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.
Two very popular Persian dishes this salad pairs well with are Makaroni (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!
This salad also inspired my popular Quinoa Salad and Chickpea Avocado Salad which are a must-try.
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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
Time needed: 10 minutes.
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.
- Prepare ingredients
Dice cucumbers into small cubes. Next chop tomatoes into similar-sized cubes
Then dice the onion into small pieces - Add Dressing
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 mintues before serving
Serve alongside so many dishes such as rice, stews, seafood and meats. I also like adding some chickpeas or even cooked lentils to make it a vegan main meal.
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 Salad Recipes
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to tag @cookingwithayeh and share your Shirazi Salad photo on Instagram so I can share the love.
Recipe
Shirazi Salad
Ingredients
- 3 Persian or Lebanese cucumbers
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ red onion
Dressing
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon squeezed (approx 4-5 tbsp) or traditionally Ab Ghooreh (unripe sour grape juice)
- Handful fresh mint
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Dice cucumbers, tomatoes into small cubes, approximately the same size
- Dice onion into small cubes. I prefer to dice them into smaller sized cubes and soak in water for 10 minutes so the taste isn’t as strong
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and pour over the 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
Julie
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
Its so easy right! So happy you loved it Julie 🙂
Agnes
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
This is so lovely to hear Agnes! I totally agree 🙂
Luz Adriana
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
So true Luz!! I love adding it to every dish, so glad you love it as much as I do 🙂
Monica G
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
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
Easiest and most delecious salad, you would make it at last minute and everybody will just fall in love, Thanks for Sharing Ayeh
Ayeh
So true dear! Its such a crowd pleaser 🙂