This Persian Shirazi Salad Recipe is an excellent choice if you want to add a fresh and flavorful Mediterranean salad recipe to your repertoire.
Made with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, tangy red onions, and a refreshing lime and olive oil dressing, this colorful and delicious salad is incredibly easy to make.
All you need are a few simple ingredients to create a healthy and satisfying dish that's perfect for any occasion.

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The Persian Shirazi Salad or Salad-e Shirazi is a versatile dish that makes a perfect accompaniment to many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, such as Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas), Kiymali Borek (Turkish Meat Burek), Ghormeh Sabzi - Persian Herb Stew, Moroccan Harira Lamb and Chickpeas Soup, or Karadeniz Pidesi.
With its simple ingredients and easy preparation, this fresh and vibrant salad is a breeze to whip up on a busy weeknight, making it a great addition to your mealtime rotation.
What is Shirazi Salad
Similar to Coban Salatasi (Turkish Shepherd's Salad), Shirazi salad is a fresh and colorful dish that originates from Iran. It's typically made with diced fresh vegetables such as crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and tangy red onions.
The salad is then tossed together in a bowl with a simple mixture of olive oil, lime juice, and salt, which gives it a tangy and zesty flavor.
Just like the Zershk Polo Morgh (Persian Barberry Rice with Chicken), Shirazi Salad is a staple in Iranian households during celebrations and holidays, such as Nowruz (the Persian New Year).
It is also a popular dish in Persian restaurants and cafes across the globe.
The dish's name Salad-e Shirazi comes from the beautiful southwestern city of Shiraz in Iran, which is famous for its rich culture and history.
While this salad is traditionally made with ab-ghooreh, a grape juice made from unripened grapes that gives the salad a sour flavor, my version of the recipe uses lime juice for a bright and refreshing taste.
Why This Recipe Works?
- Persian Shirazi Salad is a simple and easy-to-follow recipe that takes only a few minutes to prepare.
- It's a perfect side dish that pairs perfectly with a variety of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes.
- Also, this gorgeous and refreshing salad will definitely impress your dinner guests.
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.
- Tomatoes - Ideally, you should use juicy and ripe summer tomatoes. My favorite is Roma tomatoes, however, any flavourful tomato will work great.
- Cucumbers - For maximum flavor and crunch, I prefer small Turkish or Persian cucumbers. They are more flavorful and less watery than the regular, long varieties. You can substitute them with English cucumbers.
- Red Onions - Onions are another key ingredient here and I prefer using red onions for their color and strong flavor. You can use shallot if you prefer a milder taste.
- Peppers - I prefer using long Turkish green peppers for this Persian Salad recipe. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers.
- 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 Mediterranean salad recipes such as Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad) and Ezme Salad (Acili Ezme).
- Sumac - It is a popular spice in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It is a versatile seasoning that adds bright red color and tartness to a dish. You can buy it from the majority of large supermarkets as well as online from Amazon.
- Olive oil - I use good quality extra virgin olive oil for my salad dressings as it makes a huge difference in taste.
- Lime - The recipe is originally made with ab-ghooreh, but you can use lime or lemon juice to add tanginess to your salad.
How to Make Shirazi Salad (Salad-e Shirazi)?
This delicious and vibrant Shirazi Salad - Salad-e Shirazi is super quick and simple to make.
However, to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple tips:
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.
Prepare the Dressing and Toss it with Vegetables
To make the dressing, simply place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and give them a good stir.
Toss the chopped vegetables and herbs with the dressing until everything is well coated in the dressing.
You can also use a mason jar to make your salad dressing.
Simply put everything in a jar, close the lid tightly, and give it a good shake until all is combined.
Alternatively, you can add the dressing ingredients on top of the diced vegetables and then mix the salad until all is nicely combined.
Top Tips From the Chef
- As with any fresh salad, use the best and freshest ingredients you can possibly get. Always use extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lime juice for the dressing.
- The vegetables for Persian Shirazi Salad should be fairly finely chopped, but not so small that the vegetables become mushy. They are meant to be fresh and crunchy.
- Make sure you taste the salad dressing before you add it to your vegetables and adjust the amount of the ingredients to your taste.
- Toss the salad well to ensure that the dressing is evenly distributed throughout the dish.
- Dress the salad 15 minutes before serving to allow the vegetables to absorb the beautiful tangy flavors while staying crunchy and fresh.
What to Serve with Shirazi Salad?
Shirazi Salad is a great side dish that pairs perfectly with almost everything from kebabs to casseroles.
To name a few, try this refreshing and vibrant salad with Salmon and Spinach Pasta, Zeytinyagli Kereviz Yemegi - Braised Celeriac, Kuzu Tandir Kebab - Turkish Roasted Lamb, Lox Bagel - Smoked Salmon Bagel with Cream Cheese,Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese (Baked), Steak Picado (Bistek Picado), and Turkish Lahmacun.
In Iran, it is also commonly served as part of a meze platter with other small dishes or as a light meal on its own.
Storage Instructions
If you have leftover Shirazi Salad, you can store it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
However, keep in mind that the longer the salad sits, the softer the vegetables and herbs will become.
To help the salad stay fresh, you can store the vegetables and the dressing separately, and mix them together just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make Shirazi Salad in advance, but it is best to wait until just before serving to add the dressing.
You can chop the vegetables and herbs up to a few hours in advance, keep them in the refrigerator until ready to serve, and add the dressing last minute.
If you add the dressing too early, the vegetables will release their juices, and the vegetables will become watery and lose their crispness.
You can prepare the dressing up to 2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container.
Yes, Shirazi Salad aligns well with the principles of a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fresh vegetables, herbs, and olive oil. It's a healthy and flavorful addition to this dietary lifestyle.
Related Recipes
For more delicious chopped salad recipes 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 delicious, healthy, and colorful Persian Shirazi Salad Recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Persian Shirazi Salad Recipe
Equipment
- 1 peeler
Ingredients
For the Chopped Salad
- 2 Persian or Turkish cucumbers
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 1 Turkish green pepper, or ½ green bell pepper, or 3 Padron peppers
- ½ cup parsley (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
Preparing the Chopped Salad
- 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 even 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.
Prepare the Dressing and Toss it with Vegetables
- To make the dressing, simply place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and give them a good stir.
- Toss the chopped vegetables and herbs with the dressing until everything is well coated in the dressing.
- Alternatively, you can add the dressing ingredients on top of the diced vegetables and then mix the salad until all is nicely combined.
Notes
- As with any fresh salad, use the best and freshest ingredients you can possibly get. Always use extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lime juice for the dressing.
- The vegetables for Persian Shirazi Salad should be fairly finely chopped, but not so small that the vegetables become mushy. They are meant to be fresh and crunchy.
- Make sure you taste the salad dressing before you add it to your vegetables and adjust the amount of the ingredients to your taste.
- Toss the salad well to ensure that the dressing is evenly distributed throughout the dish.
- Dress the salad 15 minutes before serving to allow the vegetables to absorb the beautiful tangy flavors while staying crunchy and fresh.
- If you have leftover Shirazi Salad, you can store it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. However, keep in mind that the longer the salad sits, the softer the vegetables and herbs will become.
- Shirazi Salad is a nutritious and low-calorie dish that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. There is only 196 kcal in a large portion of Shirazi Salad!
Nutrition
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Sonia
This was Incredibly delicious and so easy to make. Will be making it again soon.