Turkish Ezme Salad Recipe

Since moving to Turkey, this Turkish salsa-type dip has been a new family favourite. Turkish cuisine is renowned for its delicious fresh ingredients, and this refreshing and nutritious Ezme Salad is a perfect example of the burst of flavour that results. This salad is a brilliant combination of finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, and parsley, mixed with a zesty dressing. It offers a range of health benefits, tomatoes are rich in lycopene, while peppers are a great source of vitamins A and C.

Ingredients for Ezme Salad

• 4 tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 green chilli peppers or 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled & finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon red pepper paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo red pepper flakes (sweet not chilli)
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 2 teaspoons dried mint
• 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1-2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (to taste)

How to make Turkish Ezme Salad?

1. Finely chop the tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, green chilli peppers, onion, and parsley. You can use a knife or a food processor for this step. Place all the chopped ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, prepare the dressing for the salad. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste, black pepper, Aleppo red pepper flakes, sumac, dried mint, pomegranate molasses and salt. Whisk the ingredients together until well combined.
3. Pour the dressing over the chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Mix everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
4. Refrigerate the Ezme Salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
5. Serve the Ezme Salad as a side dish or appetizer. It pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, kebabs, or as a topping for bread.

What can you serve with Ezme Salad?

Turkish Ezme Salad is not only a delicious, refreshing addition to any meal but also a healthy choice packed with nutrients. Turkish Ezme Salad is a versatile dish that pairs well with a variety of foods. It can be served as a side dish or appetizer alongside grilled meats, kebabs, or seafood. The fresh and zesty flavours of the salad complement the rich and savoury flavours of these dishes perfectly.

Additionally, Ezme Salad can be used as a topping for bread or as a dip for pita chips or crackers. Its bold flavours and perfect texture size make it a great alternative to traditional salsa or bruschetta.

You can also serve Ezme Salad as part of a Mezze with other Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus, tabbouleh, falafel and grilled vegetables.

Turkish Ezme Salad

This Ezme salad is a delicious combination of finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, and parsley, mixed with a zesty dressing. Not only is it bursting with flavour, but it also offers a range of health benefits. It's much easier to add everything in a food processor and blend, however, the texture should remain bulky as though it was finely chopped and NOT smooth.

Servings 10

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

resting time 30 minutes mins

Equipment

• 1 Food Processor

Ingredients

• 4 tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 green chilli peppers or 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic peeled & finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon red pepper paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo red pepper flakes sweet not chilli
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 2 teaspoons dried mint
• 1 teaspoon salt to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 1-2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses to taste

Instructions

• Finely chop the tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, green chilli peppers, onion, and parsley. You can use a knife or a food processor for this step. Place all the chopped ingredients in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, prepare the dressing for the salad. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper paste, black pepper, Aleppo red pepper flakes, sumac, dried mint, pomegranate molasses and salt. Whisk the ingredients together until well combined.
• Pour the dressing over the chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Mix everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
• Refrigerate the Ezme Salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
• Serve the Ezme Salad as a side dish or appetizer. It pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, kebabs, or as a topping for bread.

Notes

The prep time given is with using a food processor, if you are finely chopping everything it will take longer.

This recipe mix makes 3 batches for my family of 5 to enjoy on 3 separate occasions. It keeps well in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to a week and freezes well. 

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Turkish

Keyword: kebab dip, onion, peppers, tomato