Turkish Spoon Salad is a personal favorite. The crunch from the cucumbers and walnuts, combined with the sweetness of tomatoes and pomegranate molasses, with the spiciness of the red onion, this salad hits and it hits hard. Promising to be a new favorite side dish or tapas-style dinner addition, or a great weekday lunch salad. This Turkish salad is great year-round but it is especially yummy when it's summer time and vine-ripened tomatoes are growing locally making this recipe a must have when looking for the perfect summer salad.
My Mom has given me my adventure for food from various communities and cultures around the world. From a young age, I was given the opportunity to explore the world through food. Though I grew up in a home where German and Mexican food was often served, my Mom also exposed me to so much more. When I get the chance to go home and visit we always head to one of our favorites and get Turkish Spoon Salad. This is truly one of the best salads of all time. If you are unable to find Pomegranate Molasses you can substitute a high quality balsamic vinegar, but I highly suggest you add pomegranate molasses to your pantry.
I would like to mention, that this is a recipe created and inspired by a Turkish restaurant in my home town. I am unsure of the traditional way to make this salad, so please do not consider me an expert. For all your real deal expert Turkish food recipes head over to https://www.turkeysforlife.com/turkish-recipes-index.html
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Ingredients
- Salad
- Diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
- Red onion
- Persian or English cucumber, fine dice
- Fresh flat leaf parsley
- Walnuts
- Dressing
- Lemon juice
- Pomegranate molasses
- Black pepper or red pepper flakes
- Sea salt
- Extra Virgin olive oil
- Optional topping
- Feta cheese crumbles or Ricotta salata, grated
- Fresh mint
- Pomegranate seeds
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Rinse vegetables and herbs in cold water. Dry thoroughly.
- Finely chop all the vegetables and fresh herbs.
- In a large bowl, add the dressing ingredients, except olive oil and whisk together.
- Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the ingredients have emulsified.
- Add remaining ingredients. Toss to combine
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Place in air-tight container or cover bowl with plastic wrap.
- Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to serving.
Hint: head to Top Tip to see how to salt your cucumbers prior to adding them to the salad. It is not necessary, but will remove some moisture to help concentrate the salad dressing flavors.
Substitutions
- Cucumber - if you don't have access to an English or Persian cucumber, use a regular cucumber and remove seeds prior to cutting into a small dice
- Tomatoes - feel free to use any type of sweet tomato
- Pomegranate Molasses - so there really isn't a substitute for this most beautiful tart and fruity molasses, but you can sub a high quality balsamic vinegar, for a similar, but different salad.
Variations
- Spicy - if you want to add a kick, I would add a finely diced Fresno chili, or for a slight spicy addition add diced green peppers.
- Deluxe - to make this deluxe add all the additional toppings listed above, placing on your most beautiful shallow serving platter. You could also salt your cucumbers to remove excess moisture, but it is not necessary. See top tip for more information.
- Main Dish - to turn this salad into an easy main dish, add plump bulgur, quinoa, or slices of grilled chicken making this a beautifully versatile dish
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Large spoon
- Juicer, or fork
Storage
This salad will keep up to two days in an air-tight container, but is best served the same day.
Top tip
Though it is not necessary, if you have the time, I suggest salting your cucumbers before tossing all your salad ingredients with the dressing.
How to salt cucumbers to remove moisture: take diced cucumbers and place them in medium mixing bowl, add one tablespoon salt and let cucumbers sit for 30 mins. Drain under cold water and pat dry with paper towels then add to salad bowl.
FAQ
There are a large variety of Turkish salads, but Turkish Spoon Salad is typically made with Pomegranate molasses, vegetables and herbs. This recipe is just one variety of many styles on the web.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Turkish Spoon Salad
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- 1 English cucumber quartered and diced
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
Dressing:
- ½ Lemon juice only (about 2 TBSP)
- 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Add dressing ingredients to a large platter or bowl and whisk until combined and the oil and vinegar have emulsified.
- Add salad ingredients and toss together until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve with crackers, on a bed of greek yogurt or labneh, on avocado toast, or enjoy with a spoon.
Food safety
- Cross-contamination. Especially if you are cooking for specific dietary needs, or if you will have any raw meat in the vicinity of your ingredients.
- Clean your vegetables. Wash fruits and vegetables under cold water, even if it's "pre-washed" or "ready-to-eat." After prepping, put produce in clean containers, not in original bags or containers.
- Refrigerate. Leave salad in the refrigerator (below 40 degrees Fahrenheit) until the very last moment. The longer it sits out at room temperature, the more time bacteria has to grow. Never leave anything out longer than 2 hours
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