A fresh tangy traditional Lebanese oregano salad. Perfect as a side salad, on it's own or with bread. Accidentally a vegan salad.
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This fresh oregano salad is simply amazing. The taste is huge. It's zingy from the fresh oregano leaves & white onion and sour from the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Oregano in Arabic is known as 'zouba' pronounced 'zoo-bah'. Most Lebanese people love to eat this oregano salad recipe with fresh Lebanese bread, the combination is sensational. I love eating this salad for breakfast on gluten-free toast.
Oregano leaves in salad are wonderful, they can be eaten whole, as they a small leaves or they can be chopped up. It's a personal choice when making this oregano salad. Depending on my mood, I might make it either way.
In my mother's garden there's quite a bit of fresh oregano growing. It's a very hardy plant, that requires little maintenance. In this accidentally vegan salad recipe, I will be showing you how to use fresh oregano. From garden to table.
How to use Fresh Oregano
For the purpose of this salad, we will be using the leaves only. To extract the oregano leaves from the stem:
- Hold the top of the stem, by grabbing the top leaves
- Using your other hand, clasp the stem under the hand holding the leaves and run it along the stem in a downwards motion. This will take all the leaves off with one swoop rather than picking the leaves one by one.
To non-Lebanese people, this may be viewed as an unusual salad, but fact is unusual Lebanese recipes aren't unusual at all. They are mostly using fresh produce, which is a staple in the Lebanese diet. Fresh herbed leaves are a must. What are some of your favourite fresh herb leaves? Let me know below in the comments section. Of course, fresh oregano leaves are amongst my favourites.
Another fresh herb or green that may be unusual to some is Bakleh, this is known as Purslane. I adore this green, it's has a fabulous sour lemony flavour and can be used in salads as well as cooking. I make an amazing Purslane Pockets Lebanese Bakleh using puff pastry.
How to make Lebanese oregano salad video:
📝Oregano Salad Video Notes
- I find using a lettuce spinner to dry greens to be very effective and results in less bruising.
- I use a hand chopper as it's mucher quicker than using a knife and does a really good job.
🥘 INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups Fresh oregano Leaves only
- 1 med White Onion finely diced
- ¼ cup Olive Oil extra virgin (to taste)
- ½ cup Lemon juice fresh (to taste)
- 1 pinch Salt to taste
🔪SALAD INSTRUCTIONS
- Separate oregano leaves from stalks. Wash & dry thoroughly
- In a mixing bowl, add fresh oregano leaves, finely diced onion, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and toss salad together.
- Serve.
💭RECIPE TIPS
- Fresh oregano is best prepared as soon as it is harvested as the leaves will bruise black. Black doesn't mean the leaves have turned bad.
- Store this prepared salad in the fridge in a snap-locked container for up to 3 days. Note, the leaves will start to brown/blacken.
- If storing this salad in the fridge for a few days, the flavours will infuse and enhance further, the leaves will wilt.
- To lessen wastage, use oregano stems as a tea. Simply, cut the stems into smaller pieces, place them into a tea ball infuser and add boiling hot water. Enjoy sweetened or unsweetened. Start with a smaller amount and adjust, as oregano is a strong herb.
- Any leftover juices should be mopped up with bread and enjoyed.
💡RECIPE VARIATIONS
- Leaves can be chopped or left whole
- White onion is sweeter than brown, but brown onion can be used. I have even made this with Spanish onion. The colour contrast is pretty.
- The quantities are generally all done by taste. So feel free to adjust the quantities are per your preference.
❓FAQ
No, oregano is not zaatar. Oregano in Arabic is 'zouba'. It is however used in a zaatar blend.
A pungent herb that is peppery, slightly bitter and sharp in taste. It tastes similar to thyme and marjoram.
Oregano contains these properties: loads of fiber, vitamin K, manganese, iron, vitamin E, tryptophan, calcium, anti-bacterial, and is full of anti-oxidants,
Oregano is a strong herb which can be used fresh in salads, in cooking such as sauces, in baking such as herb breads and dried in a blend of Zaatar or dukkah. Oregano is also wonderful as a fresh herbed tea.
Yes. Oregano can be used both in fresh or dried formats. Fresh is best used immediately. Dried oregano can be stored at room temperature for months.
📖Other Lebanese Salad Recipes
📖 Recipe
Fresh Oregano Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups Fresh oregano Leaves only
- 1 med White Onion finely diced
- ¼ cup Olive Oil extra virgin (to taste)
- ½ cup Lemon juice fresh (to taste)
- 1 pinch Salt to taste
Instructions
- Separate oregano leaves from stalks. Wash & dry thoroughly
- In a mixing bowl, add fresh oregano leaves, finely diced onion, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and toss salad together.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
Use bread to mop up any left-over juices
Equipment
Nutrition
Marwan
We ate this salad growing up. But never had it on toast or thought about doing that. That's a great idea that I will do now.
plantbasedfolk
It's really good. Give it a try. I bet you'll enjoy it 😀
YtheWait
Healthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
plantbasedfolk
I like to think so!
😀