Served on restaurant tables alongside baskets of warm Turkish bread all over Turkey, Ezme is often travelers’ first taste of the region’s vibrant food. Ezme, meaning “crushed" in Turkish is a very finely minced salad. Acili means SPICY, but don't worry, you can tweak the flavor to your preferences. You can almost think of it as the Turkish version of pico de gallo, but with wayyyyy more flavor.
Aleppo pepper flakes, sumac, parsley, and pomegranate molasses do so much to make this humble salad seriously vibrant and exciting. This salad can be eaten on its own, added to mixed greens, or used as a topping for vegan shawarma, other mezze dishes like labneh or preserved lemon yogurt. This is a celebration of wholesome, plant-based ingredients, best made when tomatoes and peppers are in peak season.
The ingredients are finely diced and then drained so that the resulting salad is full of their individual flavors while not being soupy. The addition of aromatic herbs, tangy lemon juice, and a touch of olive oil brings everything together.
Acili ezme makes a killer side dish to serve with other Turkish and Mediterranean favorites such as bulgur pilavi, Turkish lentil soup, or olive oil braised celeriac.
Grab a knife and your cutest apron, and bring the colors and tastes of Turkey into your kitchen!
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🥰Why you are going to adore the ever-loving heck outta this recipe
✊Vegan AF: Like all the Turkish recipes on my blog, this ezme harms no animals. Dishes like this one are proof that food made without harm to other living creatures is delicious and nourishing.
🌿Gluten-Free with Healthy Ingredients: Packed with fresh veggies, aromatic herbs, wonderful Turkish spices, and citrus, this recipe showcases the beauty of simplicity while providing a nutritious and gluten-free option that aligns with a healthy lifestyle.
😸Quick as a Cat: For realsies, this whole thing can take under 5 minutes to prepare if you are fast at cutting with minimal cleanup. If your knife skills are limited, you can make it using a food processor if you prefer!
✅Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the recipes on my blog, this Turkish Ezme recipe has undergone extensive testing and refinement to ensure perfection. Not only have I tested it several different ways, but it has been tested and approved by a group of recipe testers I work with all over the planet!
🍅Notable ingredients and substitutions
Aleppo Pepper
These mildly hot, fruity Middle Eastern red pepper flakes, called pul biber in Turkey, are made from sun-dried, coarsely ground red peppers and provide a warm, smoky undertone. If Aleppo pepper flakes are not available, a close-tasting substitution is Gochugaru (that's the stuff you would use for making kimchi and bulgogi).
Sumac
Sumac is a deep purplish red, tangy spice that brings a delightful sourness to the Ezme salad. I prefer normal sumac for this recipe, not cured sumac, which, although I love it, adds too much salt to this salad.
Pomegranate Molasses
Pomegranate molasses, a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, adds a sweet and slightly tart flavor to the Ezme recipe. It provides a unique depth and complexity to the dish. If you don't have pomegranate molasses, you can substitute equal parts of maple syrup and lemon juice to achieve a similar sweet-tart taste.
Olive Oil
First cold pressed extra virgin olive oil lends a rich, fruity taste and a silky texture to the Ezme salad, which helps carry the flavor of the fresh vegetables. If needed, you can substitute it with other high-quality oils, such as avocado or walnut oil, while keeping in mind that it will slightly alter the taste.
Fresno Chili
The Fresno chili, named after the city in California, is a versatile pepper that brings a moderate level of heat and a hint of sweetness to the Ezme recipe. Fresno chilies add flavor and visual appeal to the dish with a vibrant red color and a crisp texture. If Fresno chilies are unavailable, you can substitute them with red jalapeños or serrano peppers for a similar level of heat and flavor.
📖How to make flawless ezme
Climb upon my back and let us gallop together through hills of minced tomatoes, beyond rivers of pomegranate molasses to the majestic sumac mountaintops beyond! …or you can just follow along with the easy-to-print recipe card towards the bottom of this page.
Step 1
Shred the onion finely using a grater.
Step 2
Very very (VERY) finely mince the tomatoes, garlic, and peppers.
Step 3
As you shred and mince the veggies, add them all to one bowl.
Step 4
Drain the minced mixture in a wire mesh strainer to remove excess moisture from the vegetables. Press the mixture by hand to squeeze out most of the juices. It’s important to do this draining before adding other ingredients, so you aren’t pouring precious olive oil and pomegranate molasses down the drain.
Step 5
Transfer the drained vegetables to a mixing bowl. Add the minced parsley, pomegranate molasses, extra virgin olive oil, sumac, Aleppo pepper, salt, and black pepper.
Step 6
Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to brighten the flavors. I like to adjust the amount of lemon juice based on the acidity of the tomatoes. If your tomatoes aren’t super sweet, you might want to hold back a little on the lemon juice, and add a pinch of sugar to uplift their flavors.
Step 7
Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly, ensuring that the flavors are evenly distributed throughout the Ezme salad. If you want more heat, sir in a spoonful of homemade shatta sauce.
🍽️Serving Ideas
Whatcha gonna do now that you have made the best Turkish salad in the galaxy?
You are gonna serve it up with all the things:
Serve Ezme alongside Saksuka, a Turkish dish made with roasted eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers, or Turkish red lentil soup flavored with herbs and spices.
A generous scoop of ezme is fantastic on top of taboule, which can be made either with bulgur, or made gluten-free using quinoa. Another gluten-free veggie option to pair with ezme is Zeytinyağlı Kereviz, a Turkish dish of braised celery root in olive oil, or this fast, spicy marinated cucumber salad.
Additionally, Turkish Ezme salad makes a fantastic side dish or topping for various kofta preparations. Whether it's Mercimek Kofte (red lentil meatballs), Cif Kofte (bulgur and tomato paste kofta), or Seitan Kofta, which you can serve dripping with tarator dressing, ezme is gonna make the bomb topping.
When it comes to scooping this up with bread, freshly grilled pita, Potato Kulcha, Kerala Parotta, or Moroccan Msemen are excellent choices to accompany Ezme. The warm, pillowy bread provides a perfect vessel for scooping up the vibrant Ezme and savoring the explosion of flavors.
Don’t forget a killer Turkish dessert to end your meal on a sweet note. Consider making this classic Irmik Helvası (semolina halva), elderflower lemon pound cake, or Rosewater Pistachio Baklava.
👉Top tips
- Peak Tomato Season: For the best flavor and juiciness, choose ripe, flavorful tomatoes, especially during peak tomato season. No one wants to eat ezme made with mealy, weak-tasting tomaterssss.
- Draining Minced Veggies: Before combining the minced vegetables with the seasonings, drain them using a wire mesh strainer. This step helps remove excess moisture, preventing the salad from becoming watery and maintaining a desirable texture.
- Get Creative with Additions: Feel free to customize your Ezme salad by adding your favies. Consider incorporating minced cucumbers, green bell pepper, dried mint, olives, radishes, or tatli biber salcasi (Turkish red pepper paste) to make the dish uniquely yours.
- Adjust Seasonings: Don't be afraid to tweak the seasonings according to your taste preferences. You can increase or decrease the amount of lemon juice, spices like sumac or Aleppo pepper, or even add a touch of your favorite herbs to tailor the flavors to your liking. For less spicy ezme, pull back on the aleppo pepper, or leave out the Fresno chili.
- Let it Rest: Allow the Ezme salad to sit for a short while before serving. This resting period helps the flavors meld together, allowing the ingredients to harmonize and intensify their taste.
🤷♀️FAQ
Turkish Shepherd Salad, also known as Çoban Salatası in Turkish, is a refreshing and vibrant salad that is popular in Turkish cuisine. Turkish Shepherd's Salad has a chunky texture due to the diced vegetables. It offers a refreshing crunch with every bite. On the other hand, Ezme has a smoother and more blended consistency due to the minced vegetables. It tends to be softer and spreadable, making it an ideal dip or topping for various dishes.
Çoban Salatası has a much simpler dressing than ezme, often consisting only of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. It also tends to be much less spicy than Ezme.
Refrigeration: Transfer any leftover Ezme salad to an airtight container and refrigerate it promptly.
Use Within: Consume the stored Ezme within three days for the best flavor and quality. As time goes by, the flavors may intensify, and the salad may become slightly more acidic due to the lemon juice.
It’s draining men, hallelujah: The salt and acidity from the lemon continue to draw out moisture from the minced tomatoes and peppers as it sits. If your stored ezme looks soupy, simply drain off any excess liquid before serving.
I mean yes, you can technically do it, but it’s an awful idea! Consider ezme a salad. Would you freeze salad? Hellllll no.
✌️My favey dishes to serve with ezme:
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Acılı Ezme (Spicy Turkish Salad Ezmesi)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion shredded
- 2 medium tomatoes minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper deseeded and minced
- 1 Fresno chili deseeded and minced
- ¼ cup minced parsley
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons sumac
- 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper pul biber
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded onion, finely chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, finely chopped red bell pepper, and finely chopped Fresno chili.
- Drain the minced vegetables in a wire mesh strainer, pressing it by hand to drain most of the juices.
- Place the drained vegetables into a mixing bowl and add the parsley, pomegranate molasses, extra virgin olive oil, sumac, Aleppo pepper, salt, and black pepper.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Mix the ezme and serve the salad as a side dish, a mezze topping, or a flavorful topping for grilled vegetables or pita bread.
Notes
- For milder heat, remove the seeds from the Fresno chili before finely chopping it. If you prefer more spiciness, leave some or all of the seeds intact, or add some additional Aleppo pepper flakes.
- Allow the Ezme salad to sit for a few minutes after mixing to allow the flavors to meld together and develop their full potential.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors may intensify over time, making it even more delicious the next day. However, you may need to drain a little of the extra liquid the veggies release as they marinate.
Adam Sobel
Hey! It’s me, Chef Adam. Lovely to see ya in the comments section here. Drop me a line if you have any questions, or want to let me know how much you loved the recipe. ❤️
Paige Davis
I love Turkish food and was in the mood for this salad tonight, even though I didn’t make other Turkish dishes (I made Adam’s Butter Chick’n using seitan over rice). The fresh flavors were perfect on this hot SoCal night. I love using pomegranate molasses! My grocery didn’t have Fresno peppers, so I substituted a hatch chili pepper, and the heat was perfect. The Aleppo, the lemon juice, and fresh parsley tasted authentically Turkish. Big hit! Thank you for this recipe, Chef Adam.