Israeli Chopped Salad ~ this healthy chunky chopped salad is the perfect dish for summer gatherings because there’s no mayo to spoil, and the veggies retain their crunch for days. Don’t forget about it during the rest of the year, though, it makes the perfect side for almost any meal.
This Israeli Chopped Salad is a refreshing change from most of the salads we eat here in the States, even though none of the ingredients are in any way unusual, it’s just the way it all comes together that makes it a little different. In Israel you’d get a variation of this dish at every meal, they even eat it with breakfast! That’s an idea I could get into, I think it would be wonderful to wake up to a plate of fresh crunchy vegetables doused in olive oil and lemon juice. For this recipe I’ve taken our favorite falafel stand’s version up a notch with a few extra ingredients. It makes a great picnic or barbecue salad because it stays fresh and crunchy, and there’s nothing to wilt or spoil.
The classic Israeli salad is basically just chopped cucumber, tomato, and peppers, simply dressed with olive oil and lemon. There can be parsley, mint, or some greens mixed in. My version is bumped up a little bit with extra bell peppers that I had leftover from my RAINBOW SALMON SKEWERS. They make it extra colorful and extra crunchy. I also add red onion and feta cheese. The whole thing is really festive.
The key to this salad is in the chopping. All the ingredients should be cut in uniformly sized small chunks. If you fall in love with this salad you might want to get one of those cool vegetable choppers to make quick work of the job. I did the best I could with my knife.
The dressing is a simple mix of olive oil and lemon juice with some dried oregano and thyme. While I usually use fresh herbs in salads, I like the flavor of the dried herbs in this dressing. It’s fine to make it a few hours ahead, the flavors will get a change to mingle.
Here are some more ideas for salads that would make excellent additions to any picnic or barbecue!
- TORTELLINI SALAD WITH ARTICHOKES AND EDAMAME
- MEDITERRANEAN BEAN SALAD
- RYE AND CARROT SALAD
- LAYERED RAINBOW SALAD
Ingredients
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 red, green, orange, and yellow bell peppers
- 1 Persian cucumber, no need to peel
- 1 pint small cherry tomatoes, halved
- about 4 oz feta cheese
- about 4 - 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut all the ingredients except the tomatoes in a small, even dice.
- Toss with the oil, lemon juice, and herbs. Add the salt and pepper according to taste.
- Taste to adjust the seasonings, and then refrigerate until needed.
- Garnish with a few fresh herbs like parsley, mint, or thyme just before serving.
Don’t forget to pin this Israeli Chopped Salad!
40 Comments
Corinne
May 20, 2018 at 1:34 pmI took this to a get together and I don’t think I’ve ever gotten more compliments on a dish. Not only is it healthy but it’s colorful and delicious. It also goes well with anything. I will be making this more often!!
Sue
May 20, 2018 at 2:18 pmI’m thrilled to hear this Corinne…I get a special pleasure out of hearing such nice feedback on my healthy recipes!
vivian
May 14, 2018 at 4:57 pmThis was the salad Monday choice for ur house. It was beautiful and delicious too! A main for me and a side for my kids with some grilled shrimp. I also made some pita crisps out of baby whole wheat pitas and those were great for scooping the salad up. Almost like Israeli nachos?? Thanks for a great recipe!
Israeli Pasta Salad - Mediterranean Diet Roundtable
April 12, 2018 at 8:34 am[…] of you to change up your old standard. This veggie packed version is made just like my favorite Chopped Israeli Salad, with the addition of pasta. The dressing is simply olive oil and fresh lemon juice… I love […]
Brian Bassett
July 22, 2017 at 10:43 amYum, where are my Kalamata olives
Sue
July 22, 2017 at 2:41 pmGood point ;)
Nicole
July 22, 2017 at 9:02 amHow far ahead of time can you make this salad? Would it be terrible if I made it the day before serving? Thank you!
Sue
July 22, 2017 at 10:06 amI think because the ingredients are fairly sturdy and I kept the chop pretty large, you could get away with making it the day before. I wouldn’t add the tomatoes until the day you want to serve it.