Paraben Free Turkish Shepherd's Salad

Total time15 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time0 min

4.5

(18)

This vibrant chopped salad is a staple of Turkish home cooking, and once you taste it, you'll understand why it shows up on tables at nearly every meal. Juicy ripe tomatoes, cool cucumber, crisp green bell pepper, and sharp red onion come together in a bowl that's as colorful as it is refreshing. A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice keep the dressing clean and bright, while a pinch of sumac adds that signature tangy, slightly floral note that makes this salad unmistakably its own. Everything here is whole, fresh, and straightforward — no processed condiments, no bottled dressings, no preservatives hiding in the background, which makes it a natural fit for anyone keeping a close eye on synthetic additives in their food. Parsley and optional fresh mint round out the herbs, layering in fragrance without any fuss. The key is serving it right away so every bite stays crisp and the vegetables don't go watery. It works beautifully alongside grilled proteins, stuffed into flatbread, or honestly just eaten straight from the bowl with a fork.

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Ingredients

4 servings

4 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
2 persian cucumbers (or 1 english cucumber), cut into ¼-inch dice
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
½ small red onion, finely diced
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp sumac
½ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the diced tomatoes, cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, and parsley in a large mixing bowl.
2
Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the vegetables, then sprinkle with the sumac, salt, and black pepper.

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