Home / By Meal Type / Salad Recipes / Israeli Salad Recipe
By Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home • July 9, 2014
5 from 31 reviews
95 commentsHere’s a simple authentic recipe for Israeli Saladmade with summer tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, fresh herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Vegan and Gluten-Free! A delicious salad that pairs with many things! With a video.
The days come and go like muffled and veiled figures sent from a distant friendly party,
but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them as silently away.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson~
Here is the Israeli Salad Recipe I was telling you about last week that pairs so well with Grilled Chicken Shawarma. The salad itself bursts with all the good flavors of summer – fresh veggies and herbs, tossed in a simple lemony dressing. On its own, it is clean, plant-based, healthy and detoxing. I could eat this every single day!
Made with simple fresh ingredients, Israeli salad tastes of fresh summer produce – healthy, vibrant, light! To me, this is like summer in a bowl.
And it pairs well with sooooo many things! A great thing to just have on hand. Spoon it into a toasty pita with a little hummus, and lunch is ready.
Or serve it as a side salad to your favorite Middle Eastern-inspired main. I am excited for you to try this- because I KNOW you are going to love it!
How to Make Israeli Salad! | 30-Second Video
What to serve with Israeli Salad?
- Chicken Shawarma
- Lebanese 7-Spice Chicken
- Sheet-Pan Shawarma with a yummy VEGAN Tofu alternative you might like.
- Zaatar Meatballs
- Grilled Lamb Kebabs with Herb Salad and Yogurt Sauce
- Slow-Roasted Lamb Shawarma
- Falafels
- Tahini Sauce
- Hummus
- Homemade pita bread
- Baba Ganoush
Ingredients in Israeli Salad:
- tomatoes: use vine-ripened summer tomatoes for the BEST flavor.
- cucumber: English, Turkish or Persian- or any thin-skinned cucumbers work best here!
- red onion
- red and yellow bell pepper
- fresh herbs (Italian parsley, mint or cilantro, or a mix of all three)
- zest of one lemon (organic if possible)
- Lemon juice
- olive oil
- Salt and pepper
How to make the BEST Israeli Salad (a few tips!)
There are two things that you can do to elevate this salad and really make it come alive!
- The first is to use really fresh ripe summer ingredients.Ripe Summer tomatoes truly make all the difference!!!
- The second is tocut all the veggies very finely.(Take your time here friends, put on a podcast or music and really just be thoughtful about it. Don’t make this when you are in a hurry, you just won’t enjoy it. Cooking is so much about the process, so try to figure out how to be present and enjoy it!)
USE a goodsharp knife with those tomatoes. So sharpen them up! Or if need be, splurge and buy yourself a good set of chefs knives. You will never regret it- especially if your goal is to eat more veggies.
The easiest way to Dice a Tomato
- The secret to finely dicing a tomato is to leave the stem end intact and place it on the cutting board.
- Thinly slice one way (don’t cut all the way through), then crosscut the other way – and don’t cut all the way down!
- Leave the bottom stem end intact.
- Then turn the tomato on its side, and slice downward. Perfect tiny diced tomato!
- This technique makes dicing a tomato sooooooooo much easier!
Finely dice the peppers.
Then place all the ingredients in a bowl.
Add the olive oil, lemon and salt and pepper.
Taste and adjust salt and lemon to your liking.
Remember the key to authentic Israeli Salad it keeping it simple and clean, letting the flavors of the ripe summer veggies come through!
Here is the Israeli Salad topped with the Grilled Chicken Shawarma- cool, fresh and crunchy paired with grilled spiced chicken… one of my favorite combos!
More Salad Recipes you may enjoy:
- Lebanese Slaw
- Classic Greek Salad
- Lemony Lebanese Tabouli (Tabbouleh)
- Tomato Watermelon Salad
- Antipasto Salad
- Rainbow Chopped Salad with Herbed Yogurt Dressing
- 40 Vegan Salads
Have a beautiful, light-filled week.
Sylvia
Israeli Salad Recipe
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 31 reviews
- Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home Blog
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: salad, vegan, gluten free,
- Method: Chopped
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A refreshing Middle Eastern chopped salad, called Israeli Salad, that is healthy, vegan and gluten-free. Clean flavors, plant-based, detoxing, and perfect for summer! Best made when tomatoes are in season!
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 2 extra large tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 English cucumber, finely diced
- 1 cup red onion, finely chopped (1/2 of a medium red onion)
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 cup fresh herbs (Italian parsley, mint or cilantro, or a mix of all three)
- zest of one lemon
- Lemon juice (start with 1/2 a lemon, add more to taste)
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Chop the first 6 ingredients into a very small fine dice. The smaller, the better. Take your time with this and a sharp knife really makes this easier!
- Place in a large bowl and toss with the lemon zest, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper.
- Taste and adjust lemon and salt to your liking.
Notes
Serve with Grilled Chicken Shawarma,or toasted pita bread and hummus.
Israeli Salad will keep 3-4 days in the fridge, but best on day 1-2.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 83
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 11.4 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.1 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 7.8 mg
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Comments
This is a great salad and I always get asked for the recipe. It’s good too that it can be made 2 days ahead! Love it!
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Great to hear Sandi!
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colorful and refreshing, herbs shine, made this to go with the (Tandori Glory Bowl plus added baked tofu to that) only thing did differently was leave the oil out, and used roasted onion, rather then raw.
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Sounds perfect Frances! Love it.
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Love the mint especially but the herb and vegetable ratio were perfect. This was very refreshing. Served with falafel this time. I’ve made it several times.
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Yum! sounds fabulous Kat!
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Is a CUP of herbs and spices correct? This seems like too much?
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Hi Tess, we like to load this up with fresh herbs. Yes it is correct!
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I love this salad, and I love that the recipe makes so much! Food is my love language, and I am always able to share this when I make it!
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I love that you share this!
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Refreshing
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Great!
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Oh wow! So healthy and delicate texture and flavors. What a great recipe to use up veggies from the garden. Unfortunately my parsley is all stripped off and I didn’t like mint, so this time used some dill instead (not a cup though – just to taste). I think the dill sets off the flavors with more zing. I serve this with your chicken shwarma and garlic sauce. Fantastic summer meal! Thank you!!
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Love the dill Robin!
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PHow long will this stay fresh in the fridg. I’m only making this for 1 person – me. I like to pre prepare my lunches so this would be helpful. Thank you
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I would say 3-4 days. 🙂
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I absolutely loved this salad!! Loved the fresh herbs and lemon! I took 2 bites and knew I would be making this regularly. Thank you!
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Glad you enjoyed- I love this one too!
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I always make this salad, but add a can of chick peas. Sometimes I use parsley or dill.
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Love it!
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