Salad Shirazi Recipe

Salad Shirazi (Persian cucumber and tomato salad) is a light, simple, delicious salad packed with fresh vegetables and herbs. This salad is a great option for serving along with Persian and Middle Eastern dishes. The fresh blend of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and herbs drizzled with a tangy lime juice.

About This Recipe

Salad Shirazi is a light and easy-to-make dish that only takes a few minutes to whip up. This salad originated from Shiraz, a city located in the south of Iran. Complete your dinner or lunch table with this refreshing and crisp cucumber and tomato salad. Once you try it, you are going to make it over and over again! Vibrantly colored, and loaded with crispy cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and crisp red onions tossed in tangy fresh lime juice or Ab-Ghooreh (sour grape juice). Finally, you should sprinkle a tiny pinch of dried mint, salt, and black pepper to enhance its flavor.

Why You Will Love Salad Shirazi

• Easy to Make. Complete your dinner or lunch table with this super easy and crisp cucumber and tomato salad. The ingredients of this salad are always available and it comes together quickly.
• Loaded with flavors: This salad is full of flavors and drizzled with a zingy dressing.
• Customizing the recipe. You can customize the salad dressing according to your taste.

Salad Shirazi Ingredients

• Cucumbers: For making salad Shirazi you should opt for thin-skinned, crispy, and fresh Persian cucumbers. If Persian cucumbers are not available, you can use English cucumbers. English cucumbers are seedless and crunchy, but they are more watery than Persian cucumbers. In the classic recipe, cucumbers are peeled but if cucumbers have nice thin skin, you don’t have to peel them.
• Tomatoes: Use ripe but firm tomatoes that will hold up well in the salad.
• Onion: Raw onions can add a nice crunchy texture to salads. If you do not like the taste of onions in salads, you can ignore them. I usually use red onions for salads, but you can also use white onions. Red and white onions have a milder flavor, which makes them a great ingredient in salads.
• Salt and black pepper: Sprinkle salad with salt and black pepper to enhance the flavor.
• Salad dressing: You can simply use freshly squeezed lemon juice, lime juice, or a combination of olive oil and apple cider vinegar as the dressing for this salad.
• Herbs: Dried mint adds a mild and refreshing flavor to the salad. If you don’t have Dried Mint on hand you can use mint tea leaves.

How to Make Shirazi Salad

• Dice the cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion into small same-sized pieces and add them to a bowl.
• Add dried mint and sprinkle salad with salt and black pepper.
• Add Ab-Ghooreh or freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice. Toss all the salad ingredients together.

Expert Tips

• Use fresh, firm, and thin-skinned cucumbers and tomatoes for an eye-catching and appetizing salad. You can also dice cucumbers with peel.
• Using a sharp paring knife, dice cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion evenly.
• If you don’t have dried mint, you can use some chopped mint leaves, but be careful that fresh mint has a stronger flavor and aroma and can affect the overall taste of the salad.
• Sprinkle a pinch of sumac over the salad as a seasoning to add a unique and tangy taste.

Pairings

• Salad Shirazi is a simple yet tasty salad that can be enjoyed as a side dish or a light dinner or lunch on its own.
• This salad is a delightful combination of crispness, freshness, and tanginess that pairs well with Persian foods. Serve salad Shirazi with Loobia Polo, Ghormeh Sabzi, Tahchin, or Khoresht Gheimeh and enjoy its heavenly taste.

Make-Ahead and Storage

This salad tastes better if you let it sit for about 30 minutes in the fridge or so to allow the flavors to emerge. It is not recommended to store it in the refrigerator for more than this time because its texture will lose its crispness and become watery.

FAQs

What Is Persian Salad Made Of?

Persian salad is a refreshing and light dish that is often enjoyed during the summer months when juicy tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers are available. To make this salad, cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes are typically diced to the same size.

Did you like the Salad Shirazi recipe? Leave your comment below and If you make this recipe, be sure to tag your photos #yummynotes

Looking for More Persian Recipes?

• Kookoo Sabzi Recipe
• Khoresht Karafs Recipe
• Tahchin Recipe 
• Albaloo Polo Recipe
• Baghali Polo Recipe
• Mirza Ghasemi Recipe

Salad Shirazi

Serves: 3 Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 16 voted )

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Ingredients

• 3 Persian cucumbers, diced
• 2 ripe and firm tomatoes, diced
• ¼ medium red onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Ab-Ghooreh or freshly squeezes lime or lemon juice (about one medium lime or lemon)

Instructions

Step 1

Dice the cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion into small same-sized pieces and add them to a bowl.

Step 2
Add dried mint and sprinkle salad with salt and black pepper.

Step 3

Add Ab-Ghooreh or freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice. Toss all the salad ingredients together.