Shirazi salad or salad-e Shirazi is a simple, crunchy, and lettuce-free Iranian salad made with cucumber, tomato & onion. Seasoned with multiple herbs, lemon juice & a dash of olive oil, it goes very well with any dish.
Persian cucumber & tomato salad is so easy and quick to make in just 15 minutes. I adjusted oil to 1 tsp to fit in macros, that is why this Mediterranean salad is almost oil-free & macro-friendly.
The post contains helpful tips and tricks to make a successful recipe on your first attempt. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you want to skip.
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Salad is always a part of the diet when one is on a weight loss journey. They provide fiber, low-calorie snacks, and due to water content, salads are filling and satisfying.
This tomato, cucumber, and onion salad are just that, filling, a great side. Also, I use less oil in this salad as compared to the authentic Shirazi salad. Which not only saves extra fat calories but also works well when you eat strict calories.
What is Shirazi salad
As per Wikipedia Shirazi salad is originated from southern Iran. It has two words, "salad" is self-explanatory, and "Shirazi" is named after a beautiful city "Shiraz" which is in Southern Iran. It always served as sides to other main dishes.
Traditional Salad-e Shirazi is prepared with cucumber, tomato, onion, different herbs especially dried mint, sour grape juice (ab-ghooreh), and olive oil.
Sour grape juice (ab-ghooreh) is not an easily available ingredient. That is why substituted with lemon juice. Dried mint adds a lot of flavors, so do not forget to add it.
Salad Shirazi has some similarities between Greek salad & Mexican Pico de Gallo or fattoush salad. But it is naturally vegan without adding feta cheese. Pico de Gallo does not use so many herbs or oil, and Pita chips are added to fattoush salad. So this Persian salad is unique in its simplicity.
Why you will love this recipe
Salad-e Shirazi is healthy, light, flavorful, and prepared with minimal ingredients. It is naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low carb.
It makes a perfect side dish for Khichdi, Dal-Rice, Mujadra, or lentil salad.
Being in low-calorie I love including it in my meal planning. Chop all vegetables and make dressing in advance, I store both of them in the fridge. Take one portion of veggies and drizzle with dressing. And my veggies intake is ready for the day.
Ingredients & notes
Please check the recipe card for full ingredient list and measurements
There are three main ingredients of salad- Shirazi, cucumber, tomato & citrus dressing.
- Cucumber- Persian & English cucumbers are great to use as they have fewer seeds (or smaller seeds), sweeter in taste, and delicate skin. You do not have to peel them to use. But if using other types of cucumbers, do peel and remove seeds if required.
- Tomato- Any type of tomato works. Just make sure tomatoes are firm enough and you do not need to remove seeds. TIP- However, if tomatoes are very juicy then use a colander to drain the juice.
- Onion- Red onions taste better while eating raw as they are mild as compared to others onions.
- Bell peppers- They give a nice crunch to salad recipes.
- Herbs- Mint, cilantro & dill are the herbs used in the dressing. TIP- Dried mint is the best to use but if unavailable, fresh mint will also work. I use half of the dried mint and half fresh mint.
- Dressing- All the diced veggies are combined with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and little oil. TIP- Many salads often use olive oil in good quantity but if you are trying to fit it in the strict calorie meal plan, add more lemon juice and less oil.
How to make Persian cucumber salad
There is no rocket science to make this cucumber, tomato, and onion salad from the scratch.
Finely chop vegetables
First, wash and dry cucumber, tomato, onion & bell pepper. Dice all vegetables evenly. Chopped vegetable pieces should be like Mexican pico de gallo style. Transfer them to a mixing bowl (pic 1). Add all the herbs. (pic 2)
Dried mint is the main herb to be used in salad-e Shirazi. But if not accessible then use fresh mint leaves along with other herbs.
Make dressing
Prepare the dressing by adding oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sumac to a mason jar. Close the lid and shake it well. (pic 3)
Mix together
Add this dressing over diced vegetables and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper as per taste (pic 4). It's ready to serve.
Tips & FAQ's
- Add the dressing just before serving. Vegetables get soggy when kept for longer in the fridge with the dressing due to citrus & salt.
- Use firm tomatoes and don't remove seeds. In case using juicy tomatoes then transfer them to a colander so that extra juice can be drained.
- It looks beautiful and tempting when all veggies are cut evenly. They should be cut big enough like Pico de gallo and not small like Tabbouleh.
- Do not use a food processor to chop veggies. They will become juicy and may not fit in a salad.
It goes well with recipes like Mujadra, lentil salad, or Indian Khichdi, dal rice. Basically, you can serve it along with any type of the main dish.
Serving & storing
Serve chilled, just keep 30 min in the fridge after combining everything. It will help vegetables to absorb the dressing and create a flavorful profile.
I love to serve it with my Kitchari recipe most of the time. It adds lots of flavors to ayurvedic Khichdi. It is best served with Persian rice recipes like Mujadra, Herb rice.
You can serve this salad with Mushroom Stew, Pita with yogurt chickpeas & Muhammara, and Vegan Falafel Chickpea Patties.
Do not mix dressing if you are planning to store it in the fridge. Just dice the vegetables and prepare the dressing in a mason jar and store separately in the fridge. Mix them together just before serving. This way you can store it for up to one week.
If you like this salad then check the below recipes which will go well with this salad.
If you try this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a star rating. Don't forget to tag #fitmealideas20 on Instagram or @fitmealideas on Pinterest!
Recipe
Shirazi Salad (salad-e shirazi)
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping board
Ingredients
For Salad
- 1 cucumber 1 english cucumber or 3-4 persian cucumber
- 3 tomatoes I use roma tomatoes
- ½ cup red onion
- ¼ cup bell pepper I use green bell pepper
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped finely
- 1 tbsp mint fresh leaves
- 1 tbsp dry mint
- 2 tbsp dill fresh dill or just skip
For Dressing
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 pinch of Sumac skip it if not available
Instructions
- First, wash and dry cucumber, tomato, onion & bell pepper. Dice all vegetables evenly. Adding oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sumac to a mason jar. Close the lid and shake it well. Add this dressing over diced vegetables and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper as per taste
Notes
- Add the dressing just before serving. Vegetables get soggy when kept for longer in the fridge due to citrus & salt.
- Use firm tomatoes and don't remove seeds. In case using juicy tomatoes then transfer them to a colander so that extra juice can be drained.
- It looks beautiful and tempting when all veggies are cut evenly. They should be cut big enough like Pico de gallo and not small like Tabbouleh.
- Do not use a food processor to chop veggies. They will become juicy and may not fit in a salad.
- After mixing keep it for 30 minutes in the fridge before serving.
Nutrition
Does it fit in your macros?
In your weight loss journey you need to consume vegetables to get your daily quota of fibers. Shirazi salad is almost oil-free salad and easily fits in your macros.
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