Jerusalem Salad Recipe

Prepare tomatoes

Core and dice the tomatoes into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. If tomatoes are very juicy, scoop out some seeds before dicing to avoid watering down the salad.

Prepare cucumber

Peel part of the cucumber if desired and slice lengthwise, remove seeds if large, then dice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces to match tomato size.

Chop herbs and onion

Stack and finely chop the flat-leaf parsley leaves (remove thick stems) until you have about 1 cup packed. Finely mince the red onion into small dice (so it disperses through the salad). If using mint, chop finely as well.

Combine salad ingredients

Place the diced tomatoes, cucumber, chopped parsley, minced red onion, and optional mint in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss to combine.

Crush the garlic clove with the side of a knife and finely mince or grate it. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, and minced garlic. The tahini will seize and thicken—slowly add the warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, while whisking until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency (about the thickness of heavy cream).

Whisk in the 2 tablespoons olive oil, ground cumin, 1/2 tsp sea salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust: add a little more lemon juice if you want more brightness, or a splash more water to thin.

Pour about half of the tahini dressing over the tossed salad. Gently fold to coat the vegetables evenly. Taste and add additional dressing as desired—reserve some to drizzle at serving if you like a pronounced tahini flavor.

Season the salad with the finishing 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste), 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Toss gently and taste again, adjusting salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.

If using, sprinkle the crumbled feta over the salad just before serving or toss it in gently so it doesn't break up completely.

Transfer to a serving bowl or platter, drizzle any remaining tahini dressing over the top, and serve immediately. The salad keeps chilled for up to 8 hours but is best within a few hours when herbs are fresh.