Whip up this simple Jerusalem salad recipe in 5 minutes! Toss juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs with a simple lemon and oil dressing to make an easy Middle Eastern salad dish that pairs beautifully with almost any dish.
What Is Jerusalem Salad?
Jerusalem salad, which often goes by Arabic or Israeli salad, is a popular variation of a cucumber tomato onion salad enjoyed throughout the Middle East. It’s known by different names across various countries, with each region adding a subtle twist to the fresh ingredient combination. Try Persian Shirazi salad, Turkish Coban salatasi, or kachumber salad from India and Pakistan for another take on the fresh-tasting salad recipe.
What is Jerusalem Salad Made of?
- Tomato: Roma tomatoes work best since they have less moisture than other tomato varieties. I sometimes use grape or cherry tomatoes.
- Cucumber: Persian cucumbers have the best crunch, which I love! You can also use English cucumbers.
- Onion: I enjoy the sharp taste of red onion, but use what you have available. Shallots and white onions work.
- Parsley: Garnish the bright salad with fresh parsley or basil leaves.
- Dressing: Fresh lemon juice from one to two lemons provides a citrusy, bright flavor to the dressing, and you will love how it combines with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper to finish the easy Jerusalem salad.
Additions and Substitutions
- Some variations of the salad use red wine vinegar or pomegranate molasses instead of or in addition to the lemon juice.
- Include couscous, quinoa, or bulgar to make the salad more filling.
- Add chopped olives, green bell pepper, leafy greens, chickpeas, white beans, or crumbled feta cheese.
- Massage ground sumac into the onions like you would prepare sumac onions. The ground sumac berries provide a tart and sweet flavor. Sumac is a popular Middle Eastern spice found online and in health stores. However, I recommend visiting a local Middle Eastern grocery store to explore.
- Include a pinch of ground Aleppo pepper, Urfa pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper for additional flavor and a bit of heat.
How to Make Jerusalem Salad
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Use a sharp knife to finely dice the ingredients and transfer them to a serving bowl.
Step 2: Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
Expert Tips
- Fresh is best. Prioritize using fresh vegetables and herbs to prepare the classic summer salad.
- Prepare the cucumbers. Consider peeling the cucumbers and scooping out the seeds if using English cucumbers.
- Cut the veggies the same size. Dice the vegetables into small, uniform pieces. While you can go for larger cuts, I prefer smaller dice because they absorb the dressing more quickly—similar to my vegetable chopped salad.
If you enjoy this fresh Jerusalem salad, pair it with one of these dinner recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the simple salad dish with savory meals like boneless leg of lamb, maqluba, musakhan, or qidreh. It’s a perfect side dish for kabobs and other grilled meat entrees such as shish tawook, chicken kabobs, or grilled chicken drumsticks.
You can also use the vegetables as a filling for sandwiches, pitas, or Mediterranean protein bowls.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover Jerusalem salad in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The vegetables will lose their crispness after 1-2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe in advance?
What is the difference between Israeli salad and Shirazi salad?
The two salads share some of the same ingredients, and many use their names interchangeably. The primary difference is that Shirazi salad (a similar Persian salad) features fresh mint leaves as the main herb.
More Salad Recipes:
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Sumac Cucumbers
- Malfouf Salad
- Cucumber Beet Salad
- Piyaz
- Carrot Cucumber Salad
Jerusalem Salad
- 4 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
- 6 Persian cucumbers, finely diced
- ½ large red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- lemon juice, 1-2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Use a sharp knife to finely dice the ingredients and transfer them to a serving bowl.
- Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Fresh is best. Prioritize using fresh vegetables and herbs to prepare the classic summer salad.
- Prepare the cucumbers. Consider peeling the cucumbers and scooping out the seeds if using English cucumbers.
- Cut the veggies the same size. Dice the vegetables into small, uniform pieces. While you can go for larger cuts, I prefer smaller dice because they absorb the dressing more quickly—similar to my vegetable chopped salad.