Delicious, quick to make, and fresh Salad Shirazi that you absolutely want to try! This simple Persian recipe uses just a few ingredients and is the perfect appetizer or side dish!

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Jump to:

what is Salad Shirazi?
ingredients
how to make Shirazi salad
Shirazi salad vs Tabbouleh
what to eat with Shirazi salad
useful tips
refrigeration and freezing
recipe variations
more world cuisine recipes
📖 Recipe

what is Salad Shirazi?

Salad Shirazi is a simple Persian salad recipe comprising tomatoes, onion, and cucumbers dressed in lime juice and olive oil dressing. It is so popular in Iran that it is considered the national salad of the country. It has its origin in Shiraz, in the South of Iran (hence the name).

It is also very similar to the Israeli salad (also known as salat yerakot yisra'eli). This also comprises finely chopped tomatoes, onion, and cucumber and was adopted by Jewish immigrants to the Levant in the 19th century. Most versions of the Israeli salad include chili and bell peppers. It is normally dressed with lemon juice, yogurt, or Za'atar. The Israeli and Shirazi salads are basically a variation of each other and only differ with the addition of a few extra vegetables such as bell and chili peppers.

Other related salads include the Indian Kachumber, Turkish Çoban Salatası, East African Kachumbari, and Pico de Gallo!

ingredients

This salad, which is also known as salat e shiraz or simply Shirazi salad, uses just a few healthy ingredients and is absolutely easy to prepare.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Tomatoes - choose firm and fleshy Roma tomatoes.
Onion - a small red onion, finely chopped.
Cucumber - Shirazi salad is traditionally made using Persian cucumbers, which you can find in Middle-Eastern shops. But don't worry if you cannot get your hands on some, as you can simply substitute these for one unpeeled English cucumber.
Chopped fresh mint leaves and parsley - you can also use dried mint leaves. In this case, rub the dried leaves between the palms of your hands to release the flavors. Also, there are many versions of the salad Shirazi recipe that do not use parsley so feel free to omit this.

Additionally, you will need the following ingredients to make the salad dressing:

Extra virgin olive oil - acts as a great base for the dressing and helps with the absorption of nutrients from the vegetables.
Lime juice - Normally, unripe grape juice (also known as verjuice or ab-ghooreh) is used for acidity but seeing that this may not always be readily available in stores, feel free to use lime or even lemon juice.
Salt and ground black pepper to taste.

how to make Shirazi salad

This is a summary of how how to make salad Shirazi, see the recipe card below for detailed instructions.

whisking the salad shirazi ingredients in a small bowl

combining the dressing with the chopped vegetables in a bowl

Rinse and chop the vegetables into small cubes (see quick tip below).
Combine the chopped fresh vegetables, parsley, and mint in a medium-sized bowl.
To make the salad dressing, combine lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Combine the chopped vegetables with dressing then adjust the salt to taste.
Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

💡If the tomatoes are very seedy, remove the seeds before slicing to avoid a watery salad.

Shirazi salad vs Tabbouleh

Shirazi and Tabbouleh, while similar in some ways, have a few differences as follows:-

ingredients - typically include cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and sometimes peppers as key ingredients, and is seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs like mint and parsley. Tabbouleh is predominantly a parsley salad made from finely chopped parsley, along with tomatoes, mint, onion, and soaked bulgur wheat. It's also dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
origins - named after Shiraz, a city in Iran, this salad Shirazi is a staple in Persian cuisine. Tabbouleh on the other hand, originates from the Levantine region, primarily Lebanon and Syria.
texture and flavor: salad Shirazi has a more crisp flavor due to the predominant use of chopped vegetables. Tabbouleh, on the other hand has a more herbaceous flavor due to the abundance of parsley. It also has a slightly chewy texture, because of the presence of bulgur wheat.

Craving more tasty salad recipes from around the world? Then try our Nüsslisalat (Swiss green salad), Jamaican coleslaw, and German egg salad, next!

what to eat with Shirazi salad

Salad Shirazi is so versatile and can be paired up with so many dishes! I cannot even count the number of dishes I like to enjoy my salad with! Some common pairings for you to try include:-

Persian Jujeh Kabob
Beef Kabobs
Persian Crispy Rice (Tahdig)
Baghali Polo (dill and fava bean rice).
South African yellow rice or your favorite rice dishes.
Stews: Persian stews, such as Ghormeh Sabzi (herb stew) or Fesenjan (pomegranate walnut stew).
Grilled Fish.
Flatbreads: Flatbreads like chapati, naan or pita are excellent for scooping up the salad.
Feta Cheese.
Middle Eastern vegetarian dishes such as falafel or dolmas (stuffed grape leaves).
As a low-carb alternative, serve it with konjac or cauliflower rice.

useful tips

when prepping the vegetables, deseed the tomatoes to prevent the salad from ending up soggy.
remove the tang from the onion by soaking it warm, salty water.
use more or less herbs to suit your specific taste or preference.

refrigeration and freezing

This salad tastes best when served fresh.

You can however, still make this salad ahead of time and chill it in the fridge for a couple of hours, just add the dressing before serving.

If you decide to keep it in the fridge longer, then store it in suitable airtight containers for a maximum of 1-2 days (without the dressing).

I do not recommend keeping it longer, as it will lose its crispiness or turn soggy. Similarly, I do not recommend freezing it.

recipe variations

Don't just stop here though. Feel free to play around with the ingredients in your pantry. Some of my favorite variations include:

Dried small rose petals - will give the tomato and cucumber salad an amazing color and aroma. Simply rub a few between the palms of your hands and use these as a garnish.
Sumac - stir in a teaspoon of sumac to add a spicy note.
Pomegranate - half a cup of pomegranate seeds added to the salad will add a tangy and fruity flavor.

more world cuisine recipes

Don't just stop here, check out our other recipes from around the world!

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📖 Recipe

Salad Shirazi Recipe

Kate Hahnel

Salad Shirazi is a simple and delicious Persian tomato and cucumber-based dish, that is normally served as an appetizer or side dish.

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 0

Total Time 10

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine middle eastern, Persian

Servings

Calories 99 kcal

Video

Equipment

Mixing bowls (a large one to combine the salad shirazi ingredients, and a small one for the dressing)

A whisk

Mixing spoon

Ingredients

▢ 3 ripe and firm Roma tomatoes
▢ 1 small onion finely chopped
▢ 3 small Persian cucumbers (or 1 English cucumber - unpeeled)
▢ ½ cup mint and parsley leaves

SALAD DRESSING

▢ 1 small lime
▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
▢ ½ teaspoon salt (add more, if preferred)
▢ ⅓ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

SALAD

Wash the tomatoes, cucumber, mint and parsley leaves.
Peel the onion, dice it finely then set aside. Finely slice the mint and parsley leaves.
Next, cut the cucumber lengthwise then cut each half into approximately 1 cm thickness, running lengthwise. Cut again into thin long strips then dice into small cubes.
Similarly, finely dice the tomatoes (remove seeds if too seedy, to prevent the salad from going watery).
Combine the diced vegetables (tomatoes, onion, cucumber, parsley and mint leaves) in a medium-sized bowl.