Salad Shirazi (Persian Cucumber Tomato Salad)

Salad Shirazi is a Persian cucumber tomato salad that’s easy and packed with flavors. This classic Persian salad can be served with any main dish. 

When it comes to appetizers and side dishes, I love going down the Persian route because it’s always fresh, light and flavorful. From Persian appetizer platter and mast o khiar (yogurt and cucumber) to borani (mast esfenaj), everything is made with fresh and simple ingredients that you can find easily. This 3-ingredient salad is another Persian staple that I cannot wait to share with you! You can serve it alongside many dishes including ghromeh sabzi (Persian herb stew) and lubia polo (lamb and green bean mixed rice). 

Who’s in for a healthy, light and flavorful salad? Salad Shirazi is going to be your new favorite salad! Of all the side dishes in Persian cuisine, this one is indeed my all time favorite. This Persian tomato cucumber salad is a side dish and its bright flavor compliments the main dish without being overpowering or even filling. 

What is salad shirazi?

Each country has its own traditional salad. Greeks have horiatiki -Traditional Greek salad and Turks have Gavurdagi (Turkish walnut salad). And us Iranians have our beloved salad shirazi, a simple combination of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions with an abundance of flavor.  

Salad Shirazi has two words: Salad, which is what we call salad in Farsi and Shirazi which means from Shiraz, a city in the south west of Iran, located in Fars province. I’ve been to Shiraz only once but I can easily say it’s one of the most beautiful cites in Iran. With all its flowers and amazing weather, Shiraz is a must visit in spring.

The origins

As far as I know, this Persian salad originated from Shiraz and through years it has made its way to many tables around the world. It’s probably the fresh flavor and crisp texture of this salad that has made it one of the staples in Persian cuisine since it compliments the flavors of the main dishes very well. Also, the simplicity and its quick preparation time makes it a perfect healthy side dish on the busy days.

The ingredients

Salad shirazi is made of 3 main ingredients and a simple dressing. Let’s take a look at the components. 

Cucumbers

We traditionally use Persian cucumbers to make this recipe since they are seedless and very crisp. However, if that’s not available, English cucumbers work as well, but make sure to scoop the seeds out. You want the cucumbers to be fresh and firm. They are usually chopped into small pieces. You don’t need to peel the cucumbers. 

Tomatoes

Same as Turkish tomato salad, we are looking for fresh and firm tomatoes to make this recipe. Make sure they’re not too seedy and if they are, remove the soft seedy parts. The tomatoes are also going to be chopped finely. 

Onions

Red onions are the best to make this recipe. The amount of onion depends on how much you like them in your salad. I usually go for one small red onion or half of a larger one. 

The combination of these vegetables with a simple dressing which is traditionally made with unripe grape juice known as verjuice (ab-ghooreh), dried mint, salt and pepper. However, verjuice in not available at all times so for acidity and that bright flavor, we can use lemon juice.

Pro tip: Don’t skip the dried mint! Dried mint brings so much flavor to this simple salad and that’s what makes it different from every other salad you’ve had.

How to make Salad Shirazi

1. Wash and dry the cucumbers, tomatoes and onion.
2. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 3-4 pieces lengthwise. Chop the cucumber finely. Add them to a large bowl.
3. Cut the tomatoes in half, if they’re too seedy, discard the soft seedy part and slice the tomatoes into strips. Chop them finely and add them to the cucumbers. 
4. Chop the red onion finely as well and add it to the cucumbers and tomatoes. Give it a nice stir to combine. 
5. Add in lemon juice, dried mint, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt if needed. 

Serving suggestions

Salad Shirazi is usually served with Persian rice dishes and main courses such as Adas Polo (Persian Lentil Rice), or Meygoo polo (shrimp and rice) as a side dish. I also love serving it with Persian herb rice and saffron chicken. It also makes a great side for grilled dishes such as zaatar chicken, joojeh kabab or beef shish kabob. 

The acidity and freshness of this salad pairs well with many different dishes and brings more flavor to the table.

Notes and tips

• This cucumber and tomato salad salad is best served chilled. Make it a couple of hours ahead of time and refrigerate it so the vegetables absorb the flavors of the dressing. Sometimes, vegetables starts releasing their juice and that’s fine.
• To make this recipe you need to use seedless cucumbers or ones with very small seeds like Persian or English cucumbers. These cucumbers also have very delicate skin so no peeling is needed. If using regular cucumbers, peel and deseed them.
• You can find dried mint at Middle Eastern, Iranian shops or online. If you don’t have dried mint, 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint would work, too.
• Tomatoes, cucumbers and onions are usually chopped very finely for this recipe. Chopping the veggies into very small pieces would help them absorb more flavor.

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Salad Shirazi (Persian Cucumber Tomato Salad)

Salad Shirazi is a light and easy Persian salad that is a delicious alternative to the usual side dishes. It's refreshing, healthy and very simple to make. 

Course Salad

Cuisine Persian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Calories 65kcal

Author Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

• 3 Persian or English Cucumbers
• 1/2 Red Onion
• 2 Tomatoes
• 4 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 tbsp Dried Mint
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

• Cut the cucumbers, onion and tomatoes into very small pieces.
• Mix them in a bowl and drizzle lemon juice. 
• Add in dried mint, salt and pepper. Toss to combine the salad with the dressing. 
• Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then serve.

Video

Notes

• You can add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the dressing if you like. 
• It's possible to use lime juice instead of lemon juice for this recipe. However, traditionally the recipe calls for verjuice (unripe grape juice).
• You can refrigerate and use the leftovers for up to 2 days. 
• This salad is best served chilled. Make it a couple of hours ahead of time and refrigerate it so the vegetables absorb the flavors of the dressing. Sometimes, vegetables starts releasing their juice and that's fine. If you like the veggies to be chunkier, add the dressing right before serving.
• To make this Persian salad, you need to use seedless cucumbers or ones with very small seeds like Persian or English cucumbers. These cucumbers also have very delicate skin so no peeling is needed. If using regular cucumbers, peel and deseed them.
• You can find dried mint at Middle Eastern or Iranian shops. If you don't have dried mint, 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint would work, too.
• Tomatoes, cucumbers and onions are usually chopped very finely for this recipe. Chopping the veggies into very small pieces would help them absorb more flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 955IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg