Middle Eastern Chopped Salad

By late summer, my fridge is usually overflowing with cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh herbs, so chopped salads are on repeat around here. I make my Israeli Chopped Salad all the time, but this is one of my favorite salads for when I want something a little leafier with plenty of crunch from romaine and radishes!

Everything gets chopped small and tossed with a simple dressing made from olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, honey, and sumac. I keep the dressing pretty light so you still get crisp lettuce, cool cucumber, juicy tomato, and fresh mint in every bite.

It’s an easy side dish for grilled chicken, shawarma, hummus, or anything else with Mediterranean or Middle Eastern flavors. And if you love a fresh salad like me, my Easy Mediterranean Salad is another good staple to keep in rotation!

Before You Get Started

A few ingredient choices make a noticeable difference in a salad this simple.

• Persian cucumbers: These are my first choice because they’re crisp with thin skin and small seeds. English cucumbers also work well.
• Sumac: Use sumac when you have it, or swap in za’atar as noted in the recipe. Both work with the lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs.
• Keep the dressing light: This recipe is intentionally lightly dressed. If you like more vinaigrette on your salads, double it or add an extra splash of olive oil and lemon.
• Blender or whisk: A blender gives you a really smooth, emulsified dressing. If you’re whisking by hand, finely grate the garlic so it blends evenly throughout.

How to Make Middle Eastern Chopped Salad

This is a quick chop-and-toss salad, so most of the work is simply getting everything prepped.

1. Make the Lemon-Sumac Dressing

Blend the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, honey, sumac, salt, and pepper until smooth.

No blender? Grate the garlic finely and whisk everything together in a small bowl.

2. Chop the Salad

Add the romaine, Persian cucumber, cherry tomatoes, radishes, parsley, mint, and green onions to a large bowl.

Pro tip: Try to keep everything fairly small and evenly chopped so you get vegetables, herbs, and lettuce together in each bite.

3. Dress and Toss

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is lightly coated.

Pro tip: Taste before adding more dressing. You want enough to season the vegetables without soaking the romaine.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

A few little adjustments make this salad even better depending on how you’re serving it.

• Dry the romaine well: Extra water left on the lettuce dilutes the lemon dressing and makes it harder for the vinaigrette to cling.
• Let the dressing sit for a few minutes: If you’re whisking it by hand, letting the dressing rest for 5-10 minutes gives the raw garlic a chance to mellow slightly.
• Add pita chips at the last minute: Crumble them over the salad immediately before serving so they stay crisp.
• Try feta: Crumbled feta adds a salty, creamy bite, or swap the vinaigrette for this Lemon Feta Vinaigrette.
• Add more herbs: If you have extra parsley or mint, use them! This salad can handle plenty of fresh herbs.
• Taste for acidity: Lemons vary quite a bit. Add another squeeze of lemon or pinch of sumac if you want a sharper finish.

What to Serve with Middle Eastern Chopped Salad

I love this as the cool, crunchy part of a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern-inspired dinner.

• Chicken Shawarma: Spiced chicken with a fresh chopped salad is such an easy dinner combination, especially tucked into pita with a little sauce.
• Grilled Chicken Souvlaki: The lemon, garlic, and herbs in the chicken fit right in with the bright salad dressing.
• Kofta Ground Beef Bowls: Spoon the salad alongside the seasoned beef, rice, and tzatziki for plenty of fresh crunch.
• Homemade Hummus: Add hummus, warm pita, olives, and this salad for an easy mezze-style lunch or dinner.
• Baked Falafel: Crispy baked falafel makes this salad more filling and fits perfectly into a fresh Middle Eastern cuisine spread with hummus and pita.

Storage & Reheating

This salad is best when freshly dressed, but you can prep most of it ahead.

• Storage: Store dressed leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat them within 1-2 days for the best texture.
• Freezer: Don’t freeze this salad. The lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and herbs will lose their crisp texture after thawing.
• Reheating: No reheating needed. Serve the salad cold or let it sit at room temperature briefly before eating.
• Leftovers: Spoon leftover salad over a Hummus Bowl, stuff it into pita with chickpeas or chicken, or add it to a Mediterranean lunch plate with hummus and olives!