Shopska Salad

How to cook Shopska Salad?

Shopska salad is an ideal, light and refreshing dish for hot summer days. It is a healthy dish according to the Bulgarian tradition. The composition is simple: sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, fried or raw sweet peppers and Bulgarian cheese “Sirene”. We replaced cheese “Sirene” with “Feta”.

The salad was originally created in the 1950s, when the best Bulgarian chefs were asked to create dishes that would attract tourists to the country. Vegetables are usually salted, sprinkled with sunflower or olive oil and sprinkled with grated Bulgarian Sirene cheese on top.

The word “shopskaya” in the name refers to the humble people of Shopi from the region of Shopluk, where Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia meet.

Recipe type: Salads

Recipe type: Bulgarian

Yield: 3-4

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Tomatoes — 215 grams

Lebanese cucumber — 230 grams

Sweet Bulgarian pepper — 150 grams

Pepper and salt to taste

Parsley — a bunch

Kalamata olives — 50 grams

Extra virgin olive oil — 1 tablespoon

Feta cheese — 60-80 grams

Directions:

1. Tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and parsley cut into large pieces. Mix it up.

2. Kalamata olives (pitted) cut in half.

3. Add salt and pepper.

4. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix it up.

5. Grate “Feta” cheese on a fine grater on top of the salad.

Serving: Serve the dish immediately!

Bon Appetit!