Coban Salatasi (Turkish Shepherd's Salad)

About This Recipe

Coban salatasi, or shepherd's salad, is one of the most common sights on a Turkish table — a bright, uniformly diced mix of tomato, cucumber, green pepper and onion that appears alongside kebabs, mezze, or a simple breakfast. The key technique is the dice: every vegetable is cut small and even, roughly the same size, so each forkful carries a bit of everything rather than one dominant flavor. Dressed at the last minute with good olive oil, lemon juice, and a generous handful of parsley and mint, the salad is meant to be eaten fresh — it turns watery if it sits too long once dressed.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3ripe tomatoes(finely diced)
• 1cucumber(finely diced)
• 1green bell pepper(finely diced)
• 1/2red onion(finely diced)
• 1/4 cupfresh parsley(chopped)
• 2 tbspfresh mint(chopped)
• 3 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1/4 tspblack pepper
• 1/2 tspsumac(optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Dice the vegetables

   Cut tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion into small, even dice, about a quarter inch.

2. 2

   Combine

   Toss the diced vegetables together in a large bowl with parsley and mint.

3. 3

   Dress just before serving

   Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, then pour over the salad and toss gently.

   Dress right before eating — salting too early draws out water and dilutes the flavor.

4. 4

   Finish

   Sprinkle with sumac if using and serve immediately alongside grilled meats or flatbread.

Variations

• •

  Adding crumbled white cheese (beyaz peynir) turns this into a heartier lunch salad.

• •

  Pomegranate molasses can replace or supplement the lemon juice for a sweeter, tangier dressing.

• •

  Some versions include chopped walnuts for crunch, especially in eastern Turkish regions.

Storage

Best eaten fresh within an hour of dressing; undressed diced vegetables keep refrigerated up to a day, but dress only what you'll eat right away.

Frequently Asked Questions