Lebanese Salad Recipe with Fresh Herbs and Lemon

Lebanese salad is a bright, crunchy mix of ripe tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, parsley, and mint, dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil. It is served as a fresh side alongside grilled foods or mezze, and family and regional versions vary in their choice of vegetables, herbs, and seasonings.

Ingredients

3 cups chopped romaine lettuce (140 g), washed and thoroughly dried
2 cups ripe but firm tomatoes, cut into small pieces (300 g), about 2 medium tomatoes
1½ cups cucumber, cut into small pieces (200 g), about 1 medium cucumber
3 green onions, thinly sliced (about 45 g)
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped (30 g)
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (8 g)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (45 ml), from about 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (45 ml)
½ teaspoon fine salt (3 g), or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 0.5 g)
½ teaspoon ground sumac (about 1 g), optional

Instructions

Wash and dry the produce. Rinse the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, parsley, and mint under cool running water. Dry the lettuce and herbs especially well with a clean towel or salad spinner. Water clinging to the leaves dilutes the dressing, so give the greens time to drain while you prepare the other ingredients. Remove any tough parsley stems and mint stems.
Prepare the vegetables. Cut the tomatoes and cucumber into small, fairly even pieces, about ½ inch (1 cm) across. If the cucumber has a thick, waxy skin or large watery seeds, peel it or scoop out the seeds first; otherwise, leave the skin on for color and crunch. Thinly slice the green onions, including some of the tender green tops. Put the romaine and vegetables in a large serving bowl.
Chop the herbs. Gather the parsley leaves into a loose pile and chop them finely, then do the same with the mint. A sharp knife helps cut rather than bruise the leaves. Add both herbs to the bowl. Finely chopped herbs distribute their fragrance throughout the salad, while larger pieces can make a forkful taste unevenly minty or parsley-heavy.
Mix the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and sumac, if using. Taste a drop with a piece of lettuce. The dressing should taste lively and lemony, but not harsh. Add a little more oil if it is too sharp, or a squeeze of lemon if it tastes flat. Tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity, so this small adjustment is useful.
Dress and serve. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and herbs shortly before serving. Toss gently but thoroughly so the lettuce and chopped ingredients get a light coating without being crushed. Taste a bite and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon if needed. Serve right away, while the lettuce is crisp and the cucumber still has a fresh snap.

Tips

Dry the greens well. A wet salad tastes diluted, and the dressing slips off rather than coating the leaves. If you do not have a salad spinner, spread the washed lettuce and herbs on a clean kitchen towel, pat them dry, and let them air-dry for a few minutes. This is especially helpful if you are preparing the vegetables ahead.
Choose ripe, firm tomatoes. Very soft tomatoes can collapse during chopping and release excess juice into the bowl. If the tomatoes are especially juicy, remove some of the seeds and watery pulp before cutting. Keep the pieces similar in size to the cucumber so each spoonful includes a balanced mix.
Use sumac as an option, not a requirement. Sumac gives the dressing a tart, lightly fruity note that is common in Levantine cooking, but the salad is still good without it. If you cannot find sumac, leave it out or add a small pinch of finely grated lemon zest. Zest adds citrus aroma, though it does not have sumac’s distinct berry-like tang.
Season in stages. Salt draws moisture from cut vegetables, so dress the salad just before it reaches the table. Start with the listed amount, taste after tossing, and add more only if necessary. If the salad sits for a few minutes, its flavor can become saltier as the vegetables release liquid.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this salad as a crisp counterpoint to grilled chicken, lamb, fish, or kebabs, or set it out with hummus, warm pita, olives, and other mezze. Its lemony dressing works well beside richer dishes because it brings freshness and a little acidity to the plate. For a simple lunch, spoon it next to rice, lentils, or grilled halloumi. Keep the salad in a separate bowl if serving it with warm food so the lettuce does not wilt from heat.

It can also be served as part of a pita meal. Fill a pita with falafel or grilled meat, then add a small amount of the salad just before eating. The salad is not designed to be a long-held sandwich filling: tomatoes and dressing soften bread if they sit together. For a buffet, serve the dressing in a small jug and let guests add it to their portions. That keeps the vegetables crisp longer and makes it easier to accommodate people who prefer a lighter or more lemony dressing.

Variations

There is no single fixed formula for Lebanese-style chopped salad; the balance of lettuce, herbs, and vegetables varies from cook to cook. For a more herb-forward bowl, increase the parsley to 1½ cups (45 g) and mint to ⅓ cup (about 11 g). For a simpler version, leave out the lettuce and serve the tomato, cucumber, onion, and herbs as a chopped vegetable salad. The result is juicier and more concentrated, so use a slotted spoon if serving it after it has rested.

For a more substantial meal, add 1 cup (about 165 g) of drained chickpeas or 4 ounces (115 g) of crumbled feta. Chickpeas make the salad heartier and more filling in texture, while feta adds saltiness and a creamy contrast; taste before adding extra salt. You can also add ½ cup (75 g) of thinly sliced radishes for peppery crunch. If you want a fattoush-inspired variation, add toasted pita pieces at the last moment and, if available, use sumac in the dressing. Fattoush is a related but distinct Levantine bread salad, so adding pita changes the character of this simple Lebanese salad.

For a gentler onion flavor, replace the green onions with ¼ cup (about 35 g) of finely diced red onion. To mellow it, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and pat it dry before adding. If mint is unavailable, use extra parsley; the result will still be fresh, though less cooling and fragrant. Avoid replacing the fresh herbs with dried herbs in equal amounts: dried herbs have a more concentrated, different texture and will not give the salad the same leafy freshness.

Storage and Reheating

This salad is best immediately after dressing, when the lettuce is crisp. If you expect leftovers, store the dressing separately and refrigerate the undressed vegetables and herbs in an airtight container. Refrigerate perishable ingredients within 2 hours of cutting or serving; if the room is hotter than 90°F (32°C), refrigerate within 1 hour. Kept cold and undressed, the salad components are generally best within 1 to 2 days, although chopped herbs and lettuce may lose their texture sooner.

If the salad has already been dressed, transfer it to a covered container and refrigerate it promptly. It is usually still safe to eat the next day when kept cold, but the lettuce will soften and liquid will collect at the bottom. Drain off excess liquid and taste before serving; add fresh lemon or herbs only if the flavor needs brightening. Do not leave the salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and discard it if it has been left out longer than that rather than relying on smell or appearance. This is a cold salad, so it is not reheated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the same as fattoush?

No. Both are Levantine salads and can share ingredients such as lettuce, cucumber, tomato, herbs, lemon, and sumac. Fattoush is distinguished by pieces of toasted or fried pita, while this recipe is a simple chopped salad without bread. You can add pita shortly before serving for a fattoush-inspired bowl, but it will soften if tossed in too early.

Can I make Lebanese salad ahead of time?

Yes. Wash and dry the produce, chop the vegetables and herbs, and store them separately from the dressing in the refrigerator. For the crispest result, cut the tomatoes close to serving time and do not salt or dress the ingredients in advance. Toss everything together just before eating; this prep-ahead approach saves time without leaving the lettuce sitting in lemon juice.

What lettuce works if I do not have romaine?

Green-leaf lettuce is a good substitute because it has tender leaves and a mild flavor. Crisp iceberg also works if you want extra crunch, though it has less of romaine’s leafy texture. Avoid delicate greens such as baby spinach if the salad will sit for any time, since they wilt quickly once dressed. Use the same measured volume and dry the leaves thoroughly.

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Fresh lemon juice is preferable because its flavor is brighter and less uniform in acidity, but bottled juice can work in a pinch. Begin with 2 tablespoons (30 ml), taste the dressing, and add more as needed to reach the listed 3 tablespoons (45 ml). If the bottled juice tastes particularly sharp, balance it with a little extra olive oil rather than adding sugar, which would change the salad’s clean, savory profile.

Why did my salad become watery?

Tomatoes and cucumbers naturally release liquid after they are cut, especially when they are salted or dressed and left to stand. Wet lettuce can add more water and dilute the dressing. Dry the produce well, use firm vegetables, and toss with dressing only just before serving. If you need to prepare the salad early, keep the dressing separate and add salt at the table.

Can I make the salad without mint or sumac?

Yes. Mint brings a distinctive cool, fragrant note, but extra parsley makes a pleasant, greener-tasting salad if mint is unavailable. Sumac is optional and contributes a tart, fruity quality rather than being essential to the dressing. Leave it out and adjust the fresh lemon juice to taste. The balance may differ slightly, but the salad will remain fresh and well-seasoned.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).