Shepherd's Salad, or choban salad, is a light and refreshing salad that can be tossed together in minutes. It's filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, feta cheese, olives, and a light lemon vinaigrette dressing.
Recipe summary
Flavor: Refreshing, light, salty, citrusy.
Easy to customize: The name originates from Turkish shepherds who would gather whatever seasonal ingredients were available on their farms and mix them together to create simple salads.
Serves: 6 people
Similar to: Greek Spinach Pasta Salad
Jump to:
Ingredients and substitutions
- Fresh produce - Shepherd's salad is meant to be customizable with any fresh produce you happen to have on hand. The most common ingredients include cucumber and tomatoes. I've also added red onion today. Fresh diced pepper is another common ingredient.
- Flavor - Feta cheese, olives, lemon, parsley, olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes add flavor to your salad. Other spices like paprika, sumac, or cumin can be added for a warm, savory flavor.
Optional additions
Add more flavor to your shepherd's salad with these optional additions:
- Chopped fresh herbs like dill, mint, or oregano
- Dried spices like sumac, paprika, or cumin
- Bell pepper
- Jalapeno pepper
- Romaine lettuce
Frequently asked questions
Choban Salad, also called shepherd's salad or Çoban salatası, is a Turkish salad commonly made with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onion, and parsley. It is typically topped with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. The name comes from the shepherds who would make this salad using crops from their farms and common ingredients they always had available.
Yes, with adjustments. Store the vegetables and dressing separately, then toss together just before serving. The vegetables will begin to break down after several hours in the dressing.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Shepherd's Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers, seeded and chopped
- 4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- ½ medium red onion, chopped
- 4 ounces feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 ounces kalamata olives, sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a bowl, add diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese, olives, and parsley.
- Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Best enjoyed the same day.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Chopping tip: Maintain a uniform size when dicing your ingredients. A salad is easier and more pleasant to eat when all of the ingredients are cut to a similar size.
- Serve fresh: Because the salad contains vegetables, some juices will be released once they are tossed in the dressing. The salad will start to get soggy after a day or so.
- Make ahead tip: If you need to make your salad a day ahead, I'd suggest separating your salad ingredients from your dressing ingredients. Then, just before serving, toss your salad in the dressing. This way, your salad will remain beautiful and fresh, without any wilting ingredients.
Comments
No Comments