This refreshing Middle Eastern salad recipe (Zalata) combines crisp veggies and a lemon-mint dressing — perfect as a side or light lunch! Enjoy this Arabic salad as a light lunch, or with some beef kofta Kebabs!
If you're craving a fresh and vibrant side dish, this authentic Middle Eastern Salad (known as Zalata) is a must-try!
Packed with crunchy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and a bright lemon-mint dressing, it’s simple yet bursting with flavor. Across the Middle East — from Egypt to Lebanon — every family has its own twist on this easy, healthy salad. Today, I’ll show you how to make my favorite version at home!
🥒 What is Middle Eastern Salad (Zalata)?
Often called "Arabic salad," this refreshing dish is one of the most beloved salads across the Middle East, rivaling the popularity of Lebanese tabbouleh.
Arabic salad often has slight variations — some versions include fresh parsley, mint, or basil, while others add chopped bell peppers for extra flavor.
The Simple Middle Eastern salad dressing is prepared with a mixture of olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice and seasoned with salt and black pepper. Sumac is also a popular addition!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- There's a very good chance that the vegetables you need to make a Middle Eastern salad are already in your refrigerator.
- The simple salad dressing enhances the flavor and brings out the natural taste of the fresh vegetables used.
- This Middle Eastern cucumber salad is straightforward to prepare - just chop up the veggies, add them to a bowl, and drizzle in the dressing!
- If you're looking for healthy Middle Eastern side dishes, you can't go wrong with this tasty salad!
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Lettuce: I recommend using romaine lettuce for the best crunch.
- Cucumber: Persian or English cucumbers are great options; however, if you can find Armenian cucumbers, I highly recommend using them for extra crunch without bitterness.
- Onion: Red or yellow onion
- Tomato: Two firm, medium tomatoes
- Fresh lemon juice: I prefer using fresh lemons to make the dressing, but bottled lemon juice can be substituted.
- Extra virgin olive oil: If you don't have olive oil, avocado oil can be used.
- Herbs: This recipe calls for 1 teaspoon dried mint, but you can use 1 tablespoon of fresh mint for the dressing if you prefer. Other fresh herbs and spices like parsley, garlic, green onions, and red pepper flakes can be added as well.
- Optional toppings: You can sprinkle a bit of feta cheese over your salad if you like. You can also use crumbled pita chips as croutons or make some of these quinoa crisps for added crunch! Kalamata olives are another great addition!
*See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients
🥗 How to Make A Middle Eastern Salad
Step 1: Chop lettuce, cucumber, tomato, fresh mint, and onion and place in a large salad bowl.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, dried mint, salt, and black pepper.
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Step 3: Pour dressing over the salad. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately, or chill briefly for even better flavor.
🫒 Variations Across the Middle East
There are many variations of this simple salad across the Middle East. Egyptian salad (salata baladi) is prepared with similar ingredients but can also include carrots, jalapenos, and spices like cumin, Aleppo pepper, or cayenne.
Lebanese fattoush salad is yet another variation. It's prepared with lots of the same veggies (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions) and is topped with pomegranate seeds and baked pita chips. The dressing contains pomegranate molasses, sumac, lemon juice or vinegar, and olive oil.
Middle Eastern salad is extremely adaptable — perfect for what’s in season.
🍽️ What to Serve With Middle Eastern Salad
If you're wondering what to serve with Middle Eastern salad, I've got some great suggestions! For starters, you can include Middle Eastern salad on a mezze board along with other Middle Eastern & Mediterranean appetizers like Lebanese hummus, this falafel wrap recipe, dolmadakia, and Lahm bi Ajeen.
Another classic way to enjoy this Middle Eastern cucumber salad is as part of Middle Eastern meals. For example, use it as a topping over vermicelli rice, macarona, makloubi, Lebanese Mujadara recipe, or Instant Pot jasmine rice.
This authentic Middle Eastern salad recipe is perfect for pairing with sumac chicken, shish kabobs, maftoul, or as part of a shawarma plate.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQS
Middle Eastern salad is prepared with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, and drizzled with a simple dressing made with lemon juice and olive oil. It's seasoned with salt and black pepper.
Although Greek salad contains the same veggies, it also includes feta cheese and kalamata olives. Oregano is commonly added to the dressing, while Middle Eastern salad usually includes fresh mint.
You can make Middle Eastern salad a few hours before serving it to allow the flavors to meld. If you need to prepare it in advance, keep the chopped veggies and dressing separate until you are ready to serve it to avoid the vegetables from becoming soggy.
Middle Eastern salad usually has a simple lemon juice and olive oil dressing that's seasoned with salt and black pepper. Sometimes sumac powder and dried mint are whisked into the dressing for added flavor.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- When making this authentic Middle Eastern salad recipe, be sure to use fresh ingredients!
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- If making this Arabic salad recipe ahead of time, keep the dressing separate until you're ready to serve.
Other Salad Recipes
If you love this Arabic salad, check out these other great salad recipes!
📖 Recipe
Authentic Middle Eastern Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small head of romaine lettuce (shredded)
- 2 medium Persian cucumbers (sliced)
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes (chopped)
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves (chopped)
- ½ small yellow or red onion (sliced)
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Chop lettuce, cucumber, tomato, fresh mint, and onion and place in a large salad bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, dried mint, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour dressing over the salad. Toss gently to combine. Serve immediately, or chill briefly for even better flavor.
Notes
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- Because this is such a simple salad, using fresh ingredients is key!
- Chill the salad for 15 minutes before serving to enhance flavors!
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- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
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- If making ahead of time, keep the dressing separate until you're ready to serve.
Karen says
Tomatoes are a new world plant. What would be more culturally appropriate to replace them with?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Karen, Thank you for your comment! Tomatoes were brought to the Middle East in the 1700s and have since become a widely used ingredient in the cuisine. You can substitute more historically rooted alternatives such as pomegranate seeds or radishes, however, that would totally change the flavor of this common Middle Eastern salad and it may no longer pair well with some of the dishes it's commonly served with.
Ashley says
My husband loves this salad, will be making all summer!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Ashley, so glad to hear it, enjoy!
jane says
My family loved this recipe!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Jane,Thank you so much for your review!
Faith Joy Gani-ay says
This recipe is perfect for any occasion, and its so easy to make.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you for your review!
Cathy says
I love salad and this one just became my favorite!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Cathy, enjoy!
Christopher says
This is one of the best recipes I've ever tried. The ingredients came together beautifully, and the end result was delicious and satisfying. Highly recommended!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Christopher, I appreciate the review!
Kelly Methey says
This is a great salad! Thanks! Sometimes simple is best!
HildaSterner says
Thanks, Kelly, no truer words have ever been spoken! 😉