Simple Shirazi Salad Recipe
Shirazi Salad, or Salad-e Shirazi, is a simple and bright Persian cucumber and tomato salad that's loaded with herbs and dressed in lime juice and extra virgin olive oil! This quick no-lettuce salad is the perfect side to almost any entree.
Read the full post for additional tips and suggestions for what to serve along!
Ingredients
- 3 Roma tomatoes, small diced
- 1 English cucumber or 4 small Persian cucumbers, small diced
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped onions, red or yellow onions will work here
- 1/2 green bell pepper, optional, chopped into small pieces
- 2 to 3 tbsp EACH chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, and dill
- 1 tbsp dried mint or 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
- Salt and pepper
- Sumac to taste (optional)
- Juice of 2 large limes (about 4 tbsp)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil I used Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place diced tomatoes for a few minutes in a colander to release excess liquid. (I don't remove the seeds, so this step helps.)
- In a large bowl, place the diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and bell peppers.
- To flavor, add fresh herbs, dried mint, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add sumac (I started with 1 tsp). Finally, add lime juice, and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine.
- If you have the time, cover and chill this salad in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour for best taste.
Video
Notes
- Cook's Tip #1: Vegetables for this salad need to be diced very small or chopped. This is not just for looks, but also texture and flavor as the small-diced/chopped veggies will quickly absorb flavor.
- Cook's Tip #2: If you like this salad more on the crunchy side, don't dress it with the lime juice and olive oil until you're ready to serve. If you'd like the veggies to marinate a little bit, for a juicier, flavorful salad, then go ahead and add the lime juice and olive oil. Cover and chill the salad for 30 minutes or so to allow the flavors to meld.
- Cook's Tip #3: Sumac is a wonderful deep red spice which comes from sumac berries. It's used quite often in Persian and Mediterranean cooking to add depth and a pleasant tang. It's optional for this recipe, but I highly recommend adding it if you can.
- Visit our Online Store to browse our extra virgin olive oils and all-natural spices including sumac and more!
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