Turkish Tomato Salad with Tulum Cheese Recipe
A light yet bold salad made with ripe tomatoes, salty tulum cheese, and fresh herbs. In Turkey, bowls of vegetables like this appear on the table with almost every home-cooked meal, alongside bread and yogurt. The flavors are a bit like a cross between Greek salad and Italian bruschetta, but with a distinctly Turkish character thanks to the cheese and spices.
This salad showcases the essence of Turkish home cooking: simple, ripe vegetables, high-quality olive oil, and a distinctive local cheese. The combination of juicy tomatoes, salty tulum, and fresh herbs creates a refreshing dish that works both as a side and as a light main.
Chef's tips
Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find—watery or underripe tomatoes will make the salad bland. If your tulum is very salty, taste the salad before adding extra salt to the dressing. Don’t skip letting the salad rest briefly; that short time helps the flavors come together without turning the vegetables mushy.
How to serve
Serve in a wide, shallow bowl so the vegetables and cheese are evenly distributed. Offer extra olive oil and lemon wedges at the table so everyone can adjust the acidity to their taste. It pairs especially well with grilled lamb, chicken skewers, or simple lentil soup.
Ingredients
- tomato - 600 g
- tulum cheese - 120 g
- onion red, small - 1 piece
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- cucumber - 1 piece
- flat-leaf parsley finely chopped - 3 tablespoons
- fresh mint finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- lemon juice freshly squeezed - 1.5 tablespoons
- oregano dried - 1 teaspoon
- salt - 0.5 teaspoons
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Wash and dry the tomatoes, then cut them into medium-sized pieces (into wedges or larger cubes) and transfer to a large bowl.
- Wash the cucumber, peel it if needed, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the soft seedy core with a teaspoon, then slice the rest into half-moons and add to the tomatoes.
- Cut the pepper in half, remove the core and white membranes, then slice into thin strips or small cubes and add to the bowl.
- Peel the red onion, cut it in half, and slice into very thin slivers; if it is sharp, cover it with cold water for 5 minutes, drain, and add to the vegetables.
- Finely chop the parsley and mint with a sharp knife and add them to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Crumble the tulum cheese with your fingers or cut it into small cubes and gently add it to the salad, trying not to mash it too much.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until you have a smooth dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and very gently toss with a large spoon and fork so the tomatoes don’t release too much juice.
- Let the salad sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes so the flavors meld, then serve immediately.
Storage
Sałatkę przechowuj szczelnie przykrytą w lodówce i zjedz najlepiej tego samego dnia, bo pomidory szybko puszczają sok, a ser mięknie.
