Salad Shirazi is a Persian cucumber tomato salad that's easy to prepare 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 our mouth-watering 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.
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About this recipe
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. 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 great place to visit in the springtime.
The origins
As far as I know, this Persian salad originated from Shiraz and through the 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, its simplicity and quick preparation time makes it a perfect healthy side dish on 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
Much the 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 type of onion for this recipe. The amount of onion you use depends on how much you like them in your salad. I usually go for one small red onion or half of a larger one.
These vegetables are combined with a simple dressing traditionally made with unripe grape juice known as verjuice (ab-ghooreh), dried mint, salt and pepper. However, verjuice is of course not always available so for acidity and brightness we can simply 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.
Instructions
- Wash and dry the cucumbers, tomatoes and onion.
- 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.
- 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.
- Chop the red onion finely as well and add it to the cucumbers and tomatoes. Give everything a nice stir to combine.
- 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. It also makes a great side for grilled dishes such as zaatar chicken or beef shish kabob.
The acidity and freshness of this salad pairs well with many different dishes and brings more flavor to the table.
Frequently asked questions
It's best to make and serve this salad on the same day. I usually make it a couple of hours before serving and refrigerate it so the flavors combine.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to making a salad. However, classic salad shirazi doesn't contain any herbs but dried mint. You can add fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro if desired, but it's not going to be the classic.
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.
- You can find dried mint at Middle Eastern, Iranian shops or online. If you don't have dried mint, ½ 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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Step-by-Step Recipe
Salad Shirazi (Persian Cucumber Tomato Salad)
Ingredients
- 3 Persian or English Cucumbers
- ½ Red Onion
- 2 Tomatoes
- 4 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 tablespoon Dried Mint
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon 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, ½ 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.
Mary Jo
Delicious I did not have red onion so used some fresh green onions from my garden. WOW, also used lime juice as in notes. THANK YOU. I always have lots of cucumbers, onions, and mint in my garden so will be making this again.
Leticia Hernandez
Made this today and will serve with chicken skewers marinated in yogurt and bloomed saffron.
This salad is so delicious and refreshing. Love the mint!
Heather
This recipe has all of my favorite ingredients and sounds like it has AMAZING flavor! Cannot wait to try this salad during the summer.
Elizabeth
This is so delicious! The perfect summer side dish--super simple and refreshing.
Lima Ekram
Just made it - OMG so flavorful - really needed a simple side for my biriyani - paired really well!
Dannii
This is one of my favourite salads. So simple, but so much flavour.
Claudia Lamascolo
This salad is flavorful and so addicting cant get enough!
Pam
We love this as a side with so many meals. Bold flavor and colors!