Bulgarian Shopska Salad
As the air begins to warm up and summer is starting to appear on the horizon, we would like to share some authentic Balkan summer dishes. The Bulgarian Shopska Salad is a traditional cold salad enjoyed throughout the Balkans. It is really delicious and super easy to prepare. It also provides a great summer holiday vibe when many of us remain stuck at home. Below we have provided a really easy, make at home, shopska salata recipe.
Origins of the Shopska Salad
During the 1950’s Bulgaria was closely allied with the Soviet Union and under Communist rule. As a result, the country’s finest chefs were asked to create a dish that would appeal to tourists, encourage visitors to the country and promote local ingredients. The colors of the salad also, conveniently, highlight the colors of the Bulgarian flag – red, white and green. The Shopska Salad was born.
The salad takes its name from the Shopluk region, where Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia meet. This refreshing salad is a Bulgarian national dish and can be found in nearly every restaurant in the country, especially in the summer months.
Variations of the Bulgarian Salad
Many people have their own take on this salad. However, we have tried to stick to the most authentic shopska salad recipe. Common variations include substituting sunflower oil for olive oil. However, many purists say that this spoils the true Bulgarian taste. Olive trees are not common in Bulgaria so olives and olive oil are not widely used in cooking.
Large, pink Bulgarian tomatoes are traditionally used. However, these aren’t easy to find out with the Balkans but any large juicy tomato will work. I have gone rogue and used cherry tomatoes and they add a bit of sweetness if that is to your taste.
The same goes for the cheese. Sirene cheese is used in the original recipe and is a Feta style brined cheese made in South-Eastern Europe. If you can’t get hold of this particular cheese, feta does just as nicely.
How to Enjoy this Refreshing Salad
This Bulgarian salad goes really well with grilled meats, stews, any types of sandwiches or as a full salad. To enjoy as a main meal perhaps try adding some chicken or salami.
This is one of the few lettuce free salads around. It only has three main ingredients making it super quick to prepare and the ingredients are low cost. It is also a very low calorie option at around 200kcal per serving.
This salad is delicious because of the contrast between the juicy tomatoes and the crunchy cucumber then a bit of saltiness from the feta and dressing, yum!
Just make sure it is eaten right away or the tomatoes and cucumber can go a bit mushy.
If you find yourself in Bulgaria, try Hadjidraganov’s Houses Restaurant in Sofia for one of the very best Shopska salads in the Balkans. It can be found at 75 Kozloduy St, 1202 Sofia, Bulgaria
Shopska Salad Recipe
For a taste of Bulgaria in your home, here is an easy to make recipe for Shopska salad.
Before you prepare your Bulgarian Salad you will need the following ingredients. However, many of these ingredients are optional and down to personal taste.
You will need…
- 1 Cucumber
- 2 Large tomatoes (roughly 450 g )
- ¼ Onion (red or white) – Optional
- 1 Pepper – Optional
- 1 tsp Salt
- 60ml Sunflower oil
- 50g Sirene or feta cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley or black olives – Optional
Time to prepare the salad!
- Wash the ingredients
- Slice the cucumber thinly (peel if desired)
- Cut the tomato (and pepper if using it) into smaller chunks
- If adding onion, peel and chop it into thin slices
- Mix the salt and sunflower oil together and season to taste
- Grate or crumble the cheese and sprinkle generously over the salad
- Garnish with parsley or a black olive if desired
- Enjoy!
What next?
Inspired by Balkan food and drink? Take a look at our other posts HERE and try a few of the delicious recipes.
Maybe you’re thinking of a trip to the Balkans to try the real thing? Check out our Balkan FAQs page for loads of information on the area.
Have you tried this recipe at home or in the Balkans? Let us know by dropping a comment in the box. We would love to hear from you!
I absolutely adore shopska salad!