This easy Turkish chopped salad is called Shepherds Salad (Çoban Salatası or Choban Salad). It's made with fresh vegetables and herbs and can be topped with feta.
It's called the "salad of the people" because it's made with everyday, seasonal ingredients like tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper.
This type of salad is very common throughout the Mediterranean. It's served not only in Turkey but also in Greece and the Levant countries (it's called Salad Baladi or Middle Eastern chopped salad there).
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This is a great, easy side salad to serve alongside grilled meat or kebabs, pasta, or to take along to a picnic.
If you serve it with olives and pita bread, it can be eaten on its own for a light lunch.
This salad also keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days, so it's easy to get ahead.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this Turkish salad.
- Roma tomatoes (or other fresh tomatoes like San Marzano)
- English Cucumber or Persian cucumbers
- Green Bell Pepper (or other green peppers like Anaheim)
- Shallots or Small Red Onion
- Fresh Parsley
- Fresh Mint
- Sumac
- Aleppo Pepper
- Sea Salt
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
This is optional, but you can serve this with 4 ounces of crumbled feta for a topping or side, pita bread, or kalamata olives.
Instructions
Combine the diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, diced bell pepper, sliced shallot, chopped parsley, and chopped mint in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
Top with the sumac, Aleppo pepper, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
Optional - Top with half the feta, if using. Serve alongside some crumbled feta, kalamata olives, and slices of pita bread.
More Great Mediterranean Salad Recipes
If you love these fresh flavors, be sure to check out our other fantastic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern salads.
- Turkish Cucumber Salad - an easy salad with yogurt, cucumber, and fresh herbs.
- Mediterranean Salmon Salad - a delicious main meal salad with lots of fresh veggies and tender salmon.
- Salad Shirazi (Persian Cucumber & Tomato Salad) - a fresh chopped salad with dried mint.
- Tabouli Recipe (Tabbouleh Salad) - a herbaceous salad with loads of flavor.
Tips for Making this Recipe
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Specialty Ingredients - This recipe calls for both sumac (which I consider essential in this recipe. It has a delicious citrusy bite!) and Aleppo pepper (this is great, but you could substitute for red pepper flakes if necessary). If you'd like to buy either of these, I recommend getting them from The Spice House (Spice House sumac and Spice House Aleppo pepper).
Storing Tips - You can save this recipe for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
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Shepherd's Salad (Turkish Chopped Salad)
This delicious and easy chopped salad is full of fresh seasonal vegetables.
Ingredients
- 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 English cucumber or 4 Persian cucumbers, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- optional to serve - 4 ounces crumbled feta for a topping or side, pita bread, kalamata olives
Instructions
- Combine the diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, diced bell pepper, sliced shallot, chopped parsley, and chopped mint in a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
- Top with the sumac, Aleppo pepper, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- Optional - Top with half the feta, if using. Serve alongside some crumbled feta, kalamata olives, and slices of pita bread.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 289Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 929mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 9g
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