This Israeli salad is a refreshing blend of chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and peppers, all tossed in a lemon dressing. A colorful side dish that pairs well with chicken and fish!
I love a good chopped salad to round out a meal, some of my favorites include chicken chopped salad and chopped Greek salad. This Israeli salad is so easy to make and is a unique addition to any meal.
What is Israeli salad?
Israeli salad is a chopped salad that consists of cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and sometimes peppers. This salad is typically served with a lemon and olive oil dressing and contains herbs such as parsley and mint. It’s served as a side dish all over Israel and can also be served stuffed into pita bread as a sandwich. This salad is fresh, colorful and so very easy to make!
How do you make Israeli salad?
The first step is to finely chop your veggies. In this case I’ve used cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, yellow bell peppers, orange bell peppers and parsley. A simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper goes over the top. Toss everything together and you’re ready to eat.
Tips for Israeli salad
- I typically use Persian or English cucumbers for this salad. You can use traditional waxed cucumbers, but you’ll want to peel them first and scoop out the seeds.
- Roma tomatoes are the best choice for Israeli salad as they are firm and don’t contain as many seeds as other varieties.
- You can use any color of bell pepper that you have on hand.
- Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not the kind that comes in a bottle.
- Fresh herbs are best here – I don’t recommend using the dried version.
- This salad can be made up to 2 days before you plan to serve it. Keep in mind that tomatoes can become mealy when stored in the fridge, so I do think the texture is best on this salad when served right away.
- Be sure to chop your vegetables into similar sized small pieces for the best end result.
- You can use other herbs in this salad such as dill or basil.
Israeli Salad variations
While this recipe is on the traditional side, you can add other non-traditional ingredients to your salad to make it your own!
- Protein: Add diced grilled chicken or steak to make it a meal.
- Cheese: Add crumbled feta or goat cheese for a fun twist.
- Olives: This salad would be great with sliced green or kalamata olives.
- Spice: Add 1/2 of a minced jalapeno pepper for a spicy version of this salad. Or you can add crushed red pepper flakes to the dressing!
- Grains: Add some cooked grains such as quinoa, bulgur wheat or farro.
- Beans: Chickpeas or white beans are a great addition to this salad.
This salad is so versatile, you can serve it as-is, in a sandwich, over greens, or even as a topping for grilled chicken or salmon. However you decide to serve it, it’s sure to be a hit!
More great salad recipes you’ll love
Israeli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber finely diced
- 1 cup Roma tomato seeded and finely diced
- 1/4 cup red onion minced
- 1 cup bell peppers finely diced, you can use red, orange, yellow or a combination of colors
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves minced
- 1 tablespoon mint leaves minced, optional
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the cucumber, tomato, onion, bell peppers, parsley and mint (if using) in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. I recommend serving this salad right away.
Carol says
We ate this salad in warm pitas and it was very tasty!
Margaret says
Looks wonderful! Could you suggest a herb to replace the parsley? It’s the only one I’m not really a fan of! Thanks
Sara says
You can use dill, chives or basil!
Ashley says
I added couscous and served cold, amazingly good!
Toni says
I loved it! A new favorite salad recipe in my house!
Kristyn says
Love bright & colorful salads!! This has so much flavor going on..can’t wait to make it!
Jessica Burgess says
The colors in this salad are divine… and that FLAVOR!!! So good!
Courtney O'Dell says
This salad is so delicious and full of color!
Scarlet says
This salad recipe is one I will be trying for sure! I love so many fresh veggies! Not only is it a healthy choice but a pretty one too!
Rosa says
Loving all the colours in this salad! Will be perfect for upcoming bbq season!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
This is one of the prettiest salads I’ve ever seen! I love all the vibrant colours and I love that the dressing has that citrus hit in it, what a delicious salad!
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
Delicious! What a colourful and tasty salad – truly so beautiful to look at and to eat!
Jen says
So I used your suggestion and added chicken, which made this perfect for a filling, protein packed lunch. Happy to get extra veg in my week at work!
Jamie says
This looks so refreshing and colorful! I love these types of salad for the summertime and will be making this soon!