Israeli Salad

Name: Israeli Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Israel
Ingredients: 4 small Lebanese cucumbers; 4 firm tomatoes; 1 small red onion; 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley; 3 tbsp olive oil; Juice of 1 lemon; Salt; Black pepper

Local name: סלט ישראלי

Cucumber and tomato cut into tiny dice, lifted with parsley, lemon juice and a generous pour of olive oil.

Published on 24 March 2026

VeganGluten-free#cucumber#tomato#lemon#raw#quick

Photo: Gila Brand , CC BY 2.5

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 0 min
Total: 20 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Quarter the cucumbers lengthways, then cut them into 5 mm dice, skin and all.
Seed the tomatoes so the salad does not go watery, then dice the flesh to the same size.
Chop the red onion very finely and rinse it under cold water to take the bite off.
Pick the parsley leaves and chop them roughly, tender stalks included.
Combine everything in a bowl, add the olive oil and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
Toss gently and serve within ten minutes, while the vegetables are still crisp.

Everything rests on the size of the dice: the smaller and more even they are, the better the salad eats. Dress it at the last moment, or the salt will draw water out of the tomatoes.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 155 kcal
Protein: 2.6 g
Fat: 10.9 g
Carbohydrate: 14.9 g
Fibre: 3.1 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why deseed the tomatoes?

The jelly-like, watery core releases its liquid as soon as you salt the salad and pools at the bottom of the bowl. Removing it keeps the dice firm and the salad out of a puddle.

Why rinse the chopped red onion?

A quick pass under cold water washes away the harshest sulphur compounds left on the cut surfaces. The onion keeps its crunch and flavour without overpowering the cucumber and tomato.

Can I make it ahead?

Chop the vegetables ahead if you like, but dress it only at the last moment: once the salt and lemon go in, the tomatoes weep and the cucumber softens. Serve it within about ten minutes.

The tomato, three centuries to conquer the world
The tomato reached Europe in the sixteenth century and was distrusted for two hundred years. What each kitchen made of it, and the handling that matters.

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