Light up your Shabbat table or your succah with a bright, fresh and healthy Israeli Salad. We have added za’atar to the recipe to add a little extra flavor. You can serve this as a simple appetizer or side dish but we also love to prepare little Pita pockets with a handful of salad, Kafta and Tahini Sauce. This is a perfect dish for your Shabbat luncheon or Succot celebration.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 tomatoes, deseeded, chopped and strained of excess liquid
- 3 Middle Eastern (also called Armenian or Persian) cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, chopped (leave peel on)
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- juice of 2 lemons
- 1 tsp za’atar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley and mint to a large bowl
- Put lemon juice and za’atar in a separate bowl and whisk in olive oil
- Add salt and adjust seasoning if necessary
- Spoon a few teaspoons of dressing into the bowl at a time and toss
Looks great, but what is za’atar?
Za’atar is spice blend combining toasted sesame seeds, dried thyme, dried marjoram, and sumac.
How to make Za’atar?
Combine: dried thyme, 1 Tbs. lightly toasted sesame seeds, 1 Tbs. ground sumac, 1/2 tsp. dried oregano or marjoram, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a spice grinder.
It is not a special Salad. It is a simple Salad. We make delicious Salad more than that.
Where do you find sumac ? Is this actually from the tree?
Sumac is made from the ground berries of the Sumac bush native to the Middle East. You can buy it at speciality food stores and it’s also available through Amazon.
Love this…it’s so delicious!
Sorry, I have no idea what is Za atar is but the salad sounds
lovely and refreshing. I make a salad for my husband and myself
every night and I am always looking for a different on than we
had last night.
Za’atar is a spice blend of toasted sesame seeds, dried thyme, dried marjoram, and sumac.
Yummy