Have you ever tasted something you’ve been thinking about ever since? Such was the case with this shepherd salad! Alex and I first tried this traditional Turkish salad in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, of all places. The food was so delicious at a sweet little Mediterranean restaurant we visited that we had to return just to get another taste! Since then, we’ve been dying for cucumbers and tomatoes to be in season so we could try out a shepherd salad recipe. Here’s how to make it at home!
How to make shepherd salad
Was this shepherd salad worth the wait? Every last day. Nothing is more refreshing on a steamy summer night than a cucumber and tomato salad punctuated with salty feta and briny olives – at least in our opinion! There are lots of variations on shepherd salad. But we wanted to mimic the simple, straightforward flavors we remembered. Parsley is the most traditional of herbs to add here, but we remembered a milder flavor of oregano. We tend to prefer oregano over the bite of parsley, which can sometimes overwhelm other flavors. Feel free to use whatever you prefer! Here are the basic steps of how to make shepherd salad:
Cucumber salads from around the world
We can’t seem to get enough of cucumber salads…it seems like each nation has their own version. Along with this Turkish shepherd salad, there are so many varieties of cucumber salads. Here are a few standouts:
This classic Greek salad is very similar to shepherd salad. German cucumber salad features thinly sliced cucumbers and onions in a vinegar dressingThai cucumber salad uses Thai curry paste, cashews and cilantroKorean cucumber salad has carrots, spicy gochujang paste, and sesame seedsMexican style cucumber avocado salad features tomatoes, lime and cilantro
What other cucumber salad recipes do you know of? Let us know in the comments below!
This shepherd salad recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free.
Looking for more salad recipes?
Outside of this Turkish shepherd salad, here are a few more of our favorite salad recipes: No reviews
Wedge Salad with Potato ChipsEasy Bean SaladIncredible No Mayo Potato SaladStrawberry Salad with Balsamic VinaigretteCaribbean Black Bean SaladGreek SaladCucumber Salad with VinegarClassic Vegan Potato SaladPeach & Burrata SaladArugula & Tomato Burrata Salad
Last updated October 2019
