A finely diced Turkish salad of tomato, cucumber, onion, and green pepper, dressed simply with olive oil and lemon.
Coban salatasi, or shepherd's salad, is Turkey's everyday chopped salad -- tomato, cucumber, green pepper, and onion diced into small, uniform pieces and tossed with olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh parsley. It appears at nearly every Turkish meal, from breakfast spreads to kebab dinners, valued for its simplicity and the way its bright acidity cuts through richer, grilled or meat-heavy dishes. The technique that matters most is the knife work: everything should be cut into small, even dice, roughly the same size as the tomato pieces, so each bite carries a mix of all four vegetables rather than large chunks of just one. Salting the tomatoes and cucumbers lightly and letting them sit briefly before dressing helps release some of their water, which then mixes with the olive oil and lemon to become part of the dressing itself rather than diluting it. Served cold as a side to almost anything -- kebabs, borek, eggs, or grilled fish -- coban salatasi is Turkey's simplest and most ubiquitous salad, proof that a handful of good, ripe vegetables need very little else.
Serves 4
Cut tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, and red onion into small, even dice, roughly matching sizes.
Toss vegetables together in a large bowl with the parsley.
Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then season with salt, pepper, and sumac if using.
Toss gently but thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving so the flavors meld and the vegetables release a little juice into the dressing.
Serve cold or at room temperature as a side dish.
Use very ripe, in-season tomatoes -- they're the backbone of the salad, and out-of-season tomatoes will leave it flat-tasting.
Dice everything to a similar small size so every forkful has a balanced mix of all four vegetables.
Don't dress the salad too far ahead of serving; it's best fresh, within an hour or two of tossing, before the vegetables release too much liquid.
Add crumbled feta cheese on top for a heartier version closer to a Greek-style salad.
Mix in pomegranate molasses instead of or alongside lemon juice for a tangier, slightly sweet variation.
Add sliced radish for extra crunch and a peppery bite.
Best eaten fresh the same day. If needed, store undressed vegetables in the fridge up to 2 days and dress just before serving.
Coban salatasi, meaning shepherd's salad, reflects the pastoral, rural roots of simple, fresh vegetable dishes across Anatolia, and remains one of the most universal side dishes across Turkish regional cuisines.
Dice the vegetables ahead and store separately, but toss with the dressing no more than an hour before serving to keep everything crisp and prevent excess liquid pooling.
Tomatoes and cucumbers release liquid naturally as they sit dressed; this is normal, but for a drier salad, salt and drain the diced tomatoes and cucumbers briefly before combining with the rest.
A small amount of extra lemon juice or zest works as a substitute, though sumac's distinct tart, fruity flavor won't be fully replicated.
Per serving (150g / 5.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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