by the sweet dates. The pita chips and almonds give it a nice crunch. Marinating the onion mellows it a bit. It’s pretty easy to make. Has a bit of a kick due to the chile flakes—I use the amount called for in the recipe. It would be nice to try Aleppo pepper instead of the chile flakes. Note: When toasting the pita and almonds, either toast them separately or add the almonds in the last two minutes. If added at the beginning, they will burn. For me, it’s easiest to toast them separately, because I never know exactly how long it will take to get the pita crisp.
purrviciouz on December 19, 2018

This is a fantastic salad. I've made a few time and will continue to make again and again.
ksg518 on October 12, 2017

This is a great salad with the added bonus of being relatively quick. Softening the onion and dates in vinegar makes all the difference.
paulabee on June 17, 2017

love this salad- I used walnuts instead of almonds because that's what was on hand, but I think I'd use the walnuts again- they were great with the dates.
Silverscreensuppers on August 09, 2016

I'm another fan of this salad. I love it!
ithyt on April 24, 2016

4.16 Delicious again- love this combo - different & tasty.
ithyt on November 02, 2015

5.15 Scrummy - awesome bite in croutons.
Rutabaga on October 12, 2014

This is a great salad. I used sliced almonds, which should be added to the pan a couple of minutes after the pita as they cook faster. I also used Aleppo pepper in place of regular chile flakes. Marinating the onion is a good easy trick to soften the sting. My husband liked the salad except for the dates, but that's only because he's funny about fruit in a non-fruit salad. For the rest of us, the sweetness of the dates provide the perfect balance to the sourness of the sumac and lemon juice. The individual components of the salad can be made ahead and stored separately, then tossed together and dressed at the last minute.
Melanie on October 04, 2014

Make this one again, delicious. I made the pita and almonds at the start of the day to add to salad for dinner (assembling at somebody else's house) however I think they tasted better when warm and fresh so would not make ahead in future.
Astrid5555 on September 09, 2014

My favorite salad from this book so far! Used home-made wholemeal pita bread, and as per suggestion from other reviewers Aleppo pepper flakes, which adds a nice hint of smokiness. I also substituted white balsamic vinegar for the white wine vinegar, which turned out great.
br22 on September 06, 2014

Have made this many times and began adding the almonds later than the recipe suggests as I found they were getting a bit too browned by the time the pita was toasted enough. I often use whole wheat pita which works well too.
hillsboroks on July 21, 2014

I agree with everyone else that this is a wonderful, special salad. My husband stirred the pita bread and almonds for me while I put the rest of the salad together. I think you could make the pita and almonds ahead of time and throw the salad together just before you want to eat it. We both loved the crunch of the pita and almonds plus the sweetness of the dates against the other flavors. Like others I also used Aleppo pepper with the sumac on the pita and almond mix. I cut the dates into 1/2 inch pieces and that seemed to work well to distribute the bits of sweetness throughout the salad. We served this with Diana Henry's Israeli Chicken with Moghrabiesh, Harissa-Grilled Peaches and Mint from A Change of Appetite. The combination of flavors was spectacular. This is a salad I will make many times again.
lisachile on May 23, 2014

This salad was excellent. I highly recommend it. Unlike a previous reviewer, I think the almonds added a lot to the salad. I liked the big irregular chunks of almond.
stockholm28 on December 31, 2013

Great flavor combination. I will definitely make again.
TrishaCP on June 21, 2013

As others have mentioned, this salad is truly special. I love marinating the red onion and dates in the vinegar- it lends a quick pickled flavor to the onions and takes away the cloying sweetness of the dates. I did cut the dates into smaller pieces than the recipe called for to better distribute them through the salad. I also loved the fried pita chips with sumac and chile flakes (I used Aleppo pepper). All of these flavors together were stunning. For me, the almonds didn't add much and I think they could be skipped-just make sure to assemble the salad at the last minute so the pita pieces stay crisp.
k.a.g on June 02, 2013

A great recipe. The bread and greens are reminiscent of a fattoush, but the dates add an intriguing sweetness and a good contrast to the sharpness of the vinegar. I would recommend either cooking the nuts and bread separately, or watching like a hawk - the almonds are much heavier and will fall to the bottom of the pan and burn if you're not careful. Note to self - DON'T make these croutons in advance... You'll just eat them all.
purpleshiny on May 28, 2013

Very good salad. Substituted broken Cracklebred (gluten free crackers) for the pita pieces as I was making this for a gluten-free friend. Soaking the dates in vinegar does amazing things for their flavor (I'd already been familar with the effect of vinegar on the onions). Served with the Jerusalem Artichoke and Lemon Chicken recipe.
PinchOfSalt on May 24, 2013

I used some slivered almonds instead of chopped. So simple and so good! Next time I need to use my biggest skillet to brown the pita. My regular 12-inch skillet was filled to capacity.
westminstr on March 25, 2013

Loved this salad. I left out the pita (and cut back a bit on the butter and oil) and it was fine. I chopped the dates so they were similar in size to the almonds. Delicious.
Jane on February 01, 2013

This was a great salad. An inspired combination of tender greens, crispy pita, crunchy nuts. spice elements from sumac & chile flakes, sour notes from lemon juice and sweetness from dates (which I slivered smaller than the recipe suggests). I will definitely make this again. I served it with Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za'atar on p.36.
Delys77 on January 14, 2013

Pg 30 This is definitely a repeat for me. The spinach is very lightly dressed, but the seasoned pita and nuts give the salad plenty of punch. I love the crisp pita along with the tender greens and dates. It has a good balance of sweetness, acidity and salt, but make sure you use unsalted nuts and taste before you season at the end. Partner found it a touch sweet for him so maybe cut the dates much smaller next time and put a few less.