This is a delightful warm-weather recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks, Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat by Melissa Joulwan. Thanks, Melissa, for sharing the recipe with us!
This is one of those recipes that makes everyone think you’re a genius because it tastes so good (while inside you know the real secret: lots of chopping). Bright and crunchy, it’s ridiculously healthy—without tasting like it’s ridiculously healthy—and it’s so friendly and eager to please. Cut the recipe in half if you don’t want leftovers or double it up to share at a potluck.
Turkish Chopped Salad
(serves 6-8)
The Players
The dressing:
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 1/4 cup)
- juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon sumac (optional)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (where to find REAL olive oil)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
The salad:
- 2 medium cucumbers, peeled
- 2 medium green peppers, seeded
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 1 bunch radishes, tops removed
- 1 can (6 ounces) large black pitted olives
The How-To
Chop the parsley and place in a medium bowl. Add the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, paprika,oregano, and sumac. Whisk until blended, then slowly drizzle in the oil, stirring vigorously. Season with salt and pepper, taste, then adjust seasonings.
Dice all the vegetables into roughly the same size—a 1/4-inch dice is nice— and place in a large mixing bowl. Slice the olives and add to the bowl.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss with two wooden spoons until the vegetables are coated. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Enjoy your Turkish Chopped Salad!
Where To Get The Cookbook
Want even more tasty recipes?
How about a method of cooking that consolidates your prep work into a couple weekend hours so that you can toss weekday lunches and dinners together in as little as 15 minutes?
Check out Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat.
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Does the sumac in the recipe refer to powdered sumac? I’m familiar with the plant, but I never knew it could be made into a seasoning!!
The recipe looks fabulous. I love it when a recipe looks really similar to something that I would make anyway, but with a few added twists that I never would have done, myself. 🙂 Thanks!
Wow it looks juicy and refreshing….You can add generously some concassed walnut
Since you like chopped salads check out kachumbar (Indian). Brilliant with curry and spicy meat dishes.
I love Melissa’s cookbook “Well Fed” and blog, “The Clothes Make the Girl”. Having grown up in a family of serious cooks she has an innate sense of how to make really good, and simple, food. Plus, she’s beautiful and strong… and dresses great! Thanks for the reminder to go open my e-copy. I get busy and forget about some of my e-resources!
I’ve made this three times now! I think I could live on it. I found sumac at the Asian market. I’ve added sheep’s milk feta to it, and it’s AMAZING that way. I also have added chopped cauliflower, which I’m sure isn’t Turkish, but it sure is good.
Sharon Dougherty
Shayna Richards – yum!