This fresh and simple Arabic chopped salad is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine—bright, tangy, and perfect alongside just about any meal. Finely diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and herbs are tossed in a vibrant dressing made with pomegranate molasses, sumac, olive oil, and dried mint. It’s easy, foolproof, and totally customizable with what you have on hand. Best part? It’s finely diced and so satisfying to eat with a spoon. Let’s make it!

a finely chopped Arabic salad made up of cucumber, tomato, red pepper, red onions and parsley served in a shallow green bowl. A mason jar is blurred out in the foreground, and a basket of cucumbers is in the background.

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Every single meal time growing up included a bowl of salad, or a platter of whole washed vegetables (like green onions, radish, and cucumbers) to bite into alongside our meal. I can’t even fathom fasolia over rice, or mujadara without a side of this salad.

This is my go-to Arabic salad that I make within 10-15 minutes just before we sit down to eat. What I love about it is its simplicity. The dressing especially is quite something! I have a jar of it in my fridge at all times.

The best part is that you can make it with whatever you have. My favourite combination is with cucumbers, red or yellow pepper, tomato, red onions, and parsley.

The most important part is to achieve a fine chop on all the vegetables so you get a bit of everything in each bite. Eating it with a spoon is the only way! That way you get a bit of the dressing in your spoonful too.

The Best Dressing

The main ingredient that I think makes this dressing stand out is the pomegranate molasses. Without it, the dressing is too sour. It adds a great level of sweetness to balance out the lemon juice.

Below are two bottles of pomegranate molasses. You can find them at a local Middle Eastern store or in the international aisle of your supermarket. My preferred brand is the Yamama one.

two bottles of pomegranate molasses, side by side, with a yellow kitchen towel behind them

The sumac adds more lemony notes, and the mint is very essential for that earthy flavour. If you don’t have dried mint, you can finely chop up fresh mint and toss it into the salad.

Let’s Make It

Grab your ingredients and wash your vegetables.

ingredients for Arabic salad including cucumber, red onion, tomato, parsley, bell peppers, lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, dried mint, sumac and salt

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake to combine. You’ll end up with a dark brown dressing.

a covered mason jar filled a quarter of the way with a dark brown salad dressing
a top view shot of a mason jar filled a quarter of the way with a dark salad dressing, along with a yellow kitchen towel in the corner

Chop the vegetables finely. Each vegetable should be roughly 1/4 of an inch or less in size.

finely chopped cucumber in a medium glass bowl, with a yellow kitchen towel in the top right corner
finely chopped cucumber, red bell pepper and red onions in a medium glass bowl, with a yellow kitchen towel in the top right corner

Using a sharp knife helps with an even, fine chop.

finely chopped cucumber, red bell pepper, tomato, and red onions in a medium glass bowl, with a yellow kitchen towel in the top right corner
a medium glass bowl with chopped tomato and parsley inside, with a yellow kitchen towel in the top right corner

Add all the vegetables to a bowl and mix to combine. Season them with a pinch of salt. Pour over some of the dressing. For this quantity of salad, I usually add about 1/4 cup of dressing, mix and taste, then add more as needed.

finely chopped Arabic salad served in a shallow green bowl, along with a small side plate filled with salad and a spoon. A basket of cucumber and parsley is in the top left corner, and a mason jar full of salad dressing is in the top right corner.

The Best Way to Make It Ahead

For the dressing, I suggest you make a batch, place it in an airtight jar and store it in the fridge to have on hand throughout the week.

The salad doesn’t keep very well once it is dressed. Always only dress the amount you will eat on the same day.

If you’d like to prepare it a day ahead, chop all the vegetables except for the tomato and layer them in an air tight container. Place a paper towel on top, then store in the fridge. When ready to serve, chop the tomatoes, add them in, and dress the salad.

More Salad Recipes to Try:

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a finely chopped Arabic salad made up of cucumber, tomato, red pepper, red onions and parsley served in a shallow green bowl. A mason jar is blurred out in the foreground, and a basket of cucumbers is in the background.
4.93 from 14 ratings

Arabic Salad with Simple Dressing

Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
This easy chopped Arabic salad is perfect for every day, and it just about goes with every middle eastern dish out there! Make it with a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, mint and sumac and you'll never be bored of it.
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Ingredients
 

For the dressing:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the vegetables:

  • 4 persian cucumbers, finely chopped
  • 1 tomato, finely chopped
  • 1/4 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 red or yellow pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a mason jar and shake. The dressing will turn a dark brown. Store in the fridge and use as needed. This quantity will make enough for 2-3 salads.
  • For the salad, finely chop the cucumbers, tomato, bell pepper, onion and parsley.
  • Place the chopped vegetables in a bowl and drizzle over roughly 1/4 cup of the salad dressing.
  • Stir to combine. Taste and adjust for salt and more dressing as needed.

Notes

  • I suggest using Persian cucumbers as they have more flavour than English cucumber.
  • The salad dressing quantity listed will make enough for 2-3 salads, so store it in a jar in the fridge and use as needed. It will last for 2 weeks or more.
  • Once the salad is dressed, you can serve right away or keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes, but no more than that to avoid a soggy salad.
Calories: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 20g, Sodium: 299mg, Potassium: 303mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 1015IU, Vitamin C: 83mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 1mg
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