Israeli Salad is a fresh Middle Eastern chopped salad made with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onion, fresh mint and parsley tossed in a simple olive oil and lemon dressing. Ready in just 10 minutes, it's a light and refreshing side dish that's especially delicious during the summer.
"This recipe was delicious!! I also added some chickpeas, green pepper, and a small piece of banana pepper from my garden! But the recipe is great on its own. This is a KEEPER!"
★★★★★ - Jerri
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🔍 Quick Look: Israeli Salad
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
🕒 Chill Time: 1 hour recommended
👥 Servings: 8
📊 Calories: 54 per serving
🥒 Main Ingredients: Cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, mint, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice
❄️ Make Ahead: Yes
⭐ Difficulty: Easy
❤️ You Will Love: Fresh, crisp vegetables with a bright lemon and herb dressing.
A Note from my Kitchen
Israeli Salad is a simple, fresh chopped salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, fresh herbs, and a lemon dressing. It is a popular dish in Israel and is commonly served throughout the Middle East. Traditionally it is served as a side dish, but it is sometimes stuffed in pita as a sandwich, or served with breakfast along side of eggs!
I especially love making this salad in the summertime when garden ripe tomatoes and fresh herbs are at their best. The ingredients are simple, fresh, and colorful. The lemon and herbs give everything a bright flavor. It's one of those dishes you can "eat with your eyes" because it looks just as beautiful as it tastes.
I hope you love it as much as I do. Enjoy! Xoxo -Katie.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
You will need the following simple ingredients to make this Israeli salad recipe.
- Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers- Persian and English cucumbers are better suited for this salad because of their thin skin and texture. If using standard garden cucumbers, peeling them and removing the seeds are helpful to prevent the salad from becoming watery and improve texture.
- Red onion-I personally prefer red onion for this salad. However, some recipes use scallions.
- Lemon juice- fresh squeezed
- Tomatoes- Try to select firm, ripe tomatoes. Soft, juicy tomatoes can make the salad too watery.
- Fresh mint
- Fresh parsley-You can use flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley. However, flat-leaf is preferred for its texture and peppery flavor.
- Salt and black pepper
Variations
Some variations of this cucumber tomato salad include use red bell pepper for extra color and crunch. One reader also added chickpeas, banana peppers, and green bell pepper and loved the combination.
How to Make Israeli Salad
Making Israeli Salad is so easy! Follow these simple steps:
- Dice cucumbers and tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Try to keep them the same size.
- Finely chop mint, fresh parsley, and red onion.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together all the ingredients. It is best to refrigerate an hour or more before serving to build the flavors. However, you can serve it immediately.
Watch how to make
How to Cut Vegetables for Israeli Salad
The key to a perfect Israeli Salad is dicing the vegetables. You really want the cucumbers and tomatoes diced into similar sizes. Some people prefer to dice them into very tiny pieces similar to a salsa... while others prefer bite sizes. I personally like the bite size pieces for my salad.
What do you serve with Israeli Salad?
Israeli Salad is a fresh and versatile side dish that pairs well with so many meals. I love serving it with grilled chicken, fish, kebabs, or falafel. It is also delicious with hummus and warm pita bread.
For a light lunch, stuff the salad inside a pita with hummus or your favorite protein. You can even serve it for breakfast alongside eggs. The light, bright, lemony flavor and fresh vegetables make it especially good with rich savory dishes.
Please leave me a comment below if you make this Israeli Salad and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your cucumber tomato salad on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Israeli Salad-(Chopped Cucumber Tomato Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers or 3 Persian cucumbers
- 3 tomatoes
- ½ red onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice cucumbers and tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Try to keep them the same size.2 English cucumbers, 3 tomatoes
- Finely chop red onion, mint and parsley.½ red onion, 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint, 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together fresh lemon juice and olive oil.2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Mix cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, mint, and parsley together. Add in the lemon dressing with salad and mix. Salt and pepper to taste. It is best to refrigerate an hour or more before serving to build the flavors. However, you can serve it immediately.
Video
Notes
- Note: I do not recommend using regular garden cucumbers, but if you do, you will need to peel the skin.
Jerri says
This recipe was delicious!! I also added some chickpeas, green pepper, and a small piece of banana pepper from my garden! But the recipe is great on its own. This is a KEEPER!
Gourmet Vegetarians says
Yum! Love Israeli salad, it's so light and fresh and easy to make. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Love all the fresh veggies and flavours here, Katie! My kinda salad for sure! And I really appreciate how quickly it comes together....would make for a delicious lunch throughout the week!