Simple Turkish Shepherd’s Salad with Herbs

The beauty of this Turkish Shepherd Salad (çoban salatası) lies in its celebration of fresh produce and simple yet incredible seasonings. Serve it as a side or make it a meal by topping it with grilled steak and serving with pita. 

Why This Recipe Works

The base of the salad is made with very familiar ingredients—cucumber, tomatoes, shallots, and a combination of fresh herbs. The Middle Eastern spices are what make this summer salad stand out from all others. 

Sumac and Urfa pepper (you can also use Aleppo pepper) add such a unique flavor to this salad while not stealing the show. The combination of all the ingredients are well-balance, it’s as if each ingredient is a supporting player of one another. 

Ingredients in Turkish Salad

Shallot 

This allium adds the perfect oniony/garlicky flavor to the salad. To lessen its potency we soak the slices in cold water while preparing the other components of the salad. This short stint in water washes away its sharpness without altering the flavor. To soften the flavor even more, stir in a splash of vinegar and a dash of salt. Feel free to use thinly sliced red onion instead of shallot. You’ll need about ¾ cup.

Lemon

Both lemon zest and lemon juice are used in the vinaigrette. We recommend seasoning to taste at the end with additional lemon zest. 

Tomatoes

We prefer to use vine-ripe tomatoes, or large, round tomatoes as opposed to Roma tomatoes. In our opinion, they’re juicier and far more flavorful.

Cucumber 

Thin-skinned English cucumbers are the way to go here. If you can’t find an English cucumber, opt for 5 small Persian cucumbers. At last resort you can use a regular cucumber, just be sure to peel the cucumber and scrape out its seeds. 

Pepper

Anaheim pepper is traditional in Turkish Shepherd’s Salad. If it proves to be hard to find you can use a green bell pepper in its place. 

Herbs

This Turkish salad uses a mixture of fresh herbs. Fresh parsley, mint and dill are all used here. If you’re worried about buying a bunch of fresh herbs, don’t be, we’ve got tons of recipes that will help you use them up.

Use leftover dill in our Dill Ranch Dressing or Sheet Pan Salmon BLTs. A combo of any fresh herbs can be used in our Creamy Cucumber Salad and Sour Cream Pasta Salad. 

Sumac

Sumac has a gorgeous red hue and a tangy, almost citrusy flavor. It’s delicious sprinkled over salads, soups and savory toasts. You can find sumac in most Middle Eastern grocery stores, though it’s becoming easier to find in major grocery stores. You can also buy sumac online.

Urfa pepper

Also called Urfa Biber, Urfa pepper is a Turkish pepper that has been sun dried and ground into a spice. It has a pleasant spice, is mildly sweet and ever so slightly smoky. Urfa pepper can be hard to find—look for it at your local Middle Eastern market or find it online. 

Feta 

Chunks of feta add a salty creaminess to the salad. Use block feta sold in brine instead of pre-crumbled—if you’ve got leftover feta use it in my Cheese Biscuits! You can leave the feta out if you need this to be vegan or dairy-free, but we find it really makes the salad. 

How to Serve Turkish Shepherd’s Salad

We like to serve this salad with whole-wheat naan, but pita is also delicious. Black olives are a delicious pairing as is bibb lettuce—we like to spoon it into the leaves and enjoy it like a lettuce wrap. 

This salad also makes a great side dish alongside Grilled Chicken Thighs or Grilled Chicken Skewers. Or make it a meal and top each serving with sliced Pan-Seared Top Sirloin.