What is a Persian cucumber?

A Persian cucumber is a type of cucumber that is small, thin, and has a dark green skin. It has a mild, sweet flavor and is often used in salads and other dishes.

What can be substituted for sour grape juice?

Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and lime juice are solid substitutions for the sour grape juice you'll see used in a traditional Shirazi salad.

How do you prevent a cucumber salad from becoming too watery?

To prevent a cucumber salad from becoming too watery, toss the sliced cucumbers with a small amount of salt and let them sit for 30 minutes before assembling the salad. The salt will draw out excess moisture from the cucumbers.

A Beautiful and Easy Persian Shirazi Salad Recipe

Persian Shirazi Salad

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Colorful, crisp and cooling, this beautiful Persian-style cucumber and tomato salad is perfect with just about anything lucky enough to share the table with it. Feel free to adjust the amounts of each ingredient to suit your preferences. I enjoy the combo of onions here, using both red onion and scallion. But you could omit the scallions if you like. Also, a combo of lemon and lime juices is so great, but one of the two works just as well.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x

Ingredients

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1 English cucumber, cut/sliced into small, bite-sized pieces (see note)
1 cup multi-colored cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper, as needed
1/3 cup diced red onion, or to taste (another type of onion also works)
2 tablespoons fresh mint, minced
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced (optional)
3 scallions, green parts only, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of either 1/2 lemon or 1/2 lime (or a combo of both)

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Instructions

Put the cucumbers and tomatoes in a colander in the sink and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Toss to coat and allow the veggies to sit for at least 15 minutes (I usually prep the rest of the salad now). The salt will pull excess water out of the cucumbers and tomatoes, making the salad less wet in the end.
Put the drained cucumbers and tomatoes in a medium bowl, and add the diced red onion, mint, parsley (if using), dill (if using), and scallions. Add the olive oil and citrus juice(s). Season with lots of freshly cracked black pepper and if you think it needs it, a little more salt. Toss to coat everything and enjoy.
This will keep nicely in the fridge for several days, but is best served a little closer to room temp. So, just be sure to pull it out of the fridge at least 20 minutes prior to serving, and give it a good toss.

Notes

5 or 6 smaller Persian cucumbers can be substituted for the English cucumber

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2024/08/27/persian-shirazi-salad-recipe/