Overview

Shopska Salad

Name: Shopska Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Bulgaria
Ingredients: 500g (4 medium) Ripe tomatoes; 300g (1 large) Cucumber; 150g (1 large) Green bell pepper; 100g (1 small) Red onion; 200g (7 oz) Sirene white cheese (or feta); 30ml (2 tbsp) Sunflower oil; 15ml (1 tbsp) White wine vinegar; 10g (¼ cup chopped) Fresh parsley, flat-leaf; 2g (¼ tsp) Fine sea salt

Shopska Salata; Bulgarian Salad; Šopska Salata

This shopska salad recipe makes Bulgaria's most famous salad: ripe tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and onion, diced and lightly dressed with sunflower oil and vinegar, then buried under a thick layer of grated sirene, the white brined cheese that makes the dish. It is fresh, salty, crunchy and ready in twenty minutes. One serving is about 325 g.

Shopska salad was created in the 1950s by Balkantourist, Bulgaria's state tourism company, and in 1956 the company named its version Shopska salad. It is named after the Shopi people of the Shopluk region around Sofia. The salad's red, green and white colours match the Bulgarian flag — a coincidence that helped make it a symbol of the country.

Pairs well with: Grilled meats & rakia

Provenance

Bulgaria

Sofia Table Classic

Nordic & European

Time Dedication

20m

20m prep • 0m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

251 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 325 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (No Cooking)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Quick Prep (<30m) Occasions: Summer lunch, barbecue side, mezze table, light dinner starter Cost: Low — about $2 per serving at home

Tags: Vegetables Cheese Savory Vegetarian Gluten-free Salad

Shopska salad — diced tomatoes, cucumber and peppers covered in grated white sirene cheese in a blue bowl

Sofia Table Classic

Photo: Fred Cherrygarden, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Ripe tomatoes 500g (4 medium)

The heart of the salad — they must be ripe. Substitute: Cherry tomatoes, halved, same weight.

How to choose: Heavy, fragrant, deep red, with no hard white cores.

How to prepare: Core and dice into 2 cm pieces.

Required
Cucumber 300g (1 large)

Cool crunch against the tomatoes. Substitute: Two small cucumbers, same weight.

How to choose: Firm, dark green, with no soft spots.

How to prepare: Peel in stripes or fully, then dice into 2 cm pieces.

Required
Green bell pepper 150g (1 large)

Fresh bite and colour. Substitute: A roasted red pepper, peeled, for a sweeter version.

How to choose: Firm, glossy, heavy for its size.

How to prepare: Core, seed and dice into 2 cm pieces.

Required
Red onion 100g (1 small)

Sharpness against the sweet vegetables. Substitute: Spring onions, sliced, same weight.

How to choose: Firm, with dry papery skins.

How to prepare: Peel and dice finely.

Required
Sirene white cheese (or feta) 200g (7 oz)

The snowdrift on top — the signature of the dish. Substitute: Feta cheese, same weight.

How to choose: White, crumbly, kept in brine; taste before buying if you can.

How to prepare: Keep cold and grate coarsely just before serving.

Required
Sunflower oil 30ml (2 tbsp)

The classic dressing oil in Bulgaria. Substitute: Mild olive oil, same amount.

How to choose: Fresh, neutral-smelling oil.

How to prepare: Measure out.

Required
White wine vinegar 15ml (1 tbsp)

A little acidity to wake the vegetables up. Substitute: Lemon juice, same amount.

How to choose: Clear, sharp vinegar.

How to prepare: Measure out.

Required
Fresh parsley, flat-leaf 10g (¼ cup chopped)

Freshness and colour. Substitute: Fresh dill, same amount.

How to choose: Bright green, perky leaves.

How to prepare: Wash, shake dry and chop.

Optional
Fine sea salt 2g (¼ tsp)

Go light — the sirene is already salty. Substitute: Flaky sea salt.

How to choose: Fine, free-flowing salt.

How to prepare: Measure out.

Required

Estimated cost: Low — about $2 per serving at home (USD)

The vegetables are diced, lightly dressed, and covered with a thick layer of grated sirene.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 20m

Prep Stage: Vegetables Diced, Cheese Grated

20 Mins • Knife Work

Dice the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and onion into even 2 cm pieces so every forkful has a bit of everything. Chop the parsley and grate the sirene coarsely, keeping it cold until the last moment so it holds its shape on top of the salad.

Maestro Tip: Cut everything the same size. Even dice is what makes a chopped salad eat well.

1
Dice the Vegetables

10 Mins • Knife Work Cold, about 4°C (39°F)

Dice the tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper and red onion into even 2 cm pieces and put them in a large bowl. The pieces should be big enough to bite, small enough to scoop.

Use your sharpest knife — a blunt knife crushes tomatoes instead of cutting them.

Done when: Vegetables are evenly diced and the bowl smells fresh and sweet.
2
Salt and Rest

5 Mins • Resting Room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)

Sprinkle the salt over the vegetables and toss gently. Leave for 5 minutes so the salt draws out a little juice and the flavours start to marry.

Do not skip the rest — it is what turns a pile of chopped vegetables into a salad.

Done when: Vegetables have softened slightly and a little juice has gathered.
3
Dress Lightly

2 Mins • Mixing Room temperature, about 21°C (70°F)

Drizzle over the sunflower oil and vinegar and toss once or twice, gently. The dressing should coat, not pool — shopska is never swimming in oil.

Toss with your hands or two spoons, lifting from the bottom so you do not bruise the tomatoes.

Done when: Vegetables are lightly glossed with dressing, with no pool of oil at the bottom.
4
Top With Sirene and Serve

3 Mins • Plating Serve cold, about 4°C (39°F)

Pile the salad into a wide bowl, scatter the parsley over it, and cover the whole top with a thick layer of grated sirene — the cheese should hide the vegetables underneath. Serve at once, cold, with bread on the side.

Grate the cheese over the salad at the table if you can — the snowy top is the dish's signature.

Done when: The salad is cold, the top is white with grated sirene, and the vegetables show at the edges.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve it cold with the sirene piled high — the first forkful should have tomato, cucumber, pepper and cheese all at once.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

251

kcal / serving

Protein

Complete AA

Carbs

13g

Complex

Fats

19g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 325 g)
Energy	251 kcal
Protein	9 g
Carbohydrates	13 g
Fat	19 g
Fibre	3.0 g
Sugar	8.5 g
Sodium	763 mg

Per 100g
Energy	77 kcal
Protein	2.9 g
Carbohydrates	4 g
Fat	5.7 g
Fibre	0.9 g
Sugar	2.6 g
Sodium	235 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C (tomatoes, peppers), vitamin K (cucumber, parsley), calcium (sirene).

A Full Portion of Vegetables

A serving is mostly fresh vegetables, bringing fibre, vitamin C and hydration with very few calories.

Calcium From Sirene

The grated sirene brings calcium and protein, turning a simple salad into a satisfying light meal.

Light, Fresh and Quick

No cooking, twenty minutes, and a plate that leaves you refreshed rather than heavy — the ideal summer lunch.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Grilled Meats

Shopska is the classic companion to Balkan grills: its cool crunch and salty cheese balance hot, smoky meat.

Crusty White Bread

Bread is for the juices at the bottom of the bowl, which are the best part of the salad.

Drinks

Rakia (Fruit Brandy)

A small glass of rakia with shopska is the Bulgarian way to start a meal — the brandy and the salty cheese suit each other.

More Pairings

Boiled Eggs

A sliced boiled egg turns the salad into a complete light lunch, adding protein to the vegetables and cheese.

Complete menu

Serve shopska salad as a starter with grilled meats and bread, or as a light lunch on its own with a boiled egg.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Dressing Hours Ahead

Dressed too early, the vegetables go limp and the salad weeps into a puddle. Dress just before serving. This is a cooking note, not medical advice.

Skimping on the Sirene

The thick layer of grated cheese is not a garnish — it is the dish. A light sprinkle leaves a plain chopped salad. This is a cooking note, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

General adultsA light, fresh lunch — one of the healthiest plates in the collection.
ChildrenChildren usually enjoy the crunchy vegetables and salty cheese; cut the pieces smaller.
ElderlySoft vegetables and cheese are easy to eat; chop finely and go light on the onion.
Pregnant womenFresh vegetables and cheese are nourishing; make sure everything is washed well and served cold. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Breastfeeding womenLight but satisfying, with protein from the cheese — a good lunch with bread.
AthletesA fresh, hydrating side after training; add an egg or grilled meat for protein.
Weight gainLight and low in calories — add bread and a boiled egg for a fuller meal.
Weight lossLow in calories and full of vegetables; watch the salty cheese and keep the oil light.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

DiabetesAbout 13 g of carbohydrate per serving — one of the lowest in the collection. Ask your clinician about portion size.
High blood pressureSirene is salty — use a little less cheese and skip the added salt. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Kidney diseaseFresh vegetables and moderate protein; the salt is the main concern. Ask your clinician about portion size.
GoutVegetables and cheese are low in purines; a good choice in a modest portion. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Stomach issuesRaw onion and pepper can trouble a sensitive stomach — use less onion and peel the pepper. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Cardiovascular diseaseFresh vegetables, olive-style oil and cheese in moderation — a heart-friendly plate. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Fatty liverLight, fresh and low in fat — a good choice in a normal portion. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Food allergiesContains milk (sirene). Check every label. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Special therapeutic dietsSuitable for many therapeutic diets with a lighter hand on the cheese and salt. Ask your clinician about portion size.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

How to store: Store the undressed vegetables and the grated cheese separately, covered, in the fridge.
In the fridge: Undressed vegetables: 1 day. Dressed salad: eat at once — it goes soft within hours.
In the freezer: Not suitable — fresh vegetables do not freeze well.
How to reheat: No reheating — serve cold.
Freezing recommended: No.
Signs it has spoiled: Slimy vegetables, sour smell, or weeping liquid.

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