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Published: Aug 29, 2020. Modified: Jul 27, 2024 by Wafa Shami. This post may contain affiliate links.

Arabic Salad Recipe

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 2 reviews

Arabic salad is a vibrant and refreshing recipe commonly found in Palestinian cuisine and the Levant region. It's a simple yet flavorful mix of fresh vegetables primarily; tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, finely chopped and tossed with fresh herbs like parsley and mint.

This Arabic salad recipe is lightly dressed with a mixture of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and salt, enhancing its natural flavors with this tangy light dressing.

Arabic Salad in a bowl with a spoon on the side

This salad is often enjoyed as a side dish and complements various meat dishes, such as roasted chicken, or rice dishes such as hashweh, maqlubah, or warak dawali, and many others like mujdara, falafel, and sfeeha.

Jump to:
  • What is Arabic Salad?
  • Equipment
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Variations and Substitutions
  • Storage
  • Expert Tips
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Fresh Salads
  • More Healthy Recipes
  • Arabic Salad Recipe

What is Arabic Salad?

In Arabic salad is referred to as "salata" or "salta" سلطة. The Arabic salad recipe is a traditional Middle Eastern dish known for its fresh ingredients. It's typically made with finely chopped vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, combined with fresh herbs like parsley and mint.

The salad is dressed with a simple mixture of olive oil and lemon juice, giving it a bright, tangy flavor.

Arabic salad is often served as a side dish with many main course meals and pairs well with a variety of Middle Eastern dishes, including grilled meats, falafel, and as part of a mezze platter. It's appreciated for its refreshing taste and the vibrant, colorful presentation of its ingredients.

Equipment

This post may contain affiliate links

Cutting Board - This is for chopping fresh vegetables.

Knife - For cutting all the herbs and vegetables.

Large Bowl - For mixing all the vegetables.

Ingredients

Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arabic salad ingredients: Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, parsley and green onions.
  • Persian Cucumbers - Persian cucumbers are used with this salad, they're seedless, extra crisp, and have a mild sweet flavor.
  • Fresh Tomatoes - I like to use Roma tomatoes with this recipe, they don't contain a lot of juice which makes them a great option with the salad.
  • Fresh Parsley - I like to use Italian parsley, the leaves are soft and have a great peppery taste.
  • Fresh Mint - a small amount of fresh mint goes a long way with this recipe, the mint adds a great flavor to the overall taste of this salad.
  • Green Onions - Green onions have a milder taste than regular onions and pair well with all the other ingredients.
Dressing ingredients: salt, lemon and olive oil
  • Fresh Lemon Juice - Fresh lemon juice is highly recommended to use for dressing.
  • Sea Salt - I like to use sea salt.
  • Extra Virgin Olive oil - Good quality extra virgin olive oil makes a big difference in the taste.

Instructions

chopped tomatoes and cucumbers on a cutting board

Step 1 | Chop vegetables into small pieces, each vegetable is chopped about ¼ of an inch or smaller.

chopped herbs on cutting board: parsley, mint and green onions

Step 2 | Chop green onions. Pick mint leaves and parsley leaves, wash well, rinse, and chop finely.

Salad ingredients chopped and place next to each other in a bowl

Step 3 | Place all chopped vegetables in a large bowl.

Arabic salad mixed with dressing in a bowl

Step 4 | Pour freshly squeezed lemon, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil over the salad and mix everything well together.

Arabic Salad close up photo

Variations and Substitutions

  • You can use red onion instead of green onions.
  • You can add black pepper or sprinkle some sumac spices to this salad, (sumac is a spice with a tangy flavor and is a key ingredient in musakhan).
  • Feta cheese pairs well with this salad, you can add 1 tablespoon on top of the salad before serving.
  • While Persian cucumbers taste better and are highly recommended with this salad, English cucumbers can be used instead.
  • Additional ingredients such as bell peppers, and radishes can work well with this recipe.
  • You can replace the herbs with any type of lettuce.
  • If you don't have lemon juice, white or red vinegar works well as a substitute.

Storage

  • You can chop the vegetables the day before and place them in an airtight container. Pour the dressing before serving.
  • Arabic salad is best enjoyed fresh. However, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. The vegetables may release some water, so you might want to drain it before serving.

Expert Tips

  • Salad doesn't keep very well once it's dressed. Always add the dressing just before serving.
  • Another way to prepare the salad dressing is by placing all the dressing ingredients in a mason jar mixing well and then pouring over the salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I have to chop ingredients finley?

No, you don't you can chop them into larger pieces, except the herbs I recommend finely chopped herbs.

2. What is the difference between Arabic salad and tabbouleh?

While both are Middle Eastern salads, tabbouleh primarily includes much more parsley as the main ingredient, with a smaller amount of tomatoes and cucumbers, and includes bulgur wheat. Arabic salad focuses more on a balanced mix of various chopped vegetables and herbs without bulgur wheat.

3. Is Arabic salad vegan and gluten-free?

Yes, Arabic salad is naturally vegan and gluten-free, making it suitable for a variety of dietary preferences and restrictions.

Arabic Salad in a bowl with a spoon on the side next to a plate with some salad

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Arabic Salad in a bowl feature photo

Arabic Salad Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Wafa Shami
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Salads, Vegan
  • Method: chopping
  • Cuisine: Palestinian/Middle Eastern
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
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Description

Arabic salad is a vibrant and refreshing recipe commonly found in Palestinian cuisine and the Levant region. It's a simple yet flavorful mix of fresh vegetables primarily; tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, finely chopped and tossed with fresh herbs like parsley and mint.


Ingredients

Units Scale

For Vegetables

  • 2 Persian cucumbers finely chopped
  • 2 Roma tomatoes finely chopped
  • 4 oz green onions finely chopped
  • 4 oz parsley finely chopped
  • 2 oz of fresh mint finely chopped

For Dressing

  • ¼ cup lemon juice (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼-½ teaspoon sea salt (adjust to taste)

Instructions

  1. Chop vegetables into small pieces, each vegetable is chopped about ¼ of an inch or smaller.
  2. Chop green onions.
  3. Pick mint leaves and parsley leaves, wash well, rinse, and chop finely.
  4. Place all chopped vegetables in a large bowl.
  5. Pour freshly squeezed lemon, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil over the salad and mix everything well together.

Notes

  • Salad doesn't keep very well once it's dressed. Always add the dressing just before serving.
  • Another way to prepare the salad dressing is by placing all the ingredients in a mason jar mixing well and then pouring over the salad.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Reem says

    July 27, 2024 at 2:27 pm

    I love this simple recipe, works well with so many dishes. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Wafa Shami says

      July 27, 2024 at 2:50 pm

      That's great to hear. Enjoy.

      Reply
  2. Kathy says

    October 30, 2024 at 7:37 pm

    Simple and yet delicious, I love all your recipes, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Wafa Shami says

      October 30, 2024 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Kathy, great to hear. Thank you.

      Reply

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Marhabah and welcome to my site. I’m Wafa founder, creator, and food photographer behind Palestine in a Dish. Here you’ll find authentic-traditional Palestinian recipes and more modern which are inspired by my Palestinian kitchen flavors. My blog is all about my mother's authentic recipes that I grew up eating.

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Last Updated on July 27, 2024 by Wafa Shami