Israel’s best known national dish is Israeli Salad, but if you ordered it in Israel no one would know what you were talking about. In Israel this simple salad, which is an accompaniment to most meals, even breakfast, is referred to as “chopped salad,” or “vegetable salad,” or sometimes “Arab salad”.
Versions of it have been eaten all around the Mediterranean and the Middle and Near East, which accounts for my addition of feta and olives. Other additions I’ve seen in recipes include: mint; cilantro; chickpeas; seeds and nuts, and arugula. So go wild! As long as it has chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil and lemon juice it fits under the umbrella of Israeli Salad.
Serves 4
Takes 30 minutes or less
Ingredients
- 4 Roma tomatoes diced (2 cups) – can use cherry tomatoes
- 2 Persian or ½ English cucumber, diced (1 1/3 cups)
- One half yellow bell pepper diced (2/3 cups)
- 3 ounce block of feta cheese diced ( 2/3 cups)
- 1/3 cup black pitted olives sliced in half
- 2/3 cup chopped parsley (whatever kind you prefer)
- 2/3 cup chopped scallions
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Directions
- Toss all ingredients together.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste