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Turkish Shepherd Salad: A Refreshing & Authentic Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 105 reviews

Turkish Shepherd Salad, or Çoban Salatası, is a vibrant and refreshing Mediterranean salad featuring ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, fresh herbs, and a tangy dressing. This colorful dish, often served alongside grilled meats or as a light lunch, combines simple, fresh ingredients with creamy feta cheese and a bright, herbaceous dressing, offering a perfect balance of flavors and textures that transports you to a sunlit Turkish village.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables

  • 1 large ripe tomato, diced
  • 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Herbs & Cheese

  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional, but highly recommended!)

Dressing & Seasoning

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • Optional: 1-2 green chili peppers, finely chopped (for a little heat!)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Tomatoes: Dice the large ripe tomato into approximately 1/2-inch pieces to retain texture and place them in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Prepare the Cucumber: Peel and seed the cucumber by cutting it lengthwise and scraping out the seeds with a spoon. Dice into similar size pieces as the tomato and add to the bowl.
  3. Prepare the Bell Peppers: Seed and dice both the green and red bell peppers into 1/2-inch pieces and add them to the mixing bowl with the other vegetables.
  4. Slice the Onion: Thinly slice half a red onion. If desired, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes to reduce sharpness, drain well, and add to the bowl.
  5. Add Fresh Herbs: Finely chop the parsley and mint, then add to the vegetable mixture to provide fragrant, fresh flavor.
  6. Add Chili Peppers (Optional): Finely chop 1-2 green chili peppers, removing seeds to control heat, and add to the bowl for a spicy kick if desired.
  7. Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until combined.
  8. Toss the Salad: Pour the dressing over the vegetables and herbs in the mixing bowl. Gently toss all ingredients to evenly coat.
  9. Add Feta Cheese: Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the top and give a final gentle toss or serve with the cheese on top as preferred.
  10. Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving dish and enjoy immediately as a refreshing accompaniment or light meal.

Notes

  • Use the freshest, ripest vegetables available for the best flavor and texture.
  • Peeling and seeding the cucumber helps prevent excess wateriness in the salad.
  • Soaking the red onion in cold water helps mellow its sharp flavor if desired.
  • Adjust salt, pepper, and chili pepper quantities to match your taste preferences.
  • Feta cheese is optional but adds a creamy, salty contrast that complements the fresh vegetables beautifully.
  • This salad is naturally gluten-free and can be served as a healthy side or light lunch.
  • For more heat, include seeds from the chili peppers but proceed cautiously as they can be very spicy.

Keywords: Turkish Shepherd Salad, Çoban Salatası, Turkish salad, Mediterranean salad, fresh vegetable salad, feta cheese salad, gluten free salad, healthy lunch, no cook salad

Find it online: https://islawhite.com/turkish-shepherd-salad-a-refreshing-and-authentic-recipe/