Israeli Salad with Feta
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Israeli salad is a simple, fresh mix of diced cucumbers and tomatoes—but this version takes it up a notch with fresh herbs, tangy feta, and scallions, all tossed in lemon and olive oil. It’s easy, refreshing, and endlessly versatile.
If you’ve ever been to Israel, you’ve probably come across the iconic Israeli salad—called salat or salat katzuzt locally, which just means “salad” or “chopped salad.” It’s a staple in Israeli cuisine, showing up at almost every meal, including breakfast!
You’ll find this salad everywhere, from home kitchens to hole-in-the-wall falafel stands to sit-down restaurants. It’s great on its own, stuffed into a pita with hummus and falafel, or served alongside chicken kebabs or lamb kofta.
While it’s widely known as “Israeli salad” in the West, especially in American Jewish communities, variations of this tomato-cucumber salad exist throughout the region under different names. In Arab countries, it’s called Arab salad. In Iran, a similar dish is known as Salad Shirazi, and in Turkey and parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, it’s called Shepherd’s salad, or Çoban Salatası.
“Oh my goodness—so good—and it sings of summer! Another winner…I could eat this for lunch and dinner!”
What You’ll Need To Make Israeli Salad with Feta
- English cucumbers (hothouse cucumbers) and grape tomatoes: These fresh veggies form the base for Israeli salad. English cukes are thin-skinned and don’t need to be peeled. Similarly, grape tomatoes don’t require seeding—plus, they are extra sweet.
- Scallions: Add a mild onion flavor.
- Fresh Italian parsley and mint, plus dried oregano: This herb trio keeps the salad bright, fresh, and balanced (dried oregano is preferred as fresh oregano can be bitter).
- Extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice: Form the bright, simple dressing.
- Feta cheese (optional): Creamy, salty, and tangy, feta adds richness and makes the salad feel extra satisfying when included.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Chop and toss the veggies. Dice the cucumbers and tomatoes, then toss everything (except the feta) in a large bowl.
Pro Tip: Try to cut the cucumbers and tomatoes to about the same size—this makes each bite balanced.
Step 2: Mix and chill if needed. Give it a good mix. If you’re not serving the salad right away, cover and chill for up to 3 hours. A quick chill helps the flavors meld, but don’t let it sit too long—the veggies release juice over time, which can water down the flavor.
Step 3: Add the feta and serve. Right before serving, gently toss in the feta. Taste and adjust the lemon or salt if you’d like—then dig in!
More Mediterranean Recipes You May Like
Israeli Salad with Feta
This Israeli salad is all about fresh, simple ingredients—crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, fragrant herbs, and tangy feta that come together in a satisfying salad you can’t get enough of.
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
- 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.
- 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
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- 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.
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Love this Israeli salad! I made this to accompany the Pesto Grilled Shrimp. Both were amazing! Thank you again, Jenn!
This salad is so good and perfect for summer. Terrific combination of flavors which paired nicely with your Middle Eastern chicken. All four of us enjoyed — even the kids!
Oh my goodness—so good–and it sings of summer! Another winner—I could eat this for lunch and dinner!
I just made this for a second time and although I think I went a bit ‘overboard’ with the herbs, everybody loved it. Similar to a Greek salad but better in my opinion. And so easy to remember the ingredients and put it together. And, I also had it with/for breakfast yesterday. Who’d have thought? Breakfast of champions? I think so!
I made this salad with your hummus and lamb kofta recipes and it was amazing! Very fresh and the feta in it was perfect (salty and flavorful). I didn’t have parsley, but it still tasted great. I will definitely be making this salad regularly during the summer 🙂
This is fantastic! As a kid, we ate type of salad many times a week, so I expected this to be a good side dish, You, however, transformed to the star.of the meal. It tastes fresh, tangy, herbal, balanced, delicious and oh-so-satisfying. It looks beautiful, and is healthy, too. Great job.
I hope this (and all your other tasty recipes) will be in a new Twice Upon a Chef book. Fingers crossed.
This salad sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it!
I’m not a huge fan of Feta cheese (I know it’s a crime!)
Is there another cheese that I could substitute?
Hi Jenny, Goat or Gorgonzola would also work nicely here. Hope you enjoy!
I can see this recipe being my go to for the summer months! Quick question: is there a special brand of feta cheese that you prefer over others? I find that sometimes the feta I purchase is way too salty. Any suggestions would be great!
Hi Joanne, I use President “chunk” feta, which is readily available in most supermarkets. Hope that helps!
French feta, available at some middle eastern stores, is less salty
Sounds very good! What would you think about omitting the mint? Not a big fan of mint.
Sure, Lisa – that’s no problem. I’d replace with more parsley. Please LMK how it turns out. 🙂
Hi Jenn – this recipe sounds fantastic! Why do you wait until serving time to add the feta? Just curious!
Hi Nancy, You don’t have to, but as the salad sits the feta softens and starts to to dissolve in the dressing, which muddles the bright pretty colors. Hope that clarifies. 🙂