Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 320 g persian cucumbers, unpeeled
- 300 g roma tomatoes, firm
- 80 g red onion, peeled
Dressing
- 45 ml fresh lime juice
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g dried mint
- 3 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 105 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 299 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 351 mg
- Calcium
- 35 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 25 mg
- Phosphorus
- 46 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 17 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 104 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the cucumbers. Do not peel them, as the skin adds essential texture and color. Dice them into uniform 6mm (1/4 inch) cubes.
Cut the tomatoes. Remove the watery seeds and pulp to prevent the salad from becoming soupy. Dice the firm flesh into 6mm (1/4 inch) cubes to match the cucumbers.
Finely dice the red onion into pieces slightly smaller than the cucumbers and tomatoes (about 4-5mm) to ensure the onion flavor doesn't overpower a single bite.
Combine the diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions in a large mixing bowl. Gently toss to distribute the colors evenly.
Add the dressing components: pour over the olive oil and lime juice, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the dried mint. Crush the dried mint between your fingers as you add it to release the oils.
Toss the salad thoroughly and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. This allows the lime juice to slightly pickle the vegetables and the flavors to meld.
Chef's Notes
- Uniformity is the hallmark of a good Shirazi salad; take your time to cut all vegetables to the exact same size.
- Dried mint is traditional and superior to fresh mint for this specific application, as it provides a concentrated, earthy herbal note that stands up to the acidity.
- For an even more authentic flavor profile, replace half the lime juice with 'Ab-ghooreh' (sour unripe grape juice) if you can find it at a Middle Eastern market.
- If using standard field cucumbers instead of Persian/mini cucumbers, you must peel the thick waxy skin and remove the large seeds.
- Serve chilled alongside warm dishes for maximum temperature contrast.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten fresh; texture becomes soggy after 24 hours.
Troubleshooting
Salad is too watery/soupy
Cause: Tomato seeds were not removed or salad sat too long after salting
Fix: Gently tilt the bowl and spoon out excess liquid before serving
Prevention: Remove tomato pulp/seeds before dicing; salt immediately before the resting period, not hours in advance
Cultural Context
Named after Shiraz, a city in southwestern Iran known for its gardens and poets, this salad is a staple of the Persian table. It is traditionally served as a cooling counterpoint to rich, fatty main courses like Chelo Kabab or hearty stews (Khoresh), acting as a palate cleanser between bites.
