This easy and delicious Israeli Salad is made with a classic mix of vibrant, fresh veggies tossed in a tangy lemon dressing. Perfectly simple and refreshingly light, it makes a great side for any meal.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why You'll Love This Israeli Salad Recipe
• 🛒 Ingredients for Israeli Salad
• 🔪 How to Make Israeli Salad
• ☑️ Storage Instructions
• 🍴 What to Serve with Easy Israeli Salad
• 💡 Tips for Making Israeli Salad
• 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
• Is This Salad Keto-Friendly?
• What are The Carbs in Israeli Salad?
• Why Is It Called Israeli Salad?
• Can I Add a Protein to Make it a Complete Meal?
• What’s the Difference Between Israeli Salad and Greek Salad?
• 🍽️ More Salad Recipes

❤️ Why You'll Love This Israeli Salad Recipe

• Colorful mix of fresh veggies
• Crisp cucumbers, bell peppers and juicy tomatoes
• Tossed in an easy homemade dressing
• Made in under 15 minutes

This Israeli salad is a delicious way to take advantage of summer's vine-ripened produce. Every bite features a delightful mix of cool, crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and colorful peppers and onions. Fresh mint leaves and a tangy lemon dressing enhance the veggies, adding the perfect pop of fresh flavor.

Perfectly easy and unbelievably refreshing, this salad is the ultimate summer side dish. And the best part? Since it doesn’t include lettuce, you don’t have to worry about it wilting. This makes it an ideal choice to pack up and carry to picnics, potlucks, or any summer gathering.

If you love flavor of the Middle East, you may also want to try this Mediterranean Cucumber Salad and these Greek Chicken Kabobs.

🛒 Ingredients for Israeli Salad

• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Bell peppers
• Red onions
• Fresh mint
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• White wine vinegar
• Garlic
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Mixing bowl

🔪 How to Make Israeli Salad

To Make the Dressing

Add the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper to a salad dressing shaker.

Shake until well combined, then set aside to allow the flavors to develop.

To Make the Salad

Wash, dry and chop your cucumber, then add them to a mixing bowl.

Wash, dry and dice your tomatoes, bell peppers and red onion.

Add them to the mixing bowl with the cucumbers.  Add in the chopped mint as well.

Pour the dressing over the top.

Toss to combine, then serve.

☑️ Storage Instructions

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to two days. The salad's flavors will continue to meld as it sits, making it even more flavorful the next day.

If you're making this salad a day or two in advance, it would be best to wait to add the dressing just before serving. This is because the vinegar and lemon juice will begin to soften the veggies as they sit.

Avoid freezing, because the fresh ingredients don't hold up well to freezing and thawing.

🍴 What to Serve with Easy Israeli Salad

This salad makes a delicious side of just about any protein. Here are some healthy options to consider:

• Garlic Butter Steak Bites
• Paprika Chicken Thighs
• Citrus Glazed Salmon
• Air Fryer Steak
• Mediterranean Mahi Mahi

💡 Tips for Making Israeli Salad

• English or baby Persian cucumbers work best in this salad. The skins on both are nice and thin, making them perfectly edible, and the seeds are also so small, you won't have to scoop them out. 

• For the best texture and presentation, try to dice all the vegetables into similar-sized pieces.   

• Use the freshest and ripest (but not overripened), tomatoes you can find. Vine-ripened tomatoes are perfect for their sweetness and juiciness, if you can find them.

• After tossing the salad with the dressing, let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together.

• This salad is best served chilled, so keep it in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat.  
• Since the dressing is simple, using a good quality extra virgin olive oil will make a noticeable difference in flavor.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

• Cucumbers: If you can’t find English or mini Persian cucumbers you can use the larger regular ones. But you’ll want to peel them and cull out the seeds before adding them to the bowl.

• Tomatoes: If cherry tomatoes aren’t available, use diced Roma tomatoes or any ripe, juicy tomatoes you prefer.

• Other veggies: Substitute the yellow and orange bell peppers with red or green bell peppers for a different color and flavor. You can also add some radishes or even asparagus tips.

• Other herbs: Not a fan of mint, you can replace it with fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil.

• Cheese: Add crumbled feta or grated parmesan for a tangy contrast to the fresh vegetables.

• Olives: Sliced Kalamata or green olives can add a salty, briny flavor to the salad.

• Avocado: Diced avocado adds a rich, creamy texture that pairs well with the crisp vegetables.

• Dressing: Instead of the light lemon vinaigrette, you can toss this salad in your favorite creamy dressing like this Cilantro Lime Ranch.

Is This Salad Keto-Friendly?

It sure is! Just take a look over the list of ingredients in this recipe and you'll notice every ingredient is Keto-friendly. And the salad uses all traditional ingredients you can find at any grocery store.

What are The Carbs in Israeli Salad?

Though it has about 4 net carbs per serving, all of which are from health veggies, this salad is loaded with nutrients. If you're curious about the nutritional value of cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes or any of these ingredients, Healthline has many wonderful articles for you to check out.

Why Is It Called Israeli Salad?

The simple answer is that it's a salad that is often served with heavier meals in Israel. It's made with fresh vegetables that thrive in the Mediterranean climate.

Can I Add a Protein to Make it a Complete Meal?

Absolutely! You can add grilled chicken, shrimp, or even slices of steak to turn side salad into an entree salad.

What’s the Difference Between Israeli Salad and Greek Salad?

While both are Mediterranean salads, Israeli salad typically doesn’t include feta cheese or olives, and it’s dressed with a simple lemon and olive oil dressing instead of a vinaigrette.

🍽️ More Salad Recipes

• Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction
• Grilled Shrimp Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette
• Keto " Big Mac" Cheeseburger Salad
• Asian Grilled Chicken Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Salad
• Keto Taco Salad
• Classic Cobb with Ranch Dressing