Arab Salad with Sumac
A crisp, refreshing, and vibrant chopped salad brought to life with bright lemon juice and tangy sumac.
Ingredients
- •4 medium ripe tomatoes, finely diced
- •3 Persian cucumbers, finely diced
- •1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- •3 scallions, thinly sliced
- •1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- •1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- •3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- •2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- •1 tablespoon ground sumac
- •1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- •1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Wash and thoroughly dry all the vegetables, herbs, and greens before starting.
- 2
Dice the tomatoes, cucumbers, and green bell pepper into uniform, very small pieces for the best texture.
- 3
Thinly slice the scallions and finely chop the parsley and mint.
- 4
Combine all the diced vegetables and chopped herbs together in a large mixing bowl.
- 5
In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, ground sumac, kosher salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.
- 6
Pour the dressing over the chopped salad mixture just before serving.
- 7
Toss the salad gently until all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing and sumac.
- 8
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with an extra pinch of sumac on top.
💡 Chef tips
- Dice the vegetables as finely and uniformly as possible for the most authentic texture and flavor distribution.
- Salt the tomatoes and cucumbers slightly and drain them in a colander for 10 minutes if you prefer a less watery salad.
- Add the dressing just before serving to keep the vegetables crisp and prevent them from releasing too much liquid.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished salad should look brilliantly colorful with tiny, uniform pieces, smell intensely fresh and citrusy, and taste delightfully crisp, tangy, and refreshing.