Shirazi Salad is a fresh chopped salad from Iran, made with cucumbers, tomatoes and red onion in a tangy lime dressing. It's crunchy, light and a little sour, and it goes with almost any meal. It takes about 10 minutes to put together, and you don't have to cook a thing.
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This easy Persian salad is the same one restaurants serve with kebabs, and it's just as good made at home. I add a Turkish green pepper and a little sumac to mine. You can make it ahead for barbecues and family dinners.
What is Shirazi Salad?
Shirazi Salad, or Salad-e Shirazi in Farsi, is named after the city of Shiraz in southern Iran. The dish is fairly modern and goes back to the late 1800s, when tomatoes first arrived there.
Today it's the most popular salad in the country. It's very similar to the Çoban Salatası we make in Turkey.
Why This Recipe Works?
- All you need is about 10 minutes and a sharp knife.
- Shirazi Salad goes with almost any main dish, and it's light next to rich food.
- It tastes just like the salad you get with kebabs at a Persian restaurant.
- There's no lettuce in it, just crunchy chopped vegetables and herbs.
- I use lime juice in the dressing, and you'll find everything at any supermarket.
- You can chop everything ahead for a party or a barbecue.
- Summer is the best time to make it, when tomatoes and cucumbers are in season.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Cucumbers - Small Turkish or Persian cucumbers are my first choice. They have more flavor and crunch than the big ones, and they're less watery. English cucumbers work well instead.
- Tomatoes - Use ripe tomatoes that are still firm to the touch. Soft ones go mushy when you dice them. My favorite is Roma tomatoes, but any tomato with good flavor works.
- Red Onions - I like red onion for its color and strong flavor. Many Persian recipes use white onion, and a shallot works if you'd like a milder taste.
- Peppers - Long Turkish green peppers are my usual choice. Most are mild, but now and then you get a hot one. You can use green bell pepper or Padron peppers instead, or skip them.
- Parsley - I love parsley in salads, and I use the flat-leaf kind here.
- Mint - I use fresh mint here, but dried works as well. It's much stronger than fresh, so you only need a little.
- Sumac - It's a deep red spice made from dried sumac berries, and it has a sour, lemony taste. I like a pinch in the dressing, and you'll find it in most large supermarkets.
- Olive oil - I use good quality extra virgin olive oil, as it makes a huge difference in taste. You can leave it out if you prefer.
- Lime - Fresh lime juice is my choice, and lemon works well instead. Verjuice is another option, and you can buy it in bottles at Middle Eastern stores and online.
How to Make Shirazi Salad (Salad-e Shirazi)?
The most important thing is to cut all the vegetables into small cubes of about the same size.
Prepare the Vegetables
Peel and cut the cucumbers into small dice. If using large cucumbers, deseed them before dicing. Place them in a bowl.
Chop the tomatoes the same size as the cucumbers and add them to the bowl. If you have the time, peel the tomatoes to make your salad juicier.
Slice the Turkish peppers, dice the red onion, and then scatter them on top of the cucumbers and tomatoes.
Sprinkle on the finely chopped parsley and mint leaves.
Make the Dressing and Toss the Salad
Put the olive oil, lime juice, sumac and salt in a small bowl and give them a good stir.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and herbs, and toss until everything is well coated. Leave the salad for about 15 minutes before serving, then give it one more toss.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Use the best vegetables you can find, and squeeze the lime juice yourself. Bottled lime juice doesn't taste the same.
- Cut everything into small cubes of about the same size. Don't chop them so small that they go mushy.
- If your tomatoes are very juicy, scoop out the seeds before you dice them.
- If raw onion is too strong for you, soak it in cold water for 10 minutes after chopping, then drain it well.
- Taste the dressing before you pour it over the salad. Toss well, then taste again and add a little more lime juice or salt if it needs it.
- Dress the salad about 15 minutes before serving, and no earlier. The salt and lime draw water out of the vegetables, and the salad turns watery if it sits too long.
- Keep the chopped vegetables in the fridge until you dress them, and serve the salad cold.
- Don't pour away the juice at the bottom of the bowl. Spoon it over plain Turkish Rice or dip some crusty Barbari Bread in it.
Variations
- Add a handful of pomegranate seeds in the fall and winter.
- Crumble some feta cheese over the top for a more filling salad.
- For a light lunch, stir in some drained chickpeas.
- Swap the parsley for cilantro or dill, or use a mix of all three.
- Grate a small garlic clove into the dressing for a stronger taste.
- In Iran there's also a creamy version made with mayonnaise. Drain off the juice first, then stir in a spoonful of mayo.
What to Serve with Shirazi Salad?
Shirazi Salad is the classic side for kebabs. Serve it with Joojeh Kabab, Adana Kebab, Lamb Shish Kebab or Kuzu Tandır Kebab.
It goes just as well with rice dishes and stews, like Zereshk Polo, Ghormeh Sabzi, Chicken Kabsa and Kadınbudu Köfte.
Try it with a slice of Kiymali Borek or Karadeniz Pidesi, or a plate of Hamsi Tava.
For a sharing table, put it out with Dolmas - Stuffed Grape Leaves, Kashk e Bademjan, Zeytoon Parvardeh and Mediterranean Hummus Dip. You can spoon it into a warm pita with Lebanese Falafel.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
Shirazi Salad is best on the day you make it. The vegetables go softer the longer they sit, but leftovers are fine in the fridge for up to 2 days. Keep them in an airtight container, and don't freeze the salad.
To make it ahead, chop the vegetables and herbs a few hours early and cover them in the fridge. Mix the dressing in a jar, and it will keep chilled for up to 3 days.
Recipe FAQs
They're very similar chopped salads with cucumber, tomato and onion. Israeli salad often has bell pepper and parsley in it, and it's dressed with lemon juice, olive oil or both. Shirazi Salad comes from Iran, and the traditional version is flavored with dried mint.
Tabbouleh is a Lebanese salad made mostly with chopped parsley, along with fine bulgur, tomato, onion and mint. Shirazi Salad has no bulgur, and cucumber and tomato are the main ingredients, with far fewer herbs.
Yes, it's mostly fresh vegetables and herbs. My recipe is naturally vegan and gluten free, and a serving has about 196 calories. Most of those come from the olive oil.
For Shirazi Salad, the traditional Persian dressing is verjuice, a sour juice made from unripe grapes, with salt and black pepper. Lime or lemon juice is the usual swap, and many people add a little olive oil.
Related Recipes
For more chopped salads, try these recipes:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious, healthy, and colorful Persian Shirazi Salad Recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Shirazi Salad
Ingredients
For the Chopped Salad
- 2 Persian or Turkish cucumbers
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 1 Turkish green pepper (½ green bell pepper, or 3 padron peppers)
- ½ cup parsley (30 g, chopped)
- 1 tablespoon mint leaves (chopped)
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prepare the Vegetables
- Peel and cut the cucumbers into small dice. If using large cucumbers, deseed them before dicing. Place them in a bowl.
- Chop the tomatoes the same size as the cucumbers and add them to the bowl. If you have the time, peel the tomatoes to make your salad juicier.
- Slice the Turkish peppers, dice the red onion, and then scatter them on top of the cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Sprinkle on the finely chopped parsley and mint leaves.
Make the Dressing and Toss the Salad
- Put the olive oil, lime juice, sumac and salt in a small bowl and give them a good stir.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and herbs, and toss until everything is well coated.
- Leave the salad for about 15 minutes before serving, then give it one more toss.
Notes
- Use firm, ripe tomatoes and small Persian or Turkish cucumbers. If you use a large cucumber, peel it and scoop out the seeds.
- Dice everything to about the same size, but not so small that it goes mushy.
- For a milder taste, use a shallot, or soak the chopped onion in cold water for 10 minutes and drain it well.
- Squeeze the lime juice yourself. Lemon or verjuice (sour grape juice) work well instead.
- Dried mint works in place of fresh, but it's much stronger, so use a lot less.
- Taste the dressing, and add more lime juice or salt if it needs it.
- Dress the salad about 15 minutes before serving. If it sits longer, the salt and lime draw water out of the vegetables and it turns watery.
- To make ahead, chop the vegetables and herbs a few hours early and keep them covered in the fridge. The dressing keeps for up to 3 days.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Don't freeze it.
- The recipe is vegan and gluten free. For the traditional version, skip the oil, pepper and parsley, then dress it with verjuice, salt and dried mint.
Sonia says
This was Incredibly delicious and so easy to make. Will be making it again soon.