Shopska Salad

Traditional Shopska salata - cucumber tomato onion salad with feta

How to make traditional Bulgarian Shopska salad - a vibrant tomato cucumber salad with onion, parsley, green pepper and delicious feta cheese.

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Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 344kcal

Author: Milena Perrine

Ingredients

3 medium sized tomatoes
½ large English cucumber*
1 small yellow onion
1 green bell pepper optional
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley or to taste
4 sprigs dill or to taste
1 tablespoon sunflower or vegetable oil or to taste
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar**
salt to taste
4-6 oz feta cheese Bulgarian cows milk feta in brine recommended***

Instructions

Make sure all your fresh ingredients and feta are cold. Peel the cucumber, then quarter it lengthwise and chop it. Chop the onion and the green pepper (if using). [mv_img id="12758"]
Quarter the tomatoes, remove the seeds and chop. [mv_img id="12757"]
Pick the leaves of the parsley and dill and give them a rough chop. [mv_img id="12759"]
Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onions, pepper and herbs in a bowl. Add oil and season with salt. If using, add the red wine vinegar and toss everything together. [mv_img id="12754"]
Grate the feta (large or fine is up to you). [mv_img id="12755"]
Transfer the salad to a shallow(er) serving dish/bowl and scatter the grated feta on top. [mv_img id="12756"]

Notes

*substitute with 3-4 small Persian cucumbers which have the same flavor and texture

**skip if tomatoes are on the acidic side

***Bulgarian feta has a sharp taste and is creamy but firm. It is very well suited for grating. It can be on the salty side in which case you can discard some of the brine and replace it with cold water (to draw the saltiness out).

Nutrition