Bulgarian Shopska Salad with Sirene Cheese
Shopska Salad
A crisp Bulgarian tomato, cucumber, pepper, and onion salad finished with grated sirene cheese, parsley, and a simple oil-and-vinegar dressing.
Shopska salad is one of Bulgaria's best-known fresh salads, built around ripe tomatoes, cool cucumber, sweet pepper, onion, parsley, and a generous snowy layer of sirene cheese. It is simple, bright, and meant to taste like the vegetables at their peak rather than a heavily dressed side dish.
The classic presentation keeps the vegetables in distinct, juicy pieces and adds the cheese at the end so it stays crumbly and visible. Sirene is a brined white cheese with a salty, tangy flavor; if you cannot find it, a firm Bulgarian-style feta is the closest practical substitute.
Because there is no cooking, the quality of the produce matters most. Salt the vegetables lightly, dress them just before serving, and let the tomato juices mingle with the oil and vinegar in the bowl. The result is refreshing enough for a hot day but substantial enough to sit beside grilled meats, beans, bread, or roasted vegetables.
Serve Shopska salad family-style in a shallow bowl so every spoonful catches tomato juice, cucumber crunch, pepper sweetness, and a little cheese. It is best eaten soon after dressing, while the vegetables are still crisp and the cheese has not dissolved into the juices.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Place the tomatoes in a wide serving bowl and include any juices from the cutting board.
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2
Add the cucumber, green bell pepper, red onion, and parsley to the bowl.
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3
Sprinkle the vegetables with the sea salt and toss gently so the tomatoes begin to release a little juice.
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4
Drizzle with the oil and red wine vinegar, then toss again until the vegetables are lightly coated but not crushed.
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5
Taste the tomato juices at the bottom of the bowl and adjust with a little more salt, vinegar, or oil if needed.
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6
Mound the salad loosely in the bowl and cover the top with the grated or crumbled sirene cheese.
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7
Finish with black pepper and serve immediately, spooning some of the seasoned juices over each portion.
Ingredients
- Ripe Tomatoes, cut into bite-size chunks:1 1/2 lb
- English Cucumber, diced:1 large
- Green Bell Pepper, finely diced:1 medium
- Red Onion, thinly sliced:1/2 small
- Fresh Parsley, chopped:1/4 cup
- Sunflower Oil or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil:3 tbsp
- Red Wine Vinegar:1 1/2 tbsp
- Fine Sea Salt:3/4 tsp
- Sirene Cheese or Firm Bulgarian-Style Feta, finely grated or crumbled:5 oz
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper:to taste
Tips & Notes
- Use ripe, room-temperature tomatoes; chilled tomatoes make the salad taste flatter.
- Grating firm sirene over the salad gives the traditional snowy look, while crumbling works better for softer cheese.
- Dress the salad just before serving so the cucumber and pepper stay crisp.
- If the onion is sharp, rinse the slices briefly under cold water and pat them dry before adding.
