Updated July 2026

Israeli salad (salat yerakot, vegetable salad*, in Hebrew) is a chopped salad most commonly made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. It can also include bell pepper, and onion.

Other ingredients, such as carrot and country-specific ingredients (more about that in a few paragraphs) can be added. A dash of sumac or za’atar (see below) is optional.

Israeli salad is a finely chopped mixture Despite its modern national name, it belongs to a much older family of Eastern Mediterranean salads rather than having a single, clear inventor.

In Israel, the ingredients are diced very fine, and it is a badge of honor among cooks to dice as finely and perfectly as possible. Chunkier versions appear in the U.S.

As a kibbutz tradition in Israel (and now ubiquitous at restaurants and cafés), Israeli salad is typically eaten for breakfast, along with a host of other options†. It is also served as a side dish at lunch and dinner, and added to pita along with falafel or shawarma.
 
Below:

> Recipe: Israeli salad.

> A breakdown of the ingredients.

> The history of Israeli salad.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> More cucumber recipes.

> The year’s 40+ salad holidays.

> The year’s 95+ vegetable holidays.

> The year’s 4 cucumber holidays.

> The year’s 12+ tomato holidays.

> The year’s 6 onion holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: ISRAELI SALAD

Truth be told, although an ideal Israeli salad is known for its fine, even dice, dicing is our least favorite kitchen task. So we make a medium dice, imperfect in every way, and it works just fine.

You can serve Israeli salad plain or with greens underneath; as a side dish; in a pita with hummus, falafel or both; and on a mezze plate with hummus, babaganoush, grape leaves, tabbouleh and tzatziki or labneh. Add feta and Kalamata olives for a Greek salad, and on top of that, add chickpeas for a Middle Eastern salad.

Ingredients

 
Plus

 
Unconventional Optional Plus

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, along with the optional sumac and za’atar.
 
 
MEET THE INGREDIENTS

Persian Cucumbers

Persian cucumbers don’t require peeling. They were developed in 1939 on a kibbutz in northern Israeli; the local cucumbers were small and tasty but susceptible to rot and disease. The breeders hybridized them with cucumbers from China, India, Japan, Surinam and the U.S. to improve disease resistance; and crossed them with English and Dutch varieties to be seedless.

The result was a small, very flavorful cucumber with crisp, sweet, succulent flesh, a smooth, thin, edible skin and without developed seeds. [Source]

They range from four to six inches in length. In Israel, the variety was called Beit Alpha, after its birthplace. Some American growers called it a Persian cucumber or Lebanese cucumber. You can find them at farmers markets, higher-end supermarkets (we found them at Trader Joe’s). Or, buy Persian cucumber seeds,also called baby cucumbers, and grow your own.

Sumac

Sumac is ground from a red berry-like drupe that grows in clusters on bushes in subtropical and temperate regions. The dried drupes of some species are ground to produce a tangy, crimson spice. (One of the species not used is the poison sumac shrub.)

The word “sumac” comes from the old Syriac Aramaic summaq, meaning red. In Middle Eastern cuisine, the spice is used to add a tangy, lemony taste to meats and salads; and to garnish hummus and rice. The spice is also a component of the popular spice blend, za’atar, below.

Za’atar

[1] Israeli salad: cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley and scallions. It’s refreshing, low in calories, and good for you (photo: Angela Khebou | Pexels).

[2] Israeli salad: refreshing, low in calories and good for you (photo © Pushlama | iStock Photo).

[3] Persian cucumbers (photo © The Nibble).

[4] Za’atar is a spice blend, that is often sold finely ground. This blend contains sumac, golden sesame, and oregano, but blends vary. Here’s more about this staple spice of the Middle East (photo © Aromatiques).

[5] Sumac is an ingredient of some za’atar blends (most people would say, the best za’atar blends, contributing citrussy tang). The wild sumac bush produces deep red berries that are ground into a spice. Most Americans have only heard of one of the many species, poison sumac—a completely different plant (photo © Taste Of Home).

Traditional ingredients include marjoram, oregano, thyme, toasted sesame seeds, savory and sumac. Za’atar is used to season meat and vegetables, mixed with olive oil and spread on pita wedges or flatbread, added to hummus, and for a modern touch, sprinkled on pizza, especially ones with feta cheese.
 
 
ISRAELI SALAD HISTORY

Israeli salad is actually an Arab salad, adapted from a Palestinian country salad and popularized in the kibbutzes of Israel.

Despite its modern national name, it belongs to a much older family of Eastern Mediterranean salads.Its closest culinary relatives include:

 
The ingredients and style of preparation were already widespread in Palestine and neighboring areas long before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

Tomato-and-cucumber salads became especially common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as tomatoes became widely grown on kibbutzim (the plural of kibbutz, communal settlements in Israel traditionally centered around collective agriculture).

Jewish immigrants to Mandatory Palestine‡ adopted and adapted local food traditions, including this salad. It later became a familiar everyday dish in Israeli homes, hotels, and kibbutzim, where it acquired the label “Israeli salad.” Its signature presentation is the very small, even dice of cucumber and tomato.

Thus, the Israeli salad is best understood as an Israeli version of a shared regional Levantine and Ottoman culinary tradition. Its roots are closely connected to Palestinian, Arab, Turkish, and broader Mediterranean foodways, while the name reflects its place in contemporary Israeli cuisine.

Variations include ancestral seasonings: chopped ginger and green chili peppers show India influences. Preserved lemon peel and cayenne pepper are popular with North African Jews. Bukharan Jews, who immigrated from Central Asia, dress the salad with vinegar only. A Persian variation substitutes mint for parsley.

___________________

*Israeli salad is also called salat katzutz (Hebrew for chopped salad) and salat aravi (Hebrew for Arab salad).

†The Israeli breakfast is a dairy meal (meatless), starting with eggs in different styles, including shakshouka (recipe), eggs poached in a spicy tomato. In addition to Israeli salad, other Middle Eastern dishes may be served, such as baba ghanoush (eggplant spread), hummus and labaneh, a thick-strained yogurt. The options continue with breads, cheeses and fish, such as pickled herring, sardines and smoked salmon; olives and fresh vegetables (cucumbers, green bell peppers, onions, radishes, shredded carrots, tomatoes).

‡Mandatory Palestine was a geopolitical entity administered by the United Kingdom under the terms of a League of Nations mandate from 1920 to 1948. It covered the geographic region spanning present-day Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jordan
 
 

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A melon tap turns any large, seedless watermelon into an punch bowl, ideal for filling with watermelon-based beverages. Simply hollow out the melon, insert the tap and fill it with your beverage of choice. In addition to a refreshing drink, you give guests the fun of dispensing their drinks from a watermelon. (In the fall, you can do the same with a pumpkin.)

For starters, fill your watermelon “punch bowl” with watermelon agua fresca. It’s a memorable finale to the summer.

Agua fresca is Spanish for “fresh water.” In culinary terms, it refers to sweetened, fruit-flavored water. Like lemonade, it is noncarbonated and nonalcoholic.

But you can keep a bottle of spirits next to the melon dispenser for guests who’d like a shot or two. May we suggest watermelon vodka? You can find watermelon-flavored vodka from Smirnoff, Three Olives, Pinnacle (Cucumber Watermelon), UV (Salty Watermelon) and others.

The tap in the photo is the PROfreshionals Melon Tap, $9.99. It includes “feet” that insert into the bottom of the melon to keep it stable. Another variation, from Final Touch, is designed to look like a beer tap handle. It’s $19.99.

RECIPE: WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA

Ingredients For 8-12 Drinks

 
Preparation

1. SLICE and discard a 2” piece from the top of a large, seedless watermelon. Carve out the red melon flesh from the inside of the watermelon and cut into large cubes (they can be as free-form as you like, as they’ll soon be puréed). Place in a large bowl and set aside.

2. PREPARE the melon for serving by ensuring it can stand upright. Slice a small portion from the bottom of the melon to make it more stable. Place the tap about 3 inches from the bottom of the melon and push it through the rind to the inside. Set aside.

3. PURÉE the watermelon flesh and all other ingredients in a blender in small batches, as needed. Pour the beverage into the prepared watermelon. Press the melon tap to dispense the drink into large glasses filled with ice.
 
MORE AGUA FRESCA RECIPES

S’mores Baked Alaska. Chef Brian molds the
ice cream on top of the cake layer before
covering the ice cream with Marshmallow
Fluff. We took an easier path, creating a
layered ice cream cake and covering the
Hotels.

Chef Brian Millman at Atwood Kitchen & Bar Room in New York City has created S’mores Baked Alaska, a twist on the American classic of ice cream cake*, shrouded in freshly-whipped meringue and then browned under a broiler or with a kitchen torch.

WHY YOU CAN BAKE ICE CREAM WITHOUT MELTING IT

The beaten egg whites in the meringue protect the ice cream from melting because beating unfolds the protein molecules. This causes air bubbles to be trapped in the unfolded proteins. This foam acts as an insulating layer around the ice cream and protects it [for a brief time] from the heat.

This dynamic was discovered by a prominent physicist, Benjamin Thompson, at the beginning of the 19th century. Here’s the history of Baked Alaska.

The beaten egg whites in the meringue protect the ice cream from melting because beating unfolds the protein molecules and causes air bubbles to be trapped in the unfolded proteins. This foam acts as an insulating layer around the ice cream and protects it from the heat.

This was discovered by a prominent physicist, Benjamin Thompson, at the beginning of the 19th century. Here’s the history of Baked Alaska.
 
Meringue has similar ingredients to marshmallow, which is why marshmallow cream also works.

READY TO MAKE YOUR OWN BAKED ALASKA?

Chef Brian makes these substitutions to turn S’mores into Baked Alaska:

 
He also adds a pinch of flake sea salt (Cyprus Flake Sea Salt and Maldon Flake Salt flake salts are typically available at specialty food stores or fine supermarkets).

You can use your broiler to brûlée the Fluff; but if you have one, use a kitchen torch instead. With a torch:

Preparation

1. MAKE “quick” marshmallow-graham cracker ice cream: Soften the quart of vanilla ice cream on the counter. While the ice cream softens, crumble the whole graham crackers between sheets of wax paper, using a rolling pin. When the ice cream is soft enough to stir, use a spatula to scoop it into a mixing bowl; add the crumbs and stir to combine. Then add the marshmallows and stir. Place the ice cream back into the container. The lid will no longer fit, so cover the top with plastic wrap.

2. ASSEMBLE the ice cream cake. Create a middle layer of ice cream. For a loaf cake, cut in half horizontally; for a sheet cake, cut two “layers.” Wrap in plastic and place in the freezer. When ready to serve…

3. PLACE the ice cream cake on a heat-proof (or sturdy) serving plate and use a spatula to cover the sides and top with Marshmallow Fluff. Use the torch to brûlée, on all sides. If the plate isn’t heat-proof, steer clear of the lower part of the cake.

4. BRING to the table. Dip the knife in warm water to cut. Sprinkle the edges of each dessert plate with graham cracker crumbs and place the sliced cake on top. Pass the optional chocolate sauce and sea salt so guests can customize their portions.

 
*Baked Alaska is typically made with a thin cake layer on the bottom, and two or more different flavors of ice cream on top. When we created our version of S’mores Baked Alaska, it was easier for us to use thicker layers of cake, for a 50:50 proportion of ice cream to cake. You can construct your Baked Alaska in the proportion you wish.

†Chocolate Marshmallow ice cream from Turkey Hill, S’mores from Ben & Jerry’s, Schwan’s Chocolate Ripple and others have a base of chocolate ice cream. We prefer a vanilla base, so we made our own.

‡We crumbled our own when we could have purchased crumbs. The reason: We preferred the texture of the larger home-crumbled pieces of graham crackers in the ice cream. The purchased crumbs, however, are fine.