Shepherd’s Salad
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As soon as the weather gets warm, I start craving cool, summery salads.
This one is especially perfect for lazy summer evenings. It’s crunchy and refreshing, and you can scoop it up with a fresh slice of pita bread (or pita chips), or eat it with a spoon.
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Not to be confused with the heavy meat-and-potatoes-laden British dish, Shepherd’s Pie (!), Shepherd’s Salad is a scrumptious Turkish-style vegetarian chopped salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. This dish actually reminds me of visits to my grandparents, when we often make the 40-minute drive to their favorite Armenian restaurant in New Jersey, and always, always order this.
In my version of Shepherd’s Salad, the dressing is light and lemony, with a little zing of salt and sumac. I use mint and cilantro, since as I’ve said before I’m not a fan of parsley, but that would work, too.
You can also add some richness of flavor, and make the dish more filling, by tossing in some crumbled feta cheese or olives. Especially if you’re having this, and only this, for dinner (which is really not a bad idea).
Print this recipe. (PDF)
RECIPE:
Shepherd’s Salad
(Serves 4-6 as a side dish)
Ingredients:
~ 2 tomatoes, diced
~ 1 large cucumber (or 6 small Persian cucumbers), diced
~ ½ red onion, diced
~ 1-2 sprigs mint, finely chopped
~ 5-6 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped
~ 2 Tbsp. olive oil
~ 1-2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
~ 1 Tbsp. za’atar (a blend of thyme, sumac, sesame, and salt)
~ salt, white pepper, and cumin, to taste
OPTIONAL:
~ pinch sesame seeds
~ several Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
~ ½ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
~ handful of Greek olives
How to make it:
1. Finely dice the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion; chop the fresh herbs.
2. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, za’atar, salt, white pepper, and cumin. Then drizzle the dressing over the salad and mix well to combine.
3. Optionally stir in some crumbled feta cheese, or first arrange the salad in a serving dish, then sprinkle sesame seeds and/or feta over the top. Serve as an accompaniment to other Middle Eastern dishes. (Best if eaten the same day it’s made.)
Print this recipe! (PDF)
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Related recipe posts:
> Tabbouleh (Bulgar Wheat Salad with Mint and Parsley)
> Pita Chips with Labne Olive Oil Dip
> End-of-summer Tomato Salad
Trackbacks
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- Homemade Pita Bread and Hummus | spontaneous tomato
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spontaneous tomato 
I could eat this for lunch all summer!
Same here! :)
oh my gosh I’m in salad heaven!
Yep, this is pretty awesome as salads go… totally worth all the vegetable-chopping time.
This is such a beautiful looking summer salad :D
Cheers
CCU
Thanks! :)
I love the name Shepherd salad. I can see that this salad can be used in a million ways. I have zatar and I am going to try this soon. Thanks for sharing this.
Yes, it’s really versatile! The salad can be a side dish, chip dip, bruschetta topping… I bet it’d be good in sandwiches, too.
I love easy yet tasty colourful salads like this one! I also love, love zaatar!
Me too! I put zatar on everything. Just got into a more greenish type of cilantro zatar (with more dried green coriander and less red sumac, but then I add extra sumac, since I like how it tastes).
Look delicious – and just what I am craving lately! Plus I have cukes lined up and waiting!
Perfect! Hope you enjoy it!
Now that it’s heating up all I want is something light and zingy — looks perfect! Plus it’s pretty to boot
Thanks! I know; I basically only want to eat cold dishes like light salads and chilled noodles when it’s hot out.
Love yummy salad that uses fresh ingredients! Looks so fresh and delish!
Thanks! Yes, salads that use all fresh ingredients are the best.
Such a colorful & refreshing salad for the summer! I will definitely try this recipe over the weekend!
Thanks; I hope you enjoyed it!
I think this may very well be my favorite salad, though I’ve never heard it called “Shepherd’s Salad.” lol Cool, refreshing and delicious! :D
I don’t speak Turkish, but (according to Wikipedia…) “Shepherd’s Salad” seems to be a literal translation from the Turkish name for the salad, Çoban Salatası or Choban salad.