The Best Israeli Salad You’ve Ever Made
If you’ve ever been to Israel, you know how amazing our produce is. It might actually be one of my favorite things about our country. The cucumbers and tomatoes are fabulous, and you can often find Israelis just snacking on one of these wonderful vegetables.
So, it’s no surprise that Israeli salad, one of the most popular items on any Israeli’s table, is a super simple salad that is delicious. You can find Israelis eating Israeli salad for breakfast or dinner or as a side dish for lunch (here in Israel, lunch is usually the biggest meal of the day!). While the basic recipe for Israeli salad is very simple, there’s lots of ways to make it more interesting (but, trust me, the basic version is great).
What is Israeli salad?
Traditional Israeli salad is made from fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and onion (leave the onion out if you don’t like it or aren’t in the mood). The quality of the veggies here is key to making an amazing salad. If you’re outside of Israel and don’t have instant access to top vegetables, check out your local farmers market for options that will (probably) keep up with Israel’s great produce.
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For Israeli salad, you’ll need to chop your veggies well into very small pieces. Add on top:
Olive Oil- We love our olive oil in Israel and (in my personal opinion) have some of the best olive oil in the world. When you drive to the north of Israel you can see olive trees lining the roads, it’s beautiful and a real source of pride for Israelis. (available in our Shuk box & Mediterranean box!).
Za’atar – The use of za’atar dates back to biblical times and is a favorite way to make your Israeli salad (or lots of other meals) a bit more exciting. If you’re looking to make your salad more Israeli, use Israeli made za’atar (available in our Mediterranean box!).
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Special touch: tahini. I love to add a bit of tahini on top of my Israeli salad (and honestly, I add it to just about everything I eat.). You can use pure “raw” tahini or whip up a batch of our easy tahini dip.
The basic version of Israeli salad can be found all across Israel, but you’ll also find a wide variety of spruced-up versions.
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If you’re looking to add more delicious produce, go for: carrots, bell peppers (any color you like), mushrooms or radishes. Adding some fresh parsley or coriander on top also gives the salad a fresh look and feel.
Sometimes when I’m in the mood, I’ll add different seeds to my salad such as sunflower or pumpkin seeds and even croutons.
For a more filling meal, add a hard-boiled egg, feta cheese or tuna salad.
As you can see, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to Israeli salad!
What should I serve with my Israeli salad?
Israeli salad goes well with everything. You’ll find Israelis munching down on it by itself at all times of day or together with some of the best Israeli foods such as shakshuka, in a pita together with falafel, sabich or any other street food, or as a side during a picnic or BBQ. Whatever you serve it with, you seriously cannot go wrong.
What’s important to know about Israeli salad?
First of all, high-quality produce is key. Israeli salad brings out the flavors of the vegetables in use and if they aren’t of top-quality, the charm will be lost.
Make sure to add the spices and flavoring according to your taste. Some like their Israeli salad with a lot of lemon, some with more olive oil, and some like it almost dry. My advice: don’t add the seasoning until right before you serve, to guarantee ultimate freshness.
Ready to get started? Here’s my recipe for the ultimate Israeli salad:
Israeli Salad
1 lb. cucumbers
1 lb. tomatoes (use any type, I personally like cherry tomatoes)
¼ cup chopped onions
Olive oil
Lemon
Salt/pepper
Za’atar
- Chop the cucumbers, tomatoes and onions into small pieces
- Mix together in a bowl
- Add olive oil, lemon, salt/pepper and za’atar according to taste
- Add any of the other toppings I mentioned as you desire
- Beta’avon!
Now that you’ve made your Israeli salad, check out these recipes to complete your Israeli meal:
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Bring Israelis most popular flavors and tastes to your home with Israelibox.
Ready to taste Israel in a box and make your own Israeli salad? Israelibox sends you delicious and beautiful products each month to make you feel like you’re in Israel, right from the comfort of your home.
Shalom, I’m Maya, a native Israeli (aka sabra) and the founder of Israelibox.
IsraeliBox is a subscription box that brings Israel closer to you than ever.
I started Israelibox to give you the chance to experience Israel like Israelis do.
Want to send Israel as a gift?
Our Shuk Basket Box features some of the best products in Israel’s shuks, serving as a great base to any Israeli meal or snack.
