This refreshing Shirazi salad is a light, healthy, and flavor-packed side dish that brings bright Persian flavors to your table.
For more easy Mediterranean salads, check out our Greek lentil salad, tabouli salad, chickpea cucumber salad, and Mediterranean chopped salad.
An Easy Way to Add Color and Crunch to Your Table
This Shirazi salad is one of those recipes that proves how simple ingredients can make the most delicious meals 🥗. Made with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and dried herbs, it’s a fiber-rich and naturally low-calorie dish that perfectly supports a balanced, Mediterranean-style eating pattern.
Louise and I love preparing this salad in summer and fall when produce is at its peak 🍅. It’s light yet satisfying, and the bright lemon dressing makes it an easy side dish to pair with just about anything you’re serving.
Think of it as an easy Persian salad that’s quick to put together but delivers bold, refreshing flavors. Similar to a Middle Eastern chopped salad, every bite is juicy, crunchy, and bursting with freshness.
Whether you’re looking for a colorful side for family dinners or a healthy recipe to add to your meal prep, this authentic Shirazi salad recipe always delivers 🌿.
Ingredients
Find complete ingredient list, quantities, and substitutions in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
- Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are traditional for their thin skin and mild flavor. You can swap with English cucumbers or even small pickling cucumbers for extra crunch.
- Tomatoes: Ripe vine tomatoes are juicy and sweet. In winter, cherry tomatoes or Roma tomatoes are a good alternative for a fresher taste in this tomato cucumber onion salad.
- Onion: White onion adds a sharp bite. Red onion makes the salad a little sweeter, or you can use scallions for a lighter flavor.
- Dried Mint: This is the signature herb in an authentic Shirazi salad recipe. If you don’t have dried mint, use fresh mint, parsley, or even fresh dill for a twist.
- Citrus Juice: Fresh lime juice is most traditional. Lemon juice works beautifully too, or try a splash of white wine vinegar for a different tang.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil gives the salad richness. If you prefer a lower-fat option, you can skip it or replace with a drizzle of avocado oil.
How to make shirazi salad
Step 1 – Chop the Vegetables
Dice the cucumbers and tomatoes into small pieces, about ¼ inch (0.5 cm), and add them to a large bowl. Peel and finely chop the onion, then mix it in with the cucumbers and tomatoes.
Step 2 – Add the Seasoning
Drizzle the vegetables with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lime juice. Sprinkle in dried mint, salt, and black pepper. This step is what transforms simple chopped veggies into an easy Persian salad with bright, bold flavors.
Step 3 – Toss and Adjust
Mix everything thoroughly so the mint and citrus dressing coat each bite. Taste, then adjust with more salt or lime if needed.
Serve your Shirazi salad as a refreshing side dish or part of a healthy Mediterranean salad spread. It’s light, crunchy, and bursting with freshness—perfect for pairing with grilled dishes, hummus, saffron rice, or even pita bread.
Tips
- Use Persian cucumbers if possible: They have thin skin, tiny seeds, and a mild flavor that makes them perfect for this Persian cucumber salad.
- Peel or seed large cucumbers: If you’re using English or garden cucumbers, peel off some of the skin and remove seeds for the best texture.
- Choose ripe, room-temperature tomatoes: They bring natural sweetness. If they’re watery, drain off some juice before adding.
- Chop everything small and even: The charm of this Middle Eastern chopped salad comes from uniform dice so every bite has balanced flavor.
- Season generously with dried mint: Start with one tablespoon, then adjust. Mint is key to an authentic Shirazi salad.
- Don’t skip the citrus: Lime juice is traditional, but lemon works too for a bright, zesty finish.
- Taste and adjust before serving: Salt and citrus make all the difference—add more if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make Shirazi salad up to an hour ahead of time. Just keep in mind that the salt and lime will draw out water from the cucumbers and tomatoes. To avoid a watery salad, chop the veggies in advance but add the seasoning right before serving. This way, it stays crisp, refreshing, and full of flavor.
Persian cucumbers are traditional, but English cucumbers also work well. If using larger cucumbers, peel and deseed them for better texture.
Absolutely. Fresh mint gives a brighter, herbal taste, though dried mint is more traditional in an authentic Shirazi salad recipe.
Yes, it’s naturally low in fat, high in fiber, and packed with fresh produce. It’s a perfect fit for Mediterranean-style eating.
It’s a refreshing side for rice dishes, grilled vegetables, or Middle Eastern recipes like hummus and falafel.
Definitely. Some people mix in parsley, dill, or even bell peppers to make it more like a fresh herb salad recipe.
More Easy Salad Recipes
- Mediterranean farro salad
- Barley salad
- Lentil tabbouleh
- Panzanella (Italian bread salad)
- Cauliflower salad
- Tahini salad
- Greek chickpea salad
- Mediterranean white bean salad
If you tried this Shirazi salad recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Shirazi Salad (Persian Chopped Salad)
Ingredients
- 3½ cups cucumber about 1 pound, cut into ⅕-Inch or 0.5-cm dice.
- 2½ cups vine tomatoes about 1 pound, cut into ⅕-Inch or 0.5-cm dice
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried mint or more to taste
- ¼ cup lime juice or lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Chop Veggies: Dice 3½ cups cucumber, 2½ cups vine tomatoes, and 1 medium white onion into small pieces and add to a large bowl.
- Season: Drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon dried mint.
- Toss & Serve: Mix well, taste, and adjust. Serve fresh as a light, crunchy Mediterranean side dish.
Notes
- Cucumbers → English cucumbers, small pickling cucumbers
- Tomatoes → Cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes
- Onion → Red onion, scallions
- Dried Mint → Fresh mint, parsley, dill
- Citrus Juice → Lemon juice, white wine vinegar
- Olive Oil → Avocado oil, or skip for lighter salad
- Pick Persian cucumbers – thin skin, tiny seeds, and mild flavor make them perfect.
- Peel or seed big cucumbers – English or garden cucumbers taste better with less skin and seeds.
- Use ripe, room-temp tomatoes – sweeter and juicier; drain if they’re too watery.
- Chop small and even – uniform dice means balanced flavor in every bite.
- Be generous with dried mint – start with 1 tablespoon, then add more to taste.
- Add citrus for brightness – lime is traditional, lemon works just as well.
- Always taste before serving – adjust with extra salt or lime if needed.
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
I made this tasty salad to accompany falafel. It’s very flavorful, and quick and easy to make. Nico and Louise have the best recipes around!
Love all your recipes and it’s great that you include meat/fish eaters too! Have made lots of your salads. Well done keep the recipes flowing. Thank you very much. Kind regards Sharon x
Thank you, Sharon! I’m very happy you enjoy our content and suggestions, we appreciate you being here ❤️
All the best, Louise
Your recipes are abesoulty decelious and very neutresious, thank you very much for your contributions of your receipes.
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