Turkish Shepherds Salad (Printable)
Bright Turkish salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and lemon-olive dressing. Ready in 15 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
02 - 2 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, diced
03 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped (optional)
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (optional)
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish
12 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
13 - 6 to 8 pitted Kalamata olives
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, green bell pepper, parsley, and mint in a large bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar if using, salt, and black pepper until fully blended.
03 - Pour dressing over the vegetable mixture and gently toss to ensure even coating.
04 - Taste and adjust salt or lemon juice as needed.
05 - Transfer salad to a serving platter, sprinkling with crumbled feta and Kalamata olives if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The freshness of the vegetables and the tart lemon juice feel like sunshine in a bowl.
- It's the easiest way to add a burst of color and crunch to any meal, and cleanup is a breeze.
02 -
- Overmixing the salad can make the tomatoes mushy and the cucumbers weep out too much water—gently does it.
- Letting the salad sit too long before serving dulls both the flavor and crispness—a last-minute toss is the secret.
03 -
- If your tomatoes are a bit pale, a pinch of sugar helps coax out their sweetness.
- Using both fresh parsley and mint adds layers of flavor that transform the whole dish.