This easy Middle Eastern salad (also called Arab salad or Arabic salad) is a staple you'll find on the table at almost every meal across the Middle East. Fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and parsley are tossed in a lemony dressing with sumac and dried mint. Serve it alongside kofta kebabs or a chicken shawarma plate!
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If you've tried my Assyrian salad, you'll recognize the same fresh flavors in this Arabic salad, with a little sumac in the dressing for a tangy, lemony kick. The main difference? No lettuce!
In Arabic, it's called salata arabiya, which simply means Arabic salad. This refreshing side dish takes just 15 minutes to prepare. One of my favorite ways to enjoy this Middle Eastern salad is with chicken biryani. Oh my, soooo good!
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🥒 What Is Middle Eastern Salad?
Middle Eastern salad is made all over the region, from Lebanon and Syria to Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine. You'll almost always see it on a mezze table.
Every family makes it a little differently. Some chop vegetables very fine, while others add bell peppers or garlic, or skip the herbs altogether. I prefer mine chopped into bite-size pieces, a little chunkier than the finely diced versions, so you get a satisfying crunch in every bite.
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tomatoes: Use ripe but firm tomatoes so they hold their shape after chopping.
- English cucumber: English cucumbers have thin skin and small seeds, so there's no need to peel or seed them. If you can find Persian cucumbers or Armenian cucumbers, even better!
- Onion: I use yellow onion, but red onion is a good substitute and adds a nice pop of color.
- Fresh parsley: Flat-leaf parsley has more flavor than curly parsley.
- Mint: Sometimes I add other fresh herbs, especially fresh mint, but I always add dried mint in the dressing! It gives the dressing a deeper, earthier mint flavor.
- Lemon juice: Although you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, fresh lemon juice gives the salad a brighter, fresher flavor.
- Olive oil: Use a good extra virgin olive oil, since it's a big part of the flavor.
- Sumac: This tart, deep red spice is what gives the dressing its tangy flavor. If you don't have any, you can find it here or try my sumac substitute.
- Salt and black pepper: To season the salad.
*See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients
🥗 How to Make Middle Eastern Salad
Step 1: Quarter cucumber lengthwise and slice, then chop tomatoes, onion, and parsley.
Step 2: Add the chopped vegetables and parsley to a large bowl and toss gently to combine.
Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, dried mint, sumac, salt, and black pepper.
Step 4: Right before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Serve right away.
🍽️ What to Serve with Middle Eastern Salad
This salad goes with almost any Middle Eastern meal. Serve it next to grilled meats like beef shish kabob, sumac chicken, arook, or this doner kebab recipe.
It's also great with vermicelli rice and grain dishes like makloubi, Lebanese mujadara, and kubba Mosul. For a mezze spread, add Lebanese hummus, a falafel wrap, and warm Iraqi khubz.
🥡 Storage and Make-Ahead
To make ahead, chop the vegetables and herbs and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. Whisk the dressing and store it in a separate jar. Toss them together right before serving.
🫒 Middle Eastern Salad vs. Other Salads
There are so many chopped salads across the Middle East, and it's easy to mix them up. Here's how this one compares to a few others:
| Salad | Main Ingredients | Dressing | What Makes It Different |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Eastern Salad (Arab Salad) | Tomato, cucumber, onion, parsley | Lemon, olive oil, sumac, dried mint | No lettuce, chopped into bite-size pieces |
| Zalata (Assyrian Salad) | Romaine, cucumber, tomato, onion, mint | Lemon, olive oil, dried mint | Made with lettuce |
| Fattoush Salad | Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, pomegranate seeds | Pomegranate molasses, sumac, lemon, olive oil | Topped with baked pita chips |
| Tabbouleh | Lots of parsley, bulgur, tomato, cucumber, green onions, mint | Lemon, olive oil | Mostly herbs, with bulgur wheat |
| Balela | Chickpeas, chopped vegetables, herbs | Lemon, olive oil | Heartier, made with beans |
| Shirazi Salad (Persian) | Tomato, cucumber, onion | Lime or lemon, olive oil, dried mint | Very finely diced |
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Add the dressing right before serving. The salt draws water out of the cucumbers and tomatoes, which can make it soggy, especially if it sits too long.
- Cut the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions into similar-sized pieces so you get a little of everything in each bite.
- It's best to eat Arab salad the same day you make it. It doesn't store well.
- This salad is wonderful scooped up with fresh Middle Eastern pita bread, which makes it easy to enjoy every last bit of that lemony dressing.
- Feeling fancy? Toss some feta cheese into your Arabic salad!
🍐 Other Salad Recipes
If you love this Arab salad, check out these other tasty salad recipes!
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Quarter cucumber lengthwise and slice, then chop tomatoes, onion, and parsley.
- Add the chopped vegetables and parsley to a large bowl and toss gently to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, dried mint, sumac, salt, and black pepper.
- Right before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Serve right away.
Nutrition
Notes
- Add the dressing right before serving. The salt draws water out of the cucumbers and tomatoes, which can make it soggy, especially if it sits too long.
- Cut the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions into similar-sized pieces so you get a little of everything in each bite.
- It's best to eat Arab salad the same day you make it. It doesn't store well.
- This salad is wonderful scooped up with fresh Middle Eastern pita bread, which makes it easy to enjoy every last bit of that lemony dressing.
- Feeling fancy? Toss some feta cheese into your Arabic salad!
Hilda Sterner says
Try this simple Middle Eastern lettuce, then come back and let us know what you think!