Israeli Salad | Kathy's Vegan Kitchen (2024)

Israeli salad is a chopped salad packed with vibrant vegetables, chickpeas, and fresh herbs in an oil-free lemony dressing. I make this Israeli salad recipe and eat it all week long!

Israeli salad is a chopped salad of finely diced tomato, onion, cucumber, and bell or chili peppers. Of course, I included a little extra vegetable love in this Israeli salad recipe. Since I pride myself on a unique recipe twist, this oil-free version explodes with flavor.

I always include a series of salads whenever I plan my weekly menus. Including salads in daily meals provides nutrient-dense foods that aid digestion and nutrition. But, then, have some protein-rich chickpeas, and this Israeli salad scores high on my list.

Although most Israeli salads include oil as the dressing, my oil-free version packs fresh flavors! So, let's make an incredible earthy salad for your next gathering.

Israeli Salad Ingredients

• English Cucumber: English cucumbers have fewer seeds and are more sturdy than regular cucumbers.
• Red Onion: Red onion is sweet with a less harsh oniony flavor profile.
• Grape Tomatoes:Grape tomatoes contain fewer seeds and are firmer in texture than other tomatoes.
• Red Bell Pepper: Red bell bel is sweet with vibrant color for the Israeli salad.
• Yellow Bell Pepper: Yellow bell peppers are also sweet and add another beautiful color to the salad.
• Chickpeas: Chickpeas are the protein for this lettuce-free salad.

Israeli Salad Ingredient Substitutions

• Persian cucumbers are similar to English cucumbers regarding firmness and fewer seeds. If you only have regular cucumbers, I recommend removing the seeds so the salad ingredients don't get soggy.
• Yellow onion is a mild onion to replace red onions in salads.
• Cherry tomatoes, or snacking tomatoes, have fewer seeds. Again, the goal is to include only a few seeds, which often contribute to sogginess.
• Any color of bell peppers works in this salad. Baby bell peppers come in a variety of colors.
• Instead of chickpeas, consider using a white bean like Northern or Cannellini.

Salad Dressing Ingredients

• Parsley: Fresh parsley adds an earthy, fresh flavor to the salad.
• Mint: The mint is the key to the combination of ingredients in this Israeli salad recipe.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice provides a citrus flavor and an acid for the dressing.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar has a distinct tangy andslightly sweet flavorthat lends itself well to many dishes.
• Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Dressing Ingredient Substitutions

• A general rule of thumb for the dried-to-fresh herb ratio:Use one-third the amount of dried herb for the fresh herb called for in the recipe. For example, if you're converting fresh parsley to dried parsley in a recipe that calls for 1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley, use 1 teaspoon of dried parsley instead.
• If you don't have fresh lemon juice, bottled works well.
• Balsamic vinegar is a substitute for red wine vinegar.

How to Make Israeli Salad

As you can imagine, this recipe is easy to prepare!

1. First, I used my favorite kitchen gadget to chop the vegetables perfectly, my vegetable chopper, with a small blade.
2. Next, add a can of chickpeas, a little red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and stir. However, I recommend allowing the salad to chill for at least an hour for the flavors to enhance in the refrigerator.
3. Once chilled, stir the salad again and taste for additional salad and pepper for individual preference.
4. Now, serve as a side dish or a main salad entree. For additional protein, serve withgrilled tempeh orgrilled tofu.

Also, if you have extra salad, it makes for a fabulous lunch the next day. Even though the salad is dressed, it doesn't get soggy.

Instead, the fresh herbs and lemon juice flavors heighten the vegetables' flavors without bogging them down.

You will love how fresh and satisfying this Israeli salad tastes!

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• To have fresh lemon juice all year round, freeze lemon juice in ice cube trays when lemons are inexpensive and in season to use throughout the year.
• If you don't like chickpeas, swap them for white beans.
• Consider buying a vegetable chopper for quicker meal prep and help to chop.
• The flavors of the ingredients in the salad develop over time, so allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour for the best results.
• I make this salad and enjoy it all week long. It will stay fresh for 5 days in the refrigerator.

So, get chopping and enjoy this wonderful Israeli salad!You will love this chopped salad recipe!

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