Salad Shirazi: tart, crunchy, easy to make. This beloved Persian salad is a staple in my home and in many others. Hailing from the city of Shiraz in southern Iran, Salad Shirazi is a light and refreshing cucumber and tomato salad that reflects the agriculture surrounding the city. It can be assembled with a few simple ingredients: cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
I typically start by slicing a few Persian cucumbers lengthwise and then dicing them (regular cucumbers are fine to use as well). Next, I cut a handful of cherry tomatoes into fourths and dice a quarter of an onion before collecting everything I’ve cut so far in a bowl. One thing I love about this salad is the fact that it is finely chopped—an aspect that I think everyone would agree makes a salad’s flavor much more satisfying.
For the dressing, I add a healthy glug of olive oil and lemon juice followed by salt and pepper. Some recipes include dried mint or cilantro as optional components, but I like to keep my Salad Shirazi fresh and simple.
Salad Shirazi is often eaten as an appetizer or side to a main dish. “It can really be served with anything. It goes well with some of my favorite main dishes like kabobeh koobideh and khoreshteh ghameh,” Cyrus Rahbari ‘26 says. Rahbari also reflects on his personal connection to Persian cuisine, saying “I think there’s something special about Persian food for me…I don’t think I can ever forget the taste and memories I have of Persian food and every time I take a bite it reminds me of childhood and my mom’s cooking.”
Undoubtedly, Salad Shirazi exemplifies a taste of Iran that everyone can enjoy. Personally, I am not a salad lover but this one I genuinely crave time and time again, and I am confident that you will love it too.
