Çoban salatası – Turkish shepherd’s salad with vegetables Recipe
Çoban salatası is a very simple yet exceptionally fresh Turkish salad made with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions, drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil. In Turkey it’s served with almost every main meal, especially in summer when vegetables are at their best. It’s similar to Greek salad, but chopped more finely and lighter, without the heavy cheese on top.
This salad captures the essence of Turkish home cooking: simple ingredients, bold freshness, and a bright, lemony dressing that goes with almost any main dish. Finely chopping the vegetables makes every bite balanced and refreshing.
Chef's tips
Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find—watery or bland tomatoes will make the salad taste flat. Don’t skip the fresh parsley; it’s key to the characteristic flavor. Adjust the acidity with lemon juice at the very end, tasting as you go.
How to serve
Serve in a shallow bowl so the colorful vegetables are clearly visible. It’s ideal alongside grilled meats, fish, or vegetarian kebabs, and also works as a fresh side for pilaf, bulgur, or simple roasted potatoes.
Ingredients
- tomato ripe, medium-sized - 3 piece
- cucumber long salad cucumber or 2 pickling cucumbers - 1 piece
- green bell pepper can also be red - 1 piece
- red onion small - 0.5 piece
- flat-leaf parsley finely chopped - 3 tablespoons
- olive oil good quality - 3 tablespoons
- lemon juice freshly squeezed - 2 tablespoons
- salt or to taste - 0.5 teaspoons
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Wash the tomatoes, remove the hard cores near the stem, and dice finely so that you can fit several pieces of vegetables in one bite.
- Wash the cucumber, peel it if needed, and cut into small cubes similar in size to the tomatoes.
- Remove the seeds and core from the pepper and dice it finely.
- Peel the onion and chop it very finely. If it’s sharp, you can cover it with cold water for 5 minutes and then drain it to make it milder.
- Finely chop the parsley.
- In a large bowl, combine all the vegetables and parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper with a fork until you get a smooth dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, gently toss, and taste. If needed, add a bit more salt or lemon juice.
- Serve immediately or after 10–15 minutes, when the vegetables have released a little juice and the flavors have melded.
Storage
Sałatka jest najlepsza tuż po przygotowaniu, bo warzywa są wtedy chrupiące. Jeśli zostanie na następny dzień, przechowuj ją w lodówce w zamkniętym pojemniku i przed podaniem odlej nadmiar soku z dna miski.
