This spicy Middle Eastern Syrian salad is dressed with lemon juice, fresh garlic, olive oil and mint.
I grew up with my great aunt Vieve making this delicious, fresh and addicting Lebanese Salad. As I arranged the salad directly on top of the veggies, I sat in awe as she seasoned, tested and adjusted. No measuring, no teaspoons, just instinct. Of course, I don’t expect everyone to be able to flavor things with instinct, so I figured out the perfect measurements to make this delicious Middle Eastern Syrian Salad.
Ingredients
- Romaine: Crisp and clean, the perfect base for the salad is romaine lettuce, but you can use green leaf as well.
- Tomato: Juicy and sweet, they add color and sweet flavor.
- radish: We like to use white radishes in the salad, which are a bit milder in flavor than your smaller red radishes but still add a good crunch.
- Red pepper: The sweetest and healthiest peppers.
- Cucumber: Mild and sweet in taste, I like to peel it before adding it to the salad as the skin can be quite bitter.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley and mint balance each other out and add a sweet and peppery flavor to the salad.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice gives the salad a wonderful lemony, tart taste.
- Garlic: Raw garlic is packed with health benefits, but it also adds a pungent flavor to salad dressing.
- Olive oil: Mild in taste, this heart-healthy oil is a common base for salad dressings and vinaigrettes.
- Za’atar: A blend of warm spices like oregano, dried sumac, salt and more.
How to make Middle Eastern Syrian Salad
Begin your Syrian salad by washing all your fresh produce, slicing lettuce, tomatoes, red peppers, radishes, and cucumbers and placing in a large bowl.
Once all the ingredients are in the bowl, take your fresh lemon and squeeze the juice over it to catch any seeds.
Season with a pinch of salt and pepper as well as the za’atar and fresh herbs.
Then use a microplane to grate the raw garlic cloves over it.
Finally, drizzle over the olive oil before spreading evenly.
Serve and enjoy your Middle Eastern Syrian Salad!
Frequently asked Questions:
What is a Lebanese salad made of?
A typical salad is very simple and contains romaine lettuce, cucumber and tomato. My husband doesn’t eat cucumbers or tomatoes, so our signature salad also includes peppers and radishes. But you could add carrots, yellow peppers, red onions, red leaves, whatever you have!
Does dried or fresh mint matter?
Dried mint works really well during the non-grow season! Both are fine!
What’s in a Fattoush Salad?
A fattoush salad uses many of the same ingredients as it’s also a Middle Eastern salad, but it’s topped with pita chips.
More fresh salads
Have you tried this recipe and like it? Next time you make it, take a picture and share it with your social networks! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your salad.
Whether you need a new salad for dinner or something light and fresh for lunch, my family’s Syrian Salad hits the spot.
Your fork is waiting.
Middle Eastern Syrian Salad
This easy to make and flavorful Middle Eastern Syrian Salad is made with lemon juice, fresh garlic, olive oil and mint.
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Servings:
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Place salad ingredients romaine through cucumber in large bowl.
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Add fresh parsley and mint.
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Squeeze the juice of a lemon around the bowl and gently hold your other hand underneath to catch the seeds.
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Using a microplane, grate the garlic directly over the lettuce.
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Drizzle olive oil around the edges of the lettuce (this will help the lettuce dress evenly when turning).
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Gently mix the salad with your hands. Season with zaatar, salt and pepper.
Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 16.9GProtein: 3.5GFat: 5.2GSaturated Fatty Acids: 0.8GSodium: 11mgFiber: 4.6G