Get a big helping of fresh, raw vegetables with an authentic Israeli salad.
There’s more than one way to make a great salad. It’s not just throwing together lettuce, croutons, dressing, and any vegetables you can find. There is an art to it that involves mixing different flavors and textures together. An Israeli salad is a great example of this. It features the perfect blend of vegetables that complement each other to form a delicious vegetable salad.
The thing I like about Israeli salad the most is that it looks as good as it tastes. Visually, it’s full of color and exudes freshness. Then you start to eat it, and it tastes as fresh as it looks. The veggies are finely chopped and crunchy, with a dressing of lemon juice and olive oil that helps the flavors meld together. For a dish that’s so easy to put together and doesn’t require any cooking expertise, it’s amazing how much flavor Israeli salad brings to the table.
Is Israeli Salad Healthy?
On top of being delicious, Israeli salad is among the healthiest salads you’ll find. Raw veggies like tomatoes, red onion, and cucumbers are all rich in vitamins and minerals, and contribute to a healthy diet. The olive oil for the dressing contains healthy fats, while the lemon juice is a good source of vitamin C. In almost every way possible, Israeli salad can be considered a healthy dish.
Fresh And Finely Chopped Veggies Are The Key
If you’re making Israeli salad, it’s vital to use fresh vegetables. This is the best way to maximize both flavor and nutrition. It’s also important to finely chop the vegetables into small pieces – and ideally, all chopped the same size. This helps to evenly distribute the flavors throughout the whole salad, while also creating a uniform texture. If you can do this, everything about the salad will be perfectly balanced.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups English cucumber, diced
- 1 small bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 5 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine
Mix cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, and herbs.
Dress
Add lemon juice, olive oil, and seasoning.
Serve
Enjoy fresh or let chill.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
It’s best to eat Israeli salad as soon as it’s prepared. If stored in the fridge in an airtight container, it can stay good for up to 5 days. However, it tastes best within 1 or 2 days of preparing it.
If you don’t have English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers are a good alternative because they are crunchy and have edible skin.
Any ripe tomato can be good to include in an Israeli salad. However, grape tomatoes are sometimes preferred because they contain less juice, preventing the salad from becoming too watery.
Serving Suggestions
Israeli salad is best when used as a side dish or complement to another Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, or Greek dish. For example, it goes great with a Chicken Gyro or Air-Fryer Falafel. I also like to enjoy this salad with a variety of different kebab recipes, including Grilled Herb Hummus Chicken Kebabs or Salmon Kebabs.
Israeli Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups English cucumber diced
- 1 small bell pepper finely diced
- 2 cups ripe tomatoes diced
- 1/3 cup red onion finely chopped
- 5 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint finely chopped (optional)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, combine diced cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, and mint if using.
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Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Toss everything together until well-mixed.
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Serve the salad immediately, or cover and refrigerate to let flavors meld together for up to 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition
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