Salad Shirazi Recipe

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

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine middle eastern, Persian

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 0

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 99kcal

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

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.

Cut the lime and squeeze out the juice to a small bowl.
Combine lime juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper then whisk.
Pour the salad dressing to the bowl with the chopped vegetables. You can check for salt at this point and add more if you need to.
For best results, allow your Shirazi salad to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, before serving. Serve as an appetizer or side dish. It pairs up absolutely well with meat-based dishes, such as kebabs.

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 them with English cucumbers.
This recipe is traditionally made using dried mint leaves but you can also use chopped fresh mint leaves and other herbs, such as parsley.
You can make this salad ahead of time and chill it in the fridge for a couple of hours. For best results, add the dressing 15-30 minutes 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. I do not recommend keeping it longer, as it will lose its crispiness or turn soggy.
Deseed the tomatoes to prevent the salad from ending up soggy.