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Persian Tomato and Cucumber Salad (Shirazi Salad)
Ripe summer tomatoes shine in this simple salad inspired by a recipe from Najmieh Batmanglij’s book “Cooking in Iran.” To make the dish out of season, try Campari tomatoes (sometimes called cocktail tomatoes), which have a better texture than other varieties in the off seasons. English cucumbers have fewer seeds and thinner skins than the typical garden variety. Even better are smaller Persian cucumbers. If you find them, you'll need 12 ounces. And simply slice them into ½-inch rounds; no need for seeding. The dressing is bracingly fresh and sharp; if you prefer a mellower, slightly richer salad, drizzle in the optional olive oil just before serving.
4
Servings
Tip
Don’t bypass the step of salting the cucumber and tomatoes. They will release about ½ cup of liquid, moisture that otherwise would make the salad watery and dilute.
30 minutes
15 minutes active
Ingredients
-
1
English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, then cut into ½-inch pieces
-
1½
pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
Directions
-
01In a large colander, combine the cucumber and tomatoes, then set in the sink. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and gently toss to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes, tossing once or twice to encourage the liquid to drain.
Reviews
January 27, 2025
It has quickly become a favorite
I have made this recipe two times in the last 4 days. Everyone loved it and the little bit that was left was still good the next day for lunch. I am lucky enough to live where I can get Persian cucumbers, so I then selected delicious small tomatoes to go with the small cakes. DELICIOUS!
August 17, 2024
Delicious and unusual!
I really liked the flavor of the lime juice dressing. A great summer salad.
July 16, 2024
Asbolutely delicious!
I made this recipe with campari tomatoes and de-seeded American cucumbers fresh from the garden.
September 27, 2023
One of my favorite recipes
I love this salad! The salad is full of flavor and healthy. A great salad for the summer if you have a garden and a ton of tomatoes. My tomatoes were big boys.
June 22, 2022
Refreshing and light!
Great combination, it was vibrant and light, yet filling, but I did add grilled chicken to make a full meal of it. It will be a frequent guest at my table.
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This is now a staple, make it 2-3 times a month. Only change was to use cherry tomatoes, in fact made it tonight to accompany the Portuguese pork and clams