Israeli Salad Recipe - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Israeli Salad Recipe - Wholesome Yum (1)

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Table Of Contents hide

  • Why You’ll Love This Israeli Salad Recipe
  • How To Make Israeli Salad
  • Storage Instructions
  • What To Serve With Israeli Salad
  • More Fresh Salad Recipes
  • Recommended Tools
  • Israeli Salad (10 Minutes!)

I love my greens, but in my Russian Jewish family, I didn’t grow up eating them much. Instead, we had a lot of finely chopped salads, like creamy cucumber salad,cucumber tomato salad (or tomato cucumber avocado salad once we moved to the U.S.), and a variation of this easy Israeli salad recipe.

Israeli salad recipes typically have cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, peppers, and fresh herbs (usually parsley). They are popular in Israel, but also have a history being served in Persian meals. Fresh, chopped veggies mingle with a simple, refreshing Israeli salad dressing (it’s just a simple lemon vinagrette!) for a bright and crunchy salad.

Bonus: If you have kids in the house that refuse to eat lettuce and other greens, this is a great way to get them eating healthy salads!

Why You’ll Love This Israeli Salad Recipe

  • Fresh, citrusy, and vibrant
  • Crisp and crunchy texture
  • 7 simple ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
  • Ready in 10 minutes
  • Naturally vegan, low carb, and gluten-free
  • Easy, healthy side dish that goes with everything!
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Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best Israeli salad ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Salad:

  • Tomatoes – I used Roma tomatoes, but you could also use sliced cherry tomatoes or really any other tomato.
  • Cucumbers – Use Persian cucumbers for their mild flavor and delicate skins. However, English cucumbers would work as well. Peel any varieties that have tough skins.
  • Bell Peppers – For color and crunch. I used red bell pepper, but any colors you have on hand will work great.
  • Onion – Sweet onions, red onions, or yellow onions will all work.
  • Fresh Parsley – Adds a flavorful and colorful garnish. You could also different fresh herbs, such as fresh mint, dill, or chives.

Israeli Salad Recipe - Wholesome Yum (3)

VARIATION: Add feta cheese!

About 1/3 to 1/2 cup of crumbled feta makes a great addition.

Dressing:

  • Olive Oil – Extra virgin olive oil is the best choice for a lemon vinaigrette because it complements the tart, acidic flavor of the lemon. You can use other oils if you like, though.
  • Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice is best, but bottled lemon juice will work for convenience.
  • Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Adjust to taste.
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How To Make Israeli Salad

This section shows how to make Israeli cucumber salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

  1. Dice the veggies:tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onions.
  2. Make the dressing. In a medium-large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper. Tilt the bowl and whisk until emulsified.
  3. Assemble the Israeli salad. Add the chopped vegetables to the bowl with the dressing, and toss together. (Alternatively, you can place the veggies in an empty large bowl, whisk the dressing in a smaller bowl, and pour the dressing over the salad.)
Israeli Salad Recipe - Wholesome Yum (5)

Storage Instructions

  • Store: Keep the salad in the refrigerator for 1-3 days. (You may need to drain excess liquid that will gather in the bottom of your storage container.)
  • Meal prep: Chop all the veggies and make the dressing ahead of time, and store separately in the fridge.

What To Serve With Israeli Salad

Israeli chopped salad pairs with a variety of mains. Its vibrant flavor and crunchy texture will make any meal come alive!

  • Chicken – For a quick and easy dinner, pair it with juicy Mediterranean chicken or herby basil pesto chicken.
  • Fish – A cool, crisp side salad featuring Israeli flavors makes an excellent accompaniment to seafood dishes, like baked cod or flaky Chilean sea bass.
  • Lamb – Grill up some lamb kofta kebabs in the summertime, or if the weather doesn’t cooperate, make air fryer lamb chops.
  • Beef – Try simple classics like a juicy burger or sirloin steak (or grill your steak if it’s warm out!).
  • Hummus – For a classic meal, serve it alongside a bowl of hummus and pita bread (I make my own almond flour pita bread, though it’s not traditional), or with gyros.

More Fresh Salad Recipes

If you like this simple Israeli salad, you might also like some of these other quick salad recipes with big, fresh flavors:

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Recipe Card

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5 from 13 votes☝️ Click stars to rate or click here to leave a review!

Israeli Salad (10 Minutes!)

This Israeli salad recipe takes just 10 minutes! Make it with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, parsley & simple lemon vinaigrette.

Prep: 10 minutes

Total: 10 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

  1. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper in a medium-large bowl. Tilt the bowl and whisk until emulsified.

  2. Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, and parsley. Toss to coat.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories115

Fat9.4g

Protein1.5g

Total Carbs7.8g

Net Carbs5.5g

Fiber2.3g

Sugar5g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course:Salad

Cuisine:Israeli

Keywords:Israeli salad, Israeli salad recipe

Calories: 115 kcal

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂

Israeli Salad Recipe

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FAQs

What are the ingredients in Israeli salad? ›

Ingredients
  1. 6 cucumbers, diced.
  2. 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and diced.
  3. 5 green onions, sliced.
  4. 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced.
  5. ⅓ cup chopped garlic.
  6. 1 cup chopped fresh parsley.
  7. ½ cup minced fresh mint leaves.
  8. ½ cup olive oil.
Jul 10, 2019

How to make a salad yummier? ›

Toss on a little something extra.

Try herbs, fruit, grains or cheese. Here the list is truly endless. When it comes to grains, go whole and choose something like quinoa, bulgur, farro, or wheat berries. With cheeses like goat or feta, a little goes a long way to add flavor.

Why is it called Israeli salad? ›

It was adopted by Jewish immigrants to the Levant in the late 19th century, who found the locally grown Kirby cucumbers and tomatoes in popular local salad. It was popularized in the kibbutzim, where the Jewish farmers had local fresh produce at hand. The name Israeli Salad is used mainly outside of Israel.

How to make a salad better? ›

How to Make a Salad You'll Actually Want to Eat
  1. 1: Think Beyond Lettuce and Greens.
  2. 2: Add Heft with Grains and Nuts.
  3. 3: Add Beans or Other Proteins.
  4. 4: Make Your Own Homemade Salad Dressing.
  5. 5: Make it a Flavor Party.
Jan 18, 2024

What spices are in Israeli food? ›

Adding spices like za'atar, dried oregano or sumac and herbs like thyme, mint or scallions is common when preserving the labneh balls. It is especially common to eat them during breakfast because meat is usually not eaten in the morning.

What are 5 components of a satisfying salad? ›

There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.

What gives good flavor to salad? ›

Dried Cherries, Cranberries or Raisins: Add these dried fruits for their flavor and texture. They are also quick easy to add with no preparation required! Basil, Chives, Dill or Parsley: Toss small basil leaves or chopped larger ones in with your greens. Try chopped fresh dill.

Why do salads always taste better in restaurants? ›

Restaurants use really good ingredients.

Your ingredients can decide whether your salad turns out average or extraordinary, Jamie Simpson, executive chef liaison at The Chef's Garden, told Allrecipes. "Restaurant-quality salads start with restaurant-quality ingredients," he said.

Do Israelis eat salad for breakfast? ›

An Israeli breakfast is a style of breakfast that originated on Israeli collective farms called kibbutzim, and is now served at most hotels in Israel and many restaurants. It is usually served buffet style, and consists of fruits, vegetables, salads, breads, pastries, dairy foods, eggs and fish.

What is Jerusalem salad made of? ›

Jerusalem salad is a refreshing dish typically made of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onions. It often includes fresh herbs like parsley and mint to add flavor and vibrancy.

What does hummus mean in Israel? ›

Hummus (/ˈhʊməs/, /ˈhʌməs/; Arabic: حُمُّص ḥummuṣ, "chickpeas"), also spelled hommus or houmous, is a Middle Eastern dip, spread, or savory dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic.

What are the three 3 keys to a quality salad? ›

The three keys to ensuring a quality salad are:
  • The freshness of ingredients.
  • Having all the ingredients blend together in harmony.
  • Making sure the salad is appealing to the eye.

What spices to put in a salad? ›

5 Unique Spices to Add to Your Salad
  1. Curry Powder. One interesting spice you can add to your salad to make it more flavorful is curry powder. ...
  2. Garlic. ...
  3. Ginger. ...
  4. Mint. ...
  5. Cumin.
Apr 15, 2023

What lettuce is best for salads? ›

Great Greens to Add to Your Salad Bowl
  • Romaine Lettuce. The crisp, elongated leaves of this lettuce are the main ingredient in classic Caesar salad.
  • Butterhead Lettuce. These beautiful rosette-like heads have soft, buttery-textured leaves. ...
  • Iceberg Lettuce. ...
  • Mâche. ...
  • Watercress. ...
  • Dandelion Greens. ...
  • Belgian Endive. ...
  • Frisée.
Jul 21, 2023

What is the traditional Israeli dish? ›

Falafel is probably the most recognizably Israeli food there is. In almost every town in Israel you can find a choice of shops attracting the hungry with the delicious smell of frying falafels. The Shuk (market) Betzalel area in Tel Aviv, for example, is famous for its excellent falafel.

What are the vegetables of Israel? ›

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and zucchini are grown commonly throughout the country; melons are grown during winter months in the valleys. Subtropical areas in the country produce bananas and dates, while in the northern hills apples, pears and cherries are grown.

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