Turkish Shepherds Salad (Printable)
A vibrant Turkish salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley and lemon-olive oil — fresh, herby, and 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, or 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 - Place diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, green bell pepper, parsley, and mint (if using) in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar (if using), sea salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to ensure even coating.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust salt or pepper as needed.
05 - Transfer the salad to a platter. Top with crumbled feta cheese and Kalamata olives if desired, and serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It’s a burst of garden freshness that takes almost no time to pull together.
- Feta and olives add that extra bite, making it special enough for guests yet familiar enough to crave on a weekday.
02 -
- If you chop the veggies too early, the salad turns watery quickly and loses its crispness.
- Learning to rinse chopped onion in cold water takes away its bite—it’s the difference between harsh and just right.
03 -
- Chill the bowl before assembling to keep everything extra crisp.
- Always taste as you go—the balance of acid, salt, and olive oil makes all the difference.