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Beautiful to lay eyes on, with each mouthful fresh and herby, juicy yet crunchy, our Persian Shirazi salad recipe is an ideal dish to enjoy with fresh bread and ice-cold beverages.
Shirazi Salad Recipe
Named after Shiraz, its place of origin, Shirazi salad is a wonderful way to introduce a little Persian cuisine into your humble abode. It’s breathtakingly refreshing, uses simple ingredients, and as long as your chopping hand is raring to go, can be ready in under 10 minutes!
What is Authentic Shirazi Salad?
At its purest, Shirazi salad is a wonderfully simple and refreshing salad of diced Persian cucumber, tomato, and onion, mixed with ab-ghooreh/verjuice (an unripe or ‘sour’ grape juice, sometimes substituted for lemon or lime juice) and dried mint.
Along with these ingredients, the key to authentic Shirazi salad is in the chopping of the ingredients, which are always finely diced. Olive oil, salt, and pepper can be added to season the salad, and other versions can include other ingredients, as listed below, although this does not always make for an authentic salad.
Iranians will typically let the salad sit for at least an hour, sometimes longer, to really let those herby, moist, and refreshing flavors meld together.
Variations
Additional ingredients: While not authentic, other variations of Shirazi salad can include herbs and spices like dill, parsley, and sumac. Some versions also add chopped scallions and a splash of red vinegar.
Cucumber: An authentic Shirazi salad uses Persian cucumber, but if you can’t source this, you can substitute in another type of cucumber.
Ab-Ghooreh/Verjuice/Verjus: If you can’t find this acidic dressing, as mentioned above, you can substitute in lemon or lime juice.
Serving Suggestions
Bread: To keep things authentic, get yourself some fresh pita or lavash. If you can’t, as with most fresh salads, any type of bread is perfect for mopping up those rich, zesty juices is a good choice.
Meat: Many Persians enjoy Shirazi salad with kebab, so if you’re preparing kebab or grilled meat for a barbecue or summer dinner party, this is such a great salad to serve with the meat.
Cheese and Nuts: The crumbly saltiness of feta cheese and the rich, creamy yet crunchiness of walnuts are a great pairing for this salad.
Shirazi Salad Ingredients
To get started with our Shirazi salad recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Cucumber – 2 Persian cucumbers (or 1 English/large cucumber)
- Tomatoes – 2 medium tomatoes
- Red Onion – 1/2 medium
- Fresh Parsley – 2 tbsp, finely minced
- Dried Mint – 1 tsp
- Lime Juice – 2 tbsp
- Olive Oil – 2 tbsp
- Salt – 1/2 tsp or to taste
- Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp
Notes:
- If you’re not using Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers, taste the cucumbers and if they taste bitter or have a very thick skin, you should peel the skin or half-peel the skin. If they’re really watery, you can also remove the seeds so that the salad is less diluted by the water from the cucumbers.
- Use tomatoes that are firm and less watery such as Roma tomatoes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Finely dice the tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion, and finely mince the fresh parsley (as shown above in the ingredients section photo).
Step 2 – Add everything to a large salad bowl and combine all the ingredients.
Step 3 – Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour, but eat it on the same day.
Step 4 – Serve the salad in a large bowl, ready for your guests to enjoy – it’s that simple!
What I love about this salad is how it appeals to all the senses. The freshness and herby aromas are delightful to take in, while each mouthful is moist, juicy, soft, and crunchy, all at once.
When the sun is next out and it’s time to soak in the rays on the patio, treat yourself and any guests you have to this super simple salad – you won’t regret it!
Shirazi Salad Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 Persian cucumbers or 1 English/large cucumber
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely minced
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Finely dice the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and finely mince the fresh parsley.
- Add everything to a large salad bowl and combine all the ingredients.
- Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, preferably longer/an hour, but eat it on the same day.
- Serve the salad in a large bowl, ready for your guests to enjoy – it’s that simple!
Recipe Notes
- If you’re not using Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers, taste the cucumbers and if they taste bitter or have a very thick skin, you should peel the skin or half-peel the skin. If they’re really watery, you can also remove the seeds so that the salad is less diluted by the water from the cucumbers.
- Use tomatoes that are firm and less watery such as Roma tomatoes.
You Might Also Like to Read
- Refreshing Fattoush Salad Recipe for a Levant-Inspired Lunch in the Sun
- Tabbouleh Recipe (Levantine Meze Salad That’s Fresh, Herby, and Full of Zest)
Save and Pin for Later
Keep our Shirazi salad recipe for safekeeping, ready for the summer, by saving it to one of your recipe boards.
