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Turkish Salads: 12 Classic Salads and Cold Meze to Know

Çoban salata, gavurdağı, piyaz, kısır, babagannuş and more: 12 classic Turkish salads and cold meze, what goes in them and how to make them.

H
House Chef Cyprus Editorial Team
7 min read

Quick answer: The classic Turkish salads are çoban salata (chopped tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion), gavurdağı (finely diced tomato and onion with walnuts, pomegranate molasses and sumac), piyaz (white beans with onion and parsley, or tahini in Antalya), kısır (spiced bulgur), babagannuş and patlıcan közlemesi (smoky aubergine) and acılı ezme (spicy chopped relish). They're served with grills, as meze or as light meals.

Key takeaways

  • Turkish salads are usually finely chopped and dressed with olive oil, lemon or pomegranate molasses, not creamy dressings.
  • Sumac and pul biber are the signature seasonings.
  • Rubbing sliced onions with salt and sumac takes away their harshness. This is used in almost every salad.
  • Many classic salads are naturally vegan and good for meal prep.

Turkish salads at a glance

Salad Base Dressing Best with
Çoban salata Tomato, cucumber, pepper, onion, parsley Olive oil, lemon, salt Anything; the everyday salad
Gavurdağı Finely diced tomato, onion, pepper, walnuts Pomegranate molasses, olive oil, sumac Kebabs
Piyaz White beans, onion, parsley Olive oil, vinegar or lemon; tahini in Antalya Köfte
Kısır Fine bulgur, tomato and pepper paste, herbs Pomegranate molasses, lemon, olive oil On its own, wrapped in lettuce
Babagannuş Smoky roasted aubergine Tahini, lemon, garlic Meze and grills
Patlıcan közlemesi Roasted aubergine and red pepper Garlic, olive oil, vinegar Meze
Acılı ezme Finely chopped tomato, pepper, onion, parsley Pomegranate molasses, pul biber Kebabs, lahmacun
Yeşil mercimek salatası Green lentils, onion, herbs Lemon, olive oil Lunch box, picnic
Atom Thick garlicky yogurt Dried chillies sizzled in butter Meze
Cacık Yogurt and cucumber Dried mint, olive oil Rice, köfte, börek
Rus salatası Potato, peas, carrot, pickles Mayonnaise and yogurt Meze, sandwiches
Roka salatası Rocket, onion, tomato Lemon or pomegranate molasses Fish

The 12 classics

1. Çoban salata (shepherd's salad)

Turkey's everyday salad: ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, long green peppers, onion and parsley, all diced small and dressed with olive oil, lemon and salt. Make our shepherd's salad.

2. Gavurdağı salatası

From Gaziantep. Tomatoes, onions and peppers are chopped very finely, mixed with walnuts and dressed with pomegranate molasses, olive oil and sumac. Try our gavurdağı salad with walnuts.

3. Piyaz

A white bean salad with sumac onions and parsley, the classic partner to köfte. In Antalya it's dressed with a tahini, vinegar and olive oil sauce. See our Antalya-style tahini piyaz.

4. Kısır

Fine bulgur is soaked in hot water, then kneaded with tomato and pepper paste, spring onions, mint, parsley, lemon and pomegranate molasses. Served in lettuce leaves, it's an afternoon-tea favourite with friends.

5. Babagannuş

Aubergines are charred over a flame until smoky, then peeled and mashed with tahini, lemon and garlic. Try our babagannuş, and read how to peel and store charred aubergine in our charred aubergine guide.

6. Patlıcan közlemesi

Charred aubergine and sweet red pepper are chopped together with garlic, olive oil and vinegar. The pepper's sweetness balances the smoke. Here's our aubergine and pepper közleme.

7. Acılı ezme

A spicy relish of tomatoes, peppers, onion and parsley chopped very finely with a curved knife (zırh), drained so it doesn't go watery, then seasoned with pomegranate molasses and pul biber. Make our acılı ezme.

8. Yeşil mercimek salatası

Green lentils cooked until just tender, then tossed with red onion, parsley, lemon and olive oil. It's filling and packs well. See our green lentil salad.

9. Atom

Thick garlicky yogurt topped with dried chillies sizzled in butter and olive oil. It's fiery, creamy and very popular on meyhane tables. Try our atom meze.

10. Cacık

Yogurt with cucumber, garlic and dried mint, loose enough to eat with a spoon. See our cacık recipe and our comparison of cacık, tzatziki and talattouri.

11. Rus salatası (Russian salad)

This potato and vegetable salad in a creamy dressing came to Turkey from Russia and is now a meze-shop staple. Here's our homemade Russian salad.

12. Roka salatası (with a Cypriot twist)

Peppery rocket with onion and tomato is the usual partner for fish. In Cyprus it's often topped with fresh hellim and pomegranate molasses. Try our Cypriot rocket salad with hellim, or the summer classic watermelon and hellim salad.

Three dressing formulas worth remembering

  • Lemon: 3 tbsp olive oil + 1½ tbsp lemon juice + salt. For çoban salata, piyaz and lentils.
  • Pomegranate: 3 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses + 1 tsp lemon + sumac + salt. For gavurdağı, kısır and rocket. Read our pomegranate molasses guide.
  • Tahini: 2 tbsp tahini + 2 tbsp lemon or vinegar + 1 small crushed garlic clove + water to loosen. For piyaz and babagannuş.

Chef's tip: Slice onions thinly, then rub them with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sumac for a minute, squeezing gently. Rinse briefly if they're still sharp. This takes the raw bite out of onions for any Turkish salad and turns them a pretty pink.

How to build a salad and meze table

For a summer grill night, choose one fresh chopped salad (çoban or gavurdağı), one bean or grain salad (piyaz or kısır), one smoky dish (babagannuş or közleme) and one yogurt dish (cacık or atom). Add bread and olives, and you have a full meze course before the kebabs. For more plant-based ideas, see our vegan Turkish and Cypriot food guide.

Which salads can you make ahead?

Make ahead (1–3 days) Make the same day Make just before serving
Kısır, piyaz (without onions), green lentil salad, babagannuş, patlıcan közlemesi, Russian salad Atom (add the hot butter at the last minute), acılı ezme Çoban salata, gavurdağı, cacık, rocket salads

For make-ahead salads, keep the fresh herbs and sumac onions separate and add them just before serving. For chopped salads such as çoban and gavurdağı, prepare the vegetables in advance but add salt and dressing only at the table, because salt draws out the juices and makes them watery.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most popular salad in Turkey?

Çoban salata (shepherd's salad), a finely chopped mix of tomato, cucumber, pepper, onion and parsley with olive oil and lemon, is served with almost every meal.

What is the difference between gavurdağı and çoban salad?

Both use chopped tomatoes, peppers and onions. Gavurdağı is chopped much finer and adds walnuts, pomegranate molasses and sumac, which gives it a sweet-sour, nutty flavour.

What is sumac and why is it in Turkish salads?

Sumac is a deep red, tangy spice made from dried sumac berries. It adds a lemony sourness and colour, especially to onions and salads.

Are Turkish salads healthy?

Most are very healthy: lots of fresh vegetables, pulses, herbs and olive oil, with little processed food. Go easy on the olive oil and the creamy salads if you're watching calories.

What is kısır made of?

Kısır is made from fine bulgur soaked in hot water and kneaded with tomato and pepper paste, olive oil, lemon and pomegranate molasses. It's mixed with spring onions, parsley and mint and seasoned with pul biber.

Is Russian salad Turkish?

Russian salad (Rus salatası) comes from the Olivier salad created in Russia. It's now a standard Turkish meze, usually made with potatoes, carrots, peas and pickles in a mayonnaise and yogurt dressing.

Sources

  • Shepherd's salad (çoban salatası)
  • Kısır: Turkish bulgur salad

Written by the House Chef Cyprus editorial team, Cyprus. Last reviewed: September 2026.

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