Çoban salatası, literally shepherd’s salad, is Turkey’s version of the chopped tomato-and-cucumber salad you will find in some form on nearly every table around the Mediterranean. What sets it apart is the cut: everything, tomato, cucumber, pepper, onion, is diced small and even, so every bite gets a little of everything.
It is a close cousin of the escalivada already on the site, minus the roasting, and it belongs in the same category as fattoush and panzanella, both also posted here — proof that nearly every culture around this sea solved the same problem of ripe summer vegetables the same basic way, then made it their own with different herbs and dressing.
Çoban salatası is a salad for August, when tomatoes finally taste like something and cucumbers stop being watery. A drizzle of pomegranate molasses is not traditional everywhere in Turkey, but it is a popular and very good addition.
Çoban Salatası Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes, diced small
- 1 English cucumber, diced small
- 1 green bell pepper, diced small
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses, optional
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine the diced tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, and red onion in a large bowl.
- If the tomatoes are very juicy, let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then drain off any excess liquid that collects at the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the parsley and mint.
- Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses if using, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.
- Scatter the crumbled feta over the top just before serving. Do not toss the feta in, or it will disappear into the vegetables.
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