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Salad-e Shirazi

Name: Salad-e Shirazi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 200 g cucumber, finely diced; 200 g tomatoes, finely diced; 60 g red onion, very finely diced; 1 tsp dried mint; 1 tbsp verjuice; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper

Salad-e Shirazi is a crisp, juicy Persian salad of finely diced cucumber, tomato, and red onion, lifted with dried mint and tangy verjuice. It is light, refreshing, and intensely bright, making it an ideal contrast to rich mains or a simple warm-weather side.

10 min

2 servings

85 kcal

Persian

Ingredients

Salad

200 gcucumber, finely diced
200 gtomatoes, finely diced
60 gred onion, very finely diced
1 tspdried mint
1 tbspverjuice
1 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tspfine salt
1/4 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1
Wash and dry the vegetables well. Finely dice the cucumber and tomatoes into small, even cubes; very finely dice the red onion so the salad has the classic delicate texture. If the tomatoes are especially watery, let them drain for a minute on the board so the dressing does not become diluted.
2
Place the cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion in a bowl. Sprinkle over the dried mint, salt, and black pepper.
3
Pour in the verjuice and olive oil, then toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust with a little more salt or verjuice if you want a sharper finish. The salad should taste bright, fresh, and lightly tart rather than oily.
4
Serve immediately for the freshest texture, or let it sit for 5 minutes for the flavors to meld slightly before serving.

Nutrition per serving

85 kcal

Calories

Protein

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

Notes

•For the best Shirazi texture, cut everything as evenly and finely as possible.
•If verjuice is unavailable, use fresh lime juice, though verjuice gives the most traditional gentle tartness.
•This salad is excellent alongside grilled dishes, rice, flatbread, or stews such as khoresh.
•If your onion is very sharp, rinse the diced onion briefly in cold water and drain well before adding.

Background

Salad-e Shirazi comes from Shiraz in southern Iran and is one of the most iconic salads in Persian home cooking. It is valued for its finely chopped texture and refreshing balance of cucumber, tomato, onion, mint, and sour dressing. The salad is commonly served as a table staple alongside rice dishes, kebabs, and stews.

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