Shirazi Salad is a Persian salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. It's crisp, refreshing and goes well with any meal!
If I had to pick my favourite salad, it has to be this Persian Shirazi Salad, also known as Salad-e Shirazi in Farsi.
You only need 3 ingredients for the base and it tastes so good with literally everything! It’s sour, fresh and very popular to serve as a side dish.
Three popular Persian dishes this salad pairs well with my ghormeh sabzi, Persian spaghetti and Persian rice with tahdig.
The simplicity is the best part of a Shirazi salad. You’ll only need cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions.
Take some time and dice everything into tiny cubes, which is a little therapeutic in my eyes. Then toss in the dressing and it’s ready to go.
I’ve been eating Shirazi Salad since childhood, so I might be a little biased here as it’s in my veins, hehe. But in all honesty, I think it will be your new go-to as it pairs well with any meal! I love serving it alongside Persian stews such as Khoresh Bademjan which is an eggplant stew.
This salad also inspired my popular quinoa salad and chickpea avocado salad which are a must-try.
Table of Contents
What is a Shirazi Salad
Shirazi salad or in Farsi (Persian language) called Salad-e Shirazi, originated and adopted its name from a city called Shiraz located in Iran.
The main ingredients are tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions diced into tiny cubes topped with herbs. The dressing is made with olive oil, Ab Ghooreh (an unripe sour grape juice), and salt.
This is the most popular salad in Iran and makes the perfect side dish to complement any meal.
Ingredients to make Shirazi Salad
- Cucumbers, it's important to use Persian cucumbers (or Lebanese) as they are crisper, full of flavor and are less watery.
If you cant access these, you can use regular or English cucumbers. I would suggest to remove the seeds as they are usually quite large and can be watery. - Tomatoes, make sure they are medium firmness, as too hard will have no flavor and too soft will be mushy when diced. Roma or regular tomatoes will do fine
- Red onion is a perfect addition for its sweetness and taste. In this recipe I use less onion than normal, so adjust the quantity based on your preference. Spring onions can also be used as a substitute.
- Lemon - traditionally Ab Ghooreh (unripe sour grape juice) is used for the dressing. It is sometimes harder to find, so I’ve used lemon juice here. Lime juice can also work
- Fresh mint is my herb of choice. Traditionally dried mint is used, however I prefer using fresh herbs. If you're not a fan of mint, I would suggest using fresh Parsley over cilantro or dill
How to make Shirazi Salad
There are many versions of the Shirazi salad with small differences, as this salad is also very popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. This recipe uses cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion as the core ingredients.
Follow my simple steps on how to make it below.
- Dice cucumbers into small cubes. Next chop tomatoes into similar-sized cubes. Then dice the onion into small pieces
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and pour over olive oil and lemon juice then season with salt
Top with fresh mint, mix together and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving
Tips Persian Salad Recipe
- It's best to dress the salad 15 minutes before serving. This allows the salad to absorb the beautiful sour flavours and still say crunchy and fresh
- To avoid the salad becoming watery, you can de-seed the tomatoes. You can always add the seeds to a soup or another dish
- I have only used ½ a red onion as I personally don’t like a very strong onion flavour, however you can increase the amount
- If you’re like me and don’t like the harsh onion flavour, once diced, soak in a small bowl of water for 10 minutes. This leaves a subtle onion taste, which still packs a punch
More Chopped Salads
- Fattoush Salad
- Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Asian Chopped Salad
- Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Farro Salad
- Chopped Greek Salad
- Orzo Salad
- Lentil Salad
More Persian Recipes
- Ghormeh Sabzi
- Barbari Bread (Persian Flatbread)
- Salad Olivieh
- Zereshk Polo
- Lubia Polo (Green Bean Rice)
- Sabzi Polo (Persian Herb Rice)
- Persian Eggplant Dip
- Persian Rice with Crispy Tahdig
- Ash Reshteh (Persian Noodle Soup)
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Shirazi Salad photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Shirazi Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 3 Persian or Lebanese cucumbers
- 2 medium tomatoes
- ½ red onion
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon juiced (approx 4-5 tablespoons) or traditionally used Ab Ghooreh (unripe sour grape juice)
- Handful fresh mint leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Dice cucumbers and tomatoes into small cubes, approximately the same size and chop the mint leaves
- Next dice the onion into smaller sized cubes. I prefer to also soak in water for 10 minutes to remove the harsh flavor
- Add the dressing ingredients to a jar or small bowl and stir together
- Add the chopped veggies and mint to a large bowl and pour over the dressing. Stir together and allow it to sit for 10 minutes for the flavors to develop.Serve up your delicious Shirazi Salad alongside any meal and enjoy!
Julie says
This recipe looked and sounded so easy and I was not disappointed! It’s deliciously fresh and I’ll definitely be making it again and again.
Thank you Ayeh!
Ayeh says
Its so easy right! So happy you loved it Julie 🙂
Agnes says
Delicious colorful salad. You eat with your eyes first and this salad looks and taste delicious. I made it couple times already and it is a keeper in our house. Thank you
Ayeh says
This is so lovely to hear Agnes! I totally agree 🙂
Luz Adriana says
This is an amazing recipe and way to complete your meal! It's healthy and easy to prepare; on the other hand, I read once that your plate should have different colors in order to get all the nutrients... this recipe is perfect for that. Regards from Mexico City!
Ayeh says
So true Luz!! I love adding it to every dish, so glad you love it as much as I do 🙂
Monica G says
This is such a simple and delicious salad! My kids (2, 6) absolutely love it! All their favorites in one. Apart from the tiny dicing, it’s easy to put together. And the dicing really isn’t that big of a deal breaker for me. The size of the veg really makes a difference in the one bite ratio, so it’s worth it. Also drinking the dressing at the end is . This will be a go-to in our house for sure.
Ayeh says
This is so lovely to hear Monica!! I love that your kids loved it too 🙂 The tiny dicing does make the biggest difference doesnt it xxx
Rania Mk says
Easiest and most delecious salad, you would make it at last minute and everybody will just fall in love, Thanks for Sharing Ayeh
Ayeh says
So true dear! Its such a crowd pleaser 🙂
Rich S. says
What do you think of adding chickpeas and perhaps some peppers to the salad as a variation? I don't want to overcomplicate the salad, but as more of a main course for someone who can't eat meat, would it be good in your opinion?
Ayeh says
Yes of course! I love adding chickpeas and quinoa to this too 🙂 Check out my Quinoa salad and my Chickpea Avocado salad here on my website 🙂
Tara says
Saw this recipe pop up on Instagram and immediately had to give it a crack! So easy, most importantly delicious!
Super refreshing and my new “chameleon” go to salad- blends in with everything!!
Yummmmm
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy you loved it Tara!!! Your shirazi looked amazing!
Angelia says
You popped up on FB yesterday and I clicked on your link. I made this salad today and it is so easy and fresh. I Love It!
Definitely going to make it again
I subscribed and are happy to follow
Thanks for the great recipes Ayeh!
Ayeh Manfre says
So happy you loved this one Angelia 🙂
Sarah says
Yes!! Salade Shirazi is the best. It’s good with any meal. It can also be a great appetizer. Nooshe jan 🙂
Ayeh Manfre says
The absolute best!!!
Colleen says
This is sooo delicious. So light and refreshing. thank you!
Ayeh Manfre says
Wonderful to hear, so glad you liked it!
Anna says
Made this yesterday and its delicious so fresh and light. Only problem is that cucumber keeps repeating on me which spoils the enjoyment. I've tried different varieties, peeling them, cutting all the seeds out - but it keeps happening. So unfortunately for me this has to be an occasional treat rather than a fridge staple.
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you liked it Anna, sorry to hear this about the repeating. Are you sure its not the onion? As it does it to me too, this is why I soak the onion in water to also stop this xxx
Regina says
Easy and delicious!!
Ayeh Manfre says
Wonderful to hear!!
Mary Denise Webster says
I love this salad all my Persian friends will be ecstatic!
Ayeh Manfre says
Love to hear this!!!
Renuka says
Healthy and delicious
Ayeh Manfre says
One of my all time favorites too 🙂
Lori says
This so simple to make and one of the most refreshing salads I’ve ever eaten. Now it’s the only salad I make. My friends as well.
Ayeh Manfre says
That's so lovely to hear! It's a staple in my home and I'm so happy you love it so much too xx
BC says
Simple and delicious. Part of the charm is the geometry of the pieces. Substituted a red bell pepper for one of the tomatoes. Also added a green Thai chili; could’ve used two.
Ayeh Manfre says
So glad you love this recipe, I love the tiny pieces too 🙂