Looking to learn how to make the best authentic Egyptian Salad?
Our quick & easy homemade Salata Baladi recipe is my family’s favourite fresh Middle Eastern salad to enjoy at breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Our traditional Egyptian Salad recipe features tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, bell pepper, parsley, lemon and Middle Eastern spices.
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What Is Egyptian Salad?
Salata Baladi is the most commonly served Egyptian salad. Traditional recipes typically feature tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, sweet bell pepper, parsley, lemon and Middle Eastern spices.
The expression “al-baladi” is a short and useful expression, translating to “of the country,” in Egyptian. At local restaurants you will find chicken al-baladi and bread al-baladi for example, which indicate Egyptians like to emphasize the authenticity of their recipes.
Salata Baladi is also translated as “countryside salad” and baladi is also translated as “my country”, “my nation”, “my region” or “my village”. Salata baladi therefore means “the salad of my country”.
The main ingredients of an authentic Egyptian Salad recipe can be found across the Middle East and Arab Peninsula.
To the Egyptians, the recipe can be referred to as salata baladi, salata arbya or Jerusalem salad. The Syrians, Palestinians and Lebanese it is salatet banadoura. To the Israelis, it is Israel salad or yerakot salat.
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Travel to Egypt by Making Salata Baladi at Home
I love traveling to the Middle East and North Africa.
As a professional food and travel journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy amazing meals in the Middle East, from authentic markets to award winning restaurants.
For over ten years, I’ve been on the hunt for the best Salata Baladi via adventures that had me zig-zagging through Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Dubai.
I ate Salata Baladi with flat bread at a traditional Moroccan riad, Turkish take covered in fresh herbs in Istanbul and Bodrum, memorable late night feast at the luxurious Four Seasons in Amman, tahini drizzled vegetarian lunch in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and a Middle Eastern salad buffet in the Dubai desert while belly dancers twirled under the night sky.
My most romantic memories eating Egyptian Salad were at celebratory Salata Baladi and barbecue feast inside the bustling market in Cairo and under the twinkle of the night sky on a luxury Nile cruise.
Where To Eat Egyptian Salad
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Middle Eastern restaurant that serves authentic Egyptian Salad.
Haven’t traveled to the Middle East before? It may be helpful to first sample Egyptian Salad at a local restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You’ll get an idea for the desired dice of vegetables and intensity of spices fresh herbs and lemon vinaigrette. You’ll also find inspiration on what to pair with your Salata Baladi, such as creamy dips, flat bread, grilled seafood and spiced roast meat.
In Toronto, popular Middle Eastern restaurants that may offer traditional Egyptian Salad include Ali Baba’s, Parallel, Byblos, Tabule, Fat Pasha, Maha’s, Masrawy Kitchen and Paramount Fine Foods.
My Family Loves Salata Baladi
When my family moved to Oakville the first restaurant we visited was a local Egyptian restaurant called Agabi. Ranked as one of the best restaurants in Oakville, Agabi, became our family’s go-to Middle Eastern take out joint.
We’ve been eating at Agabi for years and have tasted almost every dish on the menu. Each member of my family has discovered a favourite dish, that we always seem to consistently order.
My father loves the Creamy Chicken, muddled with mushrooms and onions. My mother is a fan of the Lamb Shashlik, grilled to perfection with green pepper and mushroom. My sister always orders the Chicken Pineapple, marinated boneless chicken served with crispy bacon and juicy pineapple. I’ve always had a heart for Agabi’s signature Chicken Shawarma Plate, best served alongside Salata Baladi, aromatic rice and a pungent puddle of toum garlic sauce.
After discovering the perfect Egyptian Salad at Agabi, my family would always seek out the next best thing. We’ve traveled to Israel, Jordan, Egypt and beyond…always keen to experience a new and fresh take on authentic Salata Baladi.
Egyptian Salad Tips
It’s quick & easy to make a fresh and healthy homemade Egyptian Salad in your kitchen.
In order to make the best Salata Baladi we suggest finding the freshest, in-season vegetables at your local grocery store or farmers market. There’s nothing better than biting into a ripe and juicy tomato or perfectly crispy cucumber!
We suggest slicing the vegetables uniformly, using a sharp French knife to achieve a small dice. We don’t like big chunky vegetables in our Egyptian Salad. If you can slice small cubes of cucumber, tomato, peppers and onion, the salad will appear like a finely minced salsa.
You can make your own signature Egyptian Salad by tweaking the portions of each ingredient. If you really love parsley and want to enjoy a more herbaceous flavour profile, feel free to add 2 cups of the fresh herb.
If you enjoy spicy dishes, double or triple the chili powder in our recipe. You could also add freshly sliced Jalapeno Peppers for an additional kick.
If you’re looking to add protein and healthy fat to your Egyptian salad, we suggest topping the Salata Baladi with crumbled feta cheese, olives, boiled egg or tuna.
We love to double this recipe so we enjoy leftovers that linger in the fridge for up to 3 days. Overnight, the diced vegetables marinate in the vinaigrette and spices, offering a perfect salad for breakfast or lunch.
What To Serve With Egyptian Salad
Visit a new Middle Eastern restaurant each week and you’ll find each chef serves their own signature Egyptian Salad recipe.
At breakfast we love to serve Salata Baladi with poached or fried eggs and grilled flatbread like pita.
For lunch or dinner, Egyptian Salad is a healthy accompaniment to Middle Eastern dips, falafels, shawarma, kebab, barbecued seafood and stuffed grape leaves.
If you’re hosting a large dinner party we suggest serving an Egyptian Buffet, rather than building an individual plate for each of your guests. We find folks love a DIY culinary challenge and it’s especially fun for families with kids.
Set your kitchen counter up with bowls of pickles, olives, creamy dips, garlic sauce, grilled meat, barbecued seafood and a large bowl of Salata Baladi. Each guest can create their very own Egyptian Salad bowl from the platter you masterfully create!
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Best Egyptian Salad “Salata Baladi” Recipe
Easy Egyptian Salad Salata Baladi
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- French knife
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 Cucumber finely diced
- 1/2 cup Red onion minced
- 1 cup Flat Leaf Parsley finely chopped
- 1 Bell Pepper finely diced
- 1 Beefsteak Tomato finely diced
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- 3 Lemons zest and juice
- 1/8 tsp Ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/8 tsp Sumac
- 1/2 tsp White Sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add cucumber, red onion, parsley, bell pepper and tomato.
- Add olive oil, lemon juice and zest, cumin, chili powder, sumac and white sugar.
- Toss Salata Baladi until vegetables and vinaigrette are fully combined.
Nutrition
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