22 Quick and Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes (or less) + 5 Chef Secrets To Make You A Better Cook!

Israeli Salad with Feta

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Simple but packed with flavor, Israeli salad is a standard accompaniment to most Israeli meals, even breakfast.

If you’ve visited Israel, you’ve likely had your fair share of Israeli salad. One of the country’s best-loved dishes, Israeli salad is a standard accompaniment to most Israeli meals – even breakfast – and it’s served everywhere, from falafel stands to restaurants to private homes. There are endless variations made with different vegetables, but the base is always diced cucumbers and tomatoes dressed with lemon and extra-virgin olive oil. I love to add tangy, creamy feta cheese to give the salad more heft and richness. This Israeli salad is so fresh and tasty, I could literally eat it by the bucketful. It can be served with good bread as a light meal, stuffed into a pita with hummus and falafel, or as a side dish to Middle Eastern-style chicken kebabs or lamb kofta.

What You’ll Need To Make Israeli Salad With Feta

Israeli Salad ingredients

This recipe calls for English (or hothouse) cucumbers, the long and thin cucumbers wrapped in plastic and often sold in packs of three. Because their skin is thin and unwaxed, English cucumbers do not need to be peeled. To seed them, simply cut them in half lengthwise, and then use a small spoon to scrape the seeds out.

Seeding cucumbers

While Israeli salad can be made with any type of tomato, I prefer grape tomatoes since they are super-sweet and don’t need to be seeded. Just cut them in half and you’re good to go.

halving tomatoes

Step-by-Step Instructions

dicing cucumbers on cutting board

Begin by chopping all of the salad components. Try to cut the cucumbers, tomatoes, and feta all about the same size.

Israeli salad vegetables in bowl

Combine all of the ingredients except for the feta in a mixing bowl. Toss well and refrigerate for up to a few hours.

tossing vegetables in mixing bowl

Before serving, mix in the diced feta.

adding diced feta to vegetables

Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon and salt, if necessary.

Israeli salad

You May Also Like

Israeli Salad with Feta

Simple but packed with flavor, Israeli salad is a standard accompaniment to most Israeli meals, even breakfast.

Servings: 6 to 8
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 English (or hothouse) cucumbers, seeded and diced (no need to peel)
  • 1 (10.5 oz) pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 4 thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (about ½ cup)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 oz feta cheese, diced (about 1 cup)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the feta cheese; toss well. Add the feta and gently mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if necessary. Transfer to a platter and serve.
  2. Make-Ahead Instructions: The salad can be prepared up to point of adding the feta up to three hours ahead of time. Store the salad in a covered container in the refrigerator. Before serving, toss in the feta, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Calories: 139
  • Fat: 11 g
  • Saturated fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 6 g
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Sodium: 347 mg
  • Cholesterol: 19 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • I am definitely going to try this soon. Would I be able to substitute feta for Mozarella?

    • — Michi on October 9, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Michi, You could; just keep in mind that feta has a very bold salty flavor and mozzarella is much milder. I’d love to hear how it turns out!

      • — Jenn on October 10, 2022
      • Reply
  • No one else in the house loves tomatoes like I do so I took a bowl of this Israeli salad to my neighbor. I came home and ate the rest right out of the mixing bowl, standing at the kitchen sink! The tomatoes gave up sweet juices to compliment the cucumbers. I added lots of fresh herbs from my garden; oregano, tarragon, thyme. I have a vinegarette perfected; Maille mustard, minced garlic, anchovy, lemon juice, S&P, then drizzled EVOO. Jenn Segal is my go-to chef for recipes. Fantastic!

    • — DolceSanDiego on August 21, 2022
    • Reply
    • Your vinaigrette sounds fantastic… thank you for sharing the ingredients. Would you mind also sharing the amounts you use? Thank you!

      • — Chelsea on September 21, 2022
      • Reply
  • Last week we had a neighborhood potluck gathering. I brought this salad and set it down on the salad table along with many other offerings. I then went back home for a few minutes to tidy up and get our chairs and utensils together. By the time I got back . . . Maybe 20 minutes. . . It was gone!! Really delicious recipe. And, thrilled to be able to use fresh cucumbers from my garden. Another winner, Jen ;D

    • — Julie Roedell on August 7, 2022
    • Reply
  • I’ve made this twice in the last 2 weeks to rave reviews! All the ingredients are on hand in the summer including mint from my garden. Took about 10 minutes to prep and let it sit in the fridge a bit to let the flavors meld. As Jen suggested I added the feta right before I served it.
    I served with grilled salmon and naan and it was a perfect summer meal.

    • — Elizabeth on July 31, 2022
    • Reply
  • This is delicious we used small tomatoes from the garden quartered and subbed dill for the mint we had leftover from farmers market and it was a fine sub.Highly recommend.

    • — lowandslow on July 7, 2022
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn Have you ever made this with the addition of Israeli Cous Cous? A nearby deli makes a version of this with fresh dill. Will be making this since our mint & oregano is really good now along with our crop of tomatoes.Thanks for the recipe. BTW I got your cookbook on my Kindle this month!

    • — lowandslow on June 30, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi, I’ve never made this with couscous but it sounds like an interesting addition! Hope you enjoy it. 🙂

      • — Jenn on June 30, 2022
      • Reply
  • I’ve been making this salad for a few years now and have finally gotten around to rating it. Better late than never for sure but I have to say this is one of my all time favorites. It’s sooooo refreshing and the mint just shines in this. I do however add 1 cup of uncooked Israeli couscous, toasted in a bit of butter and then cooked in 1 and a half cups of vegetable stock to the salad……turns it into a main course for me and besides……..I love Israeli couscous! Thanks for the great recipe!

    • — Judy N. on June 25, 2022
    • Reply
  • So tasty and easy to make! I will be making this for years to come!

    • — Brianna on April 23, 2022
    • Reply
  • Delish! I could eat a mountain of this, pure perfection!

    • — Erin on March 31, 2022
    • Reply
  • If you’re yearning for the fresh tastes of spring and summer, trust me, you need to make this salad immediately! It will take you there! The combination of herbs is perfect, but, what I enjoyed most was the texture contrast between the crispness of the cucumbers and creaminess of the feta. You always hit it right out of the park, Jen! This Israeli Salad actually cures cabin fever!

    • — Valerie on January 30, 2022
    • Reply

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.