Jewish · Authentic-ish Jewish
Israeli Salad
90 kcal a serving, against 175 for the traditional version. That is 85 kcal off, or 49%, with 2g of protein. Serves 4. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
The textbook version is simple: 500g ripe tomatoes, 300g cucumber (usually the small Persian sort), 60g red onion, a big bunch of parsley, a proper slug of olive oil (60g), and lemon juice for bite. Dice everything as fine as you can without losing your patience, mix, salt well, and leave just long enough for the juices to pool at the bottom. Serve with pitta or just eat straight from the bowl.
What changed, and what each change costs
Olive oil cut from 60g to 20g
This hurts, but most of the oil just sits at the bottom and never makes it to your mouth anyway, unless you're the kind of person who tips the bowl back when nobody's looking. A single teaspoon per portion is enough to gloss the veg and carry a bit of flavour. Your arteries will thank you; your tastebuds will sulk for a minute.
What it costs you. You lose that thick, silky finish and the sense that you've just eaten something richer than a salad should be. The mouthfeel's gone, and the bowl stays much cleaner. I won't pretend it's just as good, but at least you can go back for seconds without staring at the oil left behind.
More parsley and onion
With less oil, you need a punchier flavour. Extra parsley (20g instead of 15g) and onion (80g instead of 60g) give it some backbone so it doesn't just taste like crunchy water. The salad wakes up a bit and doesn't rely on oil to keep it interesting.
What it costs you. Onion breath is now a real risk if you're not careful. A little sharper, a little brasher, but that's no bad thing at a summer table.
Add a dash more lemon juice
Acid stands in for what the oil did before, bringing everything together. I up it from 30g to 40g for bite and to keep things lively.
What it costs you. More zing, but if your tomatoes aren't sweet, the whole bowl can tip a bit sour. Be picky with your produce or risk a face like you've bitten a battery.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 175 | 90 |
| Protein | 1.9g | 2g |
| Fat | 15.4g | 5.4g |
| Saturated fat | 2.1g | 0.8g |
| Carbohydrate | 9.7g | 10.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.1g | 2.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Jewish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
The traditional version is all about that oil - every bite slick, lush and somehow more luxurious than breakfast has any right to be. Here, it's brighter, sharper, and lighter on the lips. The salad won't coat your mouth the same, but you might appreciate the fact you can eat loads of it without feeling you've had liquid lunch. If you want the real experience, drizzle on more oil and don't apologise. If you like a bit of bite and freshness, this does the job.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Jewish, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.