Salatah Arabieh (Arab Salad)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Herby, spicy, and oh-so-fresh, this quick salad is a mainstay of the Arab table, and I mean that universally. Salata Arabi is equally at home alongside cheese and eggs for breakfast, or a meat main for lunch or dinner. Like so many of the best Arab foods, it can be sopped up with fresh Arab bread. If you’re feeding a crowd, double the recipe.

Ingredients

1 pound vine-ripened or small Roma tomatoes
8 ounces Persian cucumbers (2 to 3)
1 medium red onion
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
1/2 bunch fresh mint
1/2 red Fresno chile or jalapeño pepper (optional)
2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 medium lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed

Instructions

Prepare the following, placing each in the same medium bowl as it is completed: Trim and finely dice 1 pound vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes (2 cups). Trim and finely dice 8 ounces Persian cucumbers (1 1/2 cups). Finely chop 1 medium red onion (1 cup). Pick and coarsely chop the leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh parsley until you have 1/2 cup. Pick and coarsely chop the leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh mint until you have 1/2 cup.
Prepare the following, placing each in the same small bowl or a jar as it is completed: Trim, seed, and finely chop 1/2 red Fresno chile or jalapéno pepper if desired (1 1/2 teaspoons). Mince 2 to 3 garlic cloves until you have 1 1/2 teaspoons. Juice 1 medium lemon until you have 3 tablespoons juice.
Add 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt to the small bowl and whisk (or seal and shake the jar) until the salt is dissolved and the dressing is emulsified. Drizzle over the salad and gently toss to coat. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.