Salata baladi is a simple Egyptian salad featuring fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, finely diced to create the perfect bite. It’s an ideal side dish for grilled meats, falafel, and kofta, or just scoop it up with a warm pita.
What is Salata Baladi?
This Egyptian salad, often called country salad, is a finely chopped mix of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and herbs tossed in a citrusy vinaigrette.
You will find similar salads across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. From simple Jerusalem salad and Indian kachumber salad to Persian Shirazi salad and Turkish coban salatasi, each version is unique but shares the same foundation of chopped fresh vegetables.
Key Ingredients
If you want an easy salad to serve alongside your summer BBQs, this fresh chopped salad is exactly what you need, and comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients.
- Onion: I enjoy the sharpness of red onion tempered with distilled white vinegar, but you can swap them for shallots or white onions.
- Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes work best in season since they release less moisture than other varieties.
- Cucumber: Persian cucumbers have the best crunch, but English cucumbers also work.
- Parsley: Finely chop the parsley or replace it with fresh mint, dill, or cilantro.
- Lemon Juice: Brightly flavor the salad with fresh lemon juice from half a lemon or one whole lime.
- Black Pepper: Add just a pinch of black pepper.
- Dried Mint: Finish the salad by rubbing the dried mint leaves between your hands over the salad to release their aroma and oils.
Additions and Substitutions
Salata baladi is quick and easy to make, but it’s also customizable based on what you have on hand.
- Load up on veggies. Use this easy salad recipe as a starting point and chop whatever vegetables you like—diced bell peppers, carrots, radishes, cabbage, or deseeded jalapeños for a bit of heat.
- Tame the onion. If the chopped raw onion is too sharp, soak it in cold water for 5 minutes instead of white vinegar, then drain before mixing it into the salad to mellow the bite.
Equipment
Egyptian salad is a no-fuss recipe, so all you need are a few basic kitchen tools.
- Sharp Knife – for chopping
- Cutting Board – for chopping
- Salad Bowl – for serving
How to Make Egyptian Salad
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Use a sharp knife to chop the parsley and finely dice the onion, tomatoes, and cucumber. Transfer the diced onion to a small bowl with the vinegar. Stir to combine and let them sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the remaining vegetables to a salad bowl, then stir in the soaked onion along with the vinegar, lemon juice, and black pepper. Gently toss to combine.
Step 3: Just before serving, rub the dried mint leaves between your hands and sprinkle them over the salad.
Expert Tips
- Uniformly cut the veggies. I like to finely chop everything for a balanced bite, but feel free to cut them larger or smaller, just so long as they are the same size so they mix well.
- Soak the onions. Soaking the onions in distilled white vinegar softens them, mellows their flavor, and imparts a tangy, slightly sweet taste.
If you enjoy this simple Egyptian salad, try more African-inspired recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Chopped Egyptian salad is an everyday staple that works as a side dish, topping, or even a dip you can scoop up with crispy air fryer pita chips.
Serve the chopped vegetable salad alongside grilled chicken, lamb, or steak, or pair it with falafel, shawarma, or kofta. You can even spoon it over rice bowls to brighten them up.
Storage
This Egyptian cucumber and tomato salad is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The vegetables will soften slightly as they sit, but the flavors will only deepen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I peel the cucumber?
That’s entirely up to you. It’s completely edible, but some don’t like the peel’s texture. If that’s you, then use a vegetable peeler to prepare the cucumbers before adding them to the salad.
More Salad Recipes:
Egyptian Salad
- Small Bowl
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ medium red onion, finely diced
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, finely diced
- 3 Persian cucumbers, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- lemon juice, ½ lemon
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried mint, rubbed over the salad
- Use a sharp knife to chop the parsley and finely dice the onion, tomatoes, and cucumber. Transfer the diced onion to a small bowl with the vinegar. Stir to combine and let them sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining vegetables to a salad bowl, then stir in the soaked onion along with the vinegar, lemon juice, and black pepper. Gently toss to combine.
- Just before serving, rub the dried mint leaves between your hands and sprinkle them over the salad.
- Uniformly cut the veggies. I like to finely chop everything for a balanced bite, but feel free to cut them larger or smaller, just so long as they are the same size so they mix well.
- Soak the onions. Soaking the onions in distilled white vinegar softens them, mellows their flavor, and imparts a tangy, slightly sweet taste.