Persian Authentic Salad
Salad-e Shirazi (سالاد شیرازی)—literally “Shiraz-style salad”—is Iran’s definitive chopped salad, famed for its jewel-bright colors and palate-cleansing snap. Created in the southern city of Shiraz, it accompanies almost every summer meal, balancing rich stews, kebabs, or rice dishes with cool acidity and fresh herb fragrance.
Essence & Cultural Role
Prepared minutes before serving, Salad-e Shirazi showcases the Persian love of subtle seasoning: no olive oil, no heavy dressings—just diced cucumber, tomato, and onion kissed with sour verjuice (ab-ghooreh) or lime juice and perfumed with dried or fresh mint. Whether spooned over chelow rice or eaten straight with flatbread, it refreshes the palate and adds welcome crunch at family lunches, picnics, and evening gatherings during sweltering Iranian summers.
Core Ingredients (4 servings)
| Ingredient | Metric | US |
|---|---|---|
| Firm Persian or English cucumbers, finely diced | 300 g | 2 cups |
| Ripe tomatoes, seeded & finely diced | 300 g | 2 cups |
| Sweet white or red onion, very finely diced | 100 g | ¾ cup |
| Dried mint (or 2 Tbsp minced fresh) | 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
| Verjuice or fresh lime/lemon juice | 45 ml | 3 Tbsp |
| Kosher salt | to taste | to taste |
| Freshly ground black pepper | pinch | pinch |
Quick Preparation
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Dice uniformly: Aim for 3–5 mm cubes so every spoonful carries all three vegetables.
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Drain excess liquid: Lightly salt tomatoes and cucumbers; rest 5 min, then tip off juices to keep the salad crisp.
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Season: Toss vegetables with dried mint, lime/verjuice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust sourness or salt.
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Chill briefly: Ten minutes in the fridge lets flavors meld without dulling the mint’s aroma. Serve cold.
Variations
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Pomegranate Pop: Sprinkle 2 Tbsp pomegranate arils for sweet-tart bursts.
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Sumac Dust: Add ½ tsp ground sumac for extra citrusy zing.
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Herb-Forward: Fold in chopped cilantro, parsley, or chives alongside mint.
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Garlic Whisper: Rub the serving bowl with a cut clove of garlic for a subtle background note.
Pairing Tips
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Classic beside kebab koobideh, joojeh kebab, or khoresh gheymeh.
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A spoonful on sabzi polo (herb rice) brightens the dish without oil.
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Doubles as a quick salsa for grilled fish or chicken.
Nutritional Snapshot (per 1-cup serving)
~35 calories, <1 g fat, 1 g protein, ample vitamin C, plus antioxidants lycopene (tomato) and cucurbitacins (cucumber).
Simple yet elegant, Salad-e Shirazi distills Persian cuisine’s devotion to freshness, balance, and fragrant herbs, proving that just a handful of peak-season produce can elevate any meal.
