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Turkish Ezme Salad

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If you enjoy fresh, vibrant, and flavorful plant-based dishes, this Turkish Ezme Salad is a must-try. At Ahimsa Plant Kitchen, I love creating simple recipes that highlight vegetables, herbs, and spices. Ezme salad is a traditional Turkish dish made with finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, parsley, and a mix of tangy spices. It’s colorful, healthy, and full of bright flavors that awaken your taste buds.

What makes this salad special is the balance of textures and flavors. The crisp vegetables combine beautifully with the gentle heat of red pepper flakes and the freshness of herbs. I also like to drizzle it with a little extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness. Preparing Ezme salad is a mindful process, as chopping the ingredients finely ensures each bite is well-mixed and flavorful.

This salad is perfect as a side dish, appetizer, or part of a mezze spread. For example, you can enjoy it with flatbread, roasted vegetables, or alongside vegan mains. Additionally, making it ahead of time allows the flavors to meld, making it even more delicious. It’s versatile, healthy, and naturally vegan, which makes it a great addition to any meal.

Finally, I enjoy presenting the salad in a shallow bowl, garnished with fresh parsley or pomegranate seeds. The colors are vibrant and inviting, perfect for sharing with friends or family. Each bite is refreshing, zesty, and full of wholesome plant-based goodness. This Turkish Ezme Salad is a simple yet impressive recipe that brings a taste of the Mediterranean to your table, celebrating fresh ingredients and bold flavors.

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Turkish Ezme Salad

This classic Turkish mezze / or side dish is bursting with flavor and will leave your taste buds begging for more! The best part is, that it’s naturally vegan! Ezme means “mashed”, so it’s really important that you chop everything really small and mix well. Made with fresh tomatoes, peppers, onion, and parsley, ezme salad is the perfect addition to any meal.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine: Turkish
Keyword: ezme recipe, turkish recipes, turkish vegan recipes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 medium-sized tomatoes peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 long red pepper finely chopped
  • 1 long green pepper finely chopped
  • 1/2 red onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup parsley leaves finely chopped

For the dressing:

  • 1 clove garlic finely diced
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp red pepper paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp pepper or to taste

Instructions

  • Finely chop all vegetables. The word “ezme” means “mashed”, so everything should be chopped very small and well mixed together as shown in the video.
  • 
For the dressing simply combine all ingredients until you have a thick dark paste. Mix well with the vegetables.
  • Enjoy as a side dish, appetizer, or mezze with bread.