Turkish Red Pepper and Tomato Salad

By
Elizabeth Taviloglu
Elizabeth Wilson Taviloğlu
Elizabeth Taviloglu
Food writer Elizabeth Taviloğlu learned Turkish cooking hands-on in Turkey where she has lived and traveled for more than 24 years.
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Updated on 07/2/21
Turkish 'ezme' salad
Greg Elms_Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
216 Calories
20g Fat
8g Carbs
5g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 216
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 282mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 42mg 208%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 316mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Turkish Red Pepper and Tomato Salad features similar ingredients to the Mexican-style salsas we know and love. Fresh tomatoes, red and green peppers, onions and garlic. Add some chopped Italian parsley, ground walnuts, hot red pepper flakes, and sumac and you have perfect salsa Turkish-style.

'Ezme salatası' (ez-MAY' sah-lah-tah-SUH') is meant be spicy, as are many other dishes that come from the southeastern regions of Turkey. It's often served as an appetizer, or "meze" (meh-ZEY') along with pungent, crumbled goat cheese called 'tulum' (too-LOOM'), sweet butter and piping hot bread puffs called 'lavaş' (lah-VASH').

For a delicious and easy appetizer, spread some soft goat cheese on melba toast then place a small spoon of ezme in the center. However you decide to serve it, you'll love this spicy salad anywhere you'd use Mexican salsa.

Ingredients

  • 4 Corni di Toro peppers, or other sweet red peppers

  • 1 1/2 cups walnut halves

  • 2 large ripe tomatoes

  • 1 small onion

  • 1 or 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 cup Italian parsley (leaves only)

  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon sumac powder, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Wash and drain all your vegetables and herbs well. Cut the peppers in half and remove the stems, seeds, and white inner membranes. With a sharp dicing blade, dice the peppers as finely as you can.

  3. Peel the tomatoes and remove the watery seed portions from the inside and discard them. Dice the pulp portions in the same manner as the peppers. Do the same with the parsley leaves, onion, and garlic cloves.

  4. Between two sheets of wax paper, crush the walnuts into as fine a powder using a rolling pin.

  5. In a large, shallow dish or tray, mix all the ingredients and spices above together with your fingers. Adjust the salt to your taste. Using a fork, continue to crush the mixture little by little until it is well mashed and blended.

  6. Transfer the mash to your serving dish and garnish it with a sprinkle of sumac powder and fresh sprigs of Italian parsley.

  7. Enjoy!

Recipe Variation

  • Try pomegranate concentrate instead of apple cider vinegar.