Turkish Acili Ezme Salad

Turkish Acili Ezme Salad is a spicy Turkish dip/appetizer commonly served at restaurants alongside a basket of warm Turkish Pide Bread or Pita Bread.

This flavorful and nutritious dip is made from a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs, which are finely chopped and mixed together with olive oil and spices.

It is very easy to make this delicious ezme salad at home and customize it to your taste.

Jump to:

• What is Turkish Acili Ezme Salad?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Turkish Acili Ezme Salad?
• Top Tips From the Che
• How to Serve Turkish Ezme Salad?
• Storage Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Turkish Acili Ezme Salad

You can serve this spicy ezme sauce as an appetizer, a condiment, or a part of a mezze spread.

It also works great as an accompaniment salad/salsa to any grilled meat or kebabs.

What is Turkish Acili Ezme Salad?

Turkish Acili Ezme Salad is a spicy and flavorful salad or dip that is popular in Turkish cuisine.

It is also known as "spicy mashed salad" or "Turkish salsa" due to its texture and flavor.

The salad is made from a mixture of fresh vegetables and herbs, including tomatoes, onions, peppers, and parsley, which are finely chopped and blended together to create a smooth and slightly chunky consistency.

The salad also contains garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil, which add to its flavor and texture.

The "acili" in Acili Ezme Salad refers to the spiciness of the dish, which comes from the addition of hot red peppers or pepper flakes.

The level of spiciness can vary depending on personal preference, but it is typically considered a mildly spicy dish.

Acili Ezme is a popular dish in Turkish restaurants around the world and is also easy to make at home, using fresh ingredients and a food processor or blender to achieve the desired texture.

Why This Recipe Works?

• You can take this refreshing Turkish salsa to a summer party or picnics, it is a delicious summer dish.

• It is very easy to make this delicious Turkish ezme salad in just 15 minutes, with no cooking required.

• You can adjust this spicy Turkish Salad to your taste by tweaking the portions of each ingredient. 

• This tasty vegan salad has a delightful mixture of sweet, spicy, refreshing, and zingy flavors.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Ingredients For the Salad

• Tomatoes - They are the star ingredient of this recipe. Use the tastiest tomatoes you can find to get the best result. I prefer beefsteak or Roma tomatoes but any type would work fine as long as they are tasty and juicy.

• Green peppers - Traditionally, thin, long, and crunchy Turkish sivri biber is used for this ezme recipe. They might be very hot or mild so it would be a good idea to taste them before using them and then decide how much to use. Alternatively, you can use any green pepper you can find.

• Red pepper - I use romano peppers but any sweet type of red pepper works with this recipe.

• Onion - One small onion is enough for this salad. Use any type you can find.

• Parsley - It is one of my favorite herbs that add flavor and brightness to salads. It is very popular to use this aromatic herb in many Turkish salad recipes such as Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad) and Coban Salatasi (Turkish Shepherd Salad).

Ezme Salad Dressing

• Pomegranate molasses - It is a thick syrup made with pomegranate juice and is commonly used in Middle Eastern / Turkish recipes. It has an intense sweet-and-sour flavor and is perfect to use for salad dressings or marinade. You can buy it from most Turkish / Middle Eastern shops or online from Amazon . Don't substitute it with any other molasses. Instead, use extra lemon juice.

• Lemon juice - It is the perfect element that adds freshness to salads and is commonly used in dressings. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not bottled ones. You can reduce or increase the amount depending on how tangy you'd like your salad to be. 

• Red pepper paste - It is a rich, delicious paste made with juicy, spicy red peppers and I use it quite often in my Turkish recipes. You can buy red pepper paste from Turkish or Middle Eastern shops or online from Amazon. Alternatively, you can substitute tomato paste for red pepper paste and add some extra chili flakes to the salad.

• Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it online from Amazon.

• Pul biber - Hot red pepper flakes called "pul biber" in Turkish are the main spice for this ezme salad. You can buy them from Turkish or Middle Eastern shops as well as online from Amazon.

How to Make Turkish Acili Ezme Salad?

This is a very simple recipe and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:

Prepare the Dressing

Turn the garlic into a paste using a pestle and mortar, or finely grate using a Microplane and place it in a bowl.

Add the red pepper paste, tomato paste, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt, pul biber, and dried mint to the bowl.

Give them a good stir using a whisk or a spoon and set them aside.

Prepare the Vegetables

Finely dice the tomatoes, peppers (both red and green), and onion using a sharp knife.

Place them in a large bowl.

Alternatively, you can use a food processor to chop your vegetables.

The texture and the taste will be different than the hand-chopped but it will save you time if you are in a rush. 

Finely chop the parsley leaves and add them to the vegetables.

Add the sauce to the vegetables, stir well until all combined, and place the Turkish ezme salad in a serving bowl.

Drizzle extra olive oil and pomegranate molasses over it when serving.

Top Tips From the Che

• Same as all salad recipes, Acili Ezme Salad relies on the flavor of fresh vegetables and herbs. It's important to use the freshest and highest quality ingredients you can find.

• The level of spiciness can be adjusted by adding more or less hot peppers or pepper flakes. It's best to start with a small amount and add more gradually until the desired level of spiciness is reached.

• If using a food processor to chop your vegetables, make sure you hand-chop the parsley as it will make the whole mixture watery when blitzed in a food processor.

• Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not bottled ones.

• Acili Ezme Salad tastes best when it has had a chance to sit and allow the flavors to meld together. I highly recommend letting the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

• There are no strict rules about the exact amount of ingredients we use for this recipe. We all have our own preferences, and this recipe can easily be adjusted accordingly! Take this recipe as a starting point and create your own version by tweaking the vegetables and spices.

How to Serve Turkish Ezme Salad?

You can serve it with any grilled meat or kebab dishes like our ultimate Turkish Lahmacun, Lamb Shish Kebab, Adana Kebap, Cokertme Kebabi, or Baked Turkish Meatballs.

Alternatively, you can serve it as a part of a mezze spread along with Pacanga Boregi, Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt with Cucumbers), and Icli Kofte (Turkish Kibbeh).

Turkish Ezme Salad is also a great addition to many stir-fry dishes or stews such as Steak Picado (Bistek Picado), Wet Burrito Recipe with Ground Beef, Et Sote (a delicious Turkish beef stir-fry dish), or Bamya (Turkish Okra Stew).

Whichever way you serve it, make sure there’s plenty of delicious fresh bread, such as Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread) to mop up all those delicious juices.

Storage Instructions

To store Acili Ezme Salad, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

Before serving, give the salad a quick stir and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

I don't recommend freezing this fresh salad as it contains fresh vegetables. The flavor and texture of the salad would change when frozen.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious and healthy Turkish Vegan Dishes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this spicy Turkish Acili Ezme as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun! 

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