Today’s Israeli salad recipe is surprisingly quick and easy to make. Spices are very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine, but the recipe we’re introducing today lets the vegetables shine on their own.
Israel’s signature salad is a mix of chopped cucumber, tomato, bell peppers, and onion, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. It’s a light, fresh, and versatile side dish that can be a part of every meal.
Is Israeli Salad Healthy?
This salad is an excellent healthy option.
Each serving contains only 110 calories – no surprise when a dish is made entirely with fruits and vegetables.
There are 1.1 grams of saturated fat, 297.6 mg of sodium, and zero cholesterol in the salad. We followed our healthy guidelines and made sure that they are all within limits.
The two main ingredients, cucumber and tomato, provide a lot of health benefits, thanks to an abundance of micronutrients, especially vitamins. These veggies are beneficial for the heart, skin, digestive health, and may also aid weight loss thanks to their fiber content and low calorie count.
Ingredients for Israeli Salad
The ingredients of the salad are diverse and colorful. When finely diced, these tiny bits of vegetables somewhat resemble multi-colored confetti.
1. For the Salad
- Tomato
As the main ingredient, tomato provides a sweet and tangy flavor to this salad. Its soft texture and bright color is what makes the Israeli salad light and vibrant. Remember to choose ripe tomatoes to get the desired flavors for the salad.
- Cucumber
Cucumber is crunchy and mild in flavor. It provides a nice counter to its co-star tomato.Keep the peel and seeds of the cucumbers to retain their nutrients.
- Onion
An onion’s flavors are probably the most intense of the three main ingredients. It adds another layer of flavor and more colors to the appearance of the salad.
- Bell Peppers
We chose two types of bell peppers for the salad to add more colors to the plate. Moreover, the flavors of red and yellow peppers are slightly different. Red bell pepper is sweet and fruity. While yellow is somewhat similar, it is milder.
2. For the Dressing:
This dressing features some of the most prominent ingredients used in Middle Eastern cuisine.
- Olive oil
As one of the cornerstones of Middle Eastern cuisine, olive oil is perfect for this salad. It is widely known as a healthy option for an oil-based salad dressing.
- Lemon juice
Lemon lightens up this salad and provides acidity, a flavor that the main ingredients don’t have.
- Salt
Salt helps draw out moisture from the vegetables, which protects the salad from turning mushy.
- Herbs
Mint and parsley complement tomato and cucumber perfectly, adding another layer of refreshing flavor.
How to Prepare Ingredients
The first step for any salad that doesn’t involve cooked ingredients is washing the fruits and vegetables thoroughly for safety reasons.
One of the appealing features of this salad is its appearance. Every ingredient is finely diced, which makes the salad visually attractive. Dice the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Make sure they are roughly the same size.
Lastly, we suggest straining the vegetables. No one likes a watery salad, and vegetables can release a lot of water. Strain for 15 minutes before mixing to prevent the salad from turning soggy.
How to Serve the Israeli Salad
This salad is very simple and can be served any way you like.
It can be a standalone dish, but we recommend pairing it with some other food to make it more interesting.
This salad may go with tortilla chips as a snack if you’re hosting a house party.
It can also be a great addition to a cookout. Pairing this refreshing salad with heavy food like grilled meat or sausage provides a nice contrast.
The salad can be a topping for tacos, burgers, or toast. It can also go alongside eggs for breakfast.
How to Store Leftovers
This Israeli salad can last in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container. The lemon juice used in this recipe can break down the vegetables, causing them to become watery and soggy. That can be one of the indicators that the salad has lost its quality.
We don’t recommend freezing Israeli salad because the vegetables may lose their crunch in the freezer.
How to Make Israeli Salad
Ingredients
- 4 oz cucumber finely diced
- 2 oz red onion finely diced
- 2 oz red bell pepper finely diced
- 2 oz yellow bell pepper finely diced
- 6 oz tomato finely diced
- 2 tbsp mint finely chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Mix 4 oz cucumber, 2 oz red onion, 2 oz red bell pepper, 2 oz yellow bell pepper, 6 oz tomato, 2 tbsp mint, 2 tbsp parsley, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 2 tbsp olive oil.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition
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