Easy Israeli Salad Recipe (5-Minutes!)
A fresh, classic Israeli chopped salad of cucumber, tomato, red onion, and herbs, dressed in olive oil and lemon. Crisp, light, and ready in 20 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 Persian cucumbers (or 2 English cucumbers) finely diced
- 4 firm Roma tomatoes seeded and finely diced
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint chopped (optional)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- First, dice the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion into small, even pieces, about 1/4 inch. The uniform size gives the salad its signature texture and balanced bite.
- Soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain. This rinses away the harsh sulfur compounds for a gentler onion flavor.
- Next, combine the cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, and mint in a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to coat. Dress just before serving, because salt draws water out of the vegetables over time.
- Finally, taste and adjust with more lemon or salt. Serve right away while everything is crisp and cold.
Notes
Firm tomatoes: Use the firmest tomatoes you can find. Soft, overripe ones break down and water out fast. Scooping out the watery seed pockets keeps the salad from turning soupy as it sits.
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg