Shopska salad is a Macedonian chopped salad recipe made with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and peppers, with creamy feta and a drizzle of oil and vinegar. It’s the simplest salad with the most amazing flavors!
For another traditional side dish, try my tomato onion salad and Russian salad recipes. Or, toss together the famous La Scala chopped salad.
Macedonian Shopska salad is THE summer salad. As soon as the smell of fresh cucumber hits your nose, I’m sure you’ll agree! I think I ate this traditional chopped salad for four weeks straight when I visited my sister in Macedonia years ago.
It’s a delicious blend of everything I love to eat, mainly fresh garden cucumbers, tomatoes, and tangy feta. No fancy salad dressings here, just oil and vinegar. Full stop. With the help of the tomato juices and creamy feta, it’s like a flavor explosion!
About This Macedonian Shopska Salad Recipe
- Simple to make. All the vegetables get chopped and then tossed in a super-simple vinaigrette. The simplicity of this dish lets the ingredients shine.
- Made for sharing. That’s how you eat this salad in my homeland: All the forks in one salad bowl! When it’s not just family, it’s just as delicious dished onto plates.
- Only the freshest ingredients. Even better if you have the veggies in your garden!
- Make it in advance. Since this salad needs a little time to chill in the fridge before serving, it’s a great option to make ahead for parties and holidays.
What the Heck Is a Shopska Salad, You Might Ask?
Shopska salad is a type of cold salad. This recipe includes ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, banana peppers, and crumbly feta cheese. You may already be familiar with its cousin, the Greek salad, which typically includes olives. Bulgaria’s version of shopska is even its national dish.
The entire Balkan peninsula claims Shopska as its salad. We like to debate ownership of everything over there, from ajvar (red pepper relish) to baklava, kebapi (kebabs), musaka, and land. It’s how it goes. All love!
Gather These Salad Ingredients
In her Mediterranean grandmotherly way, my Baba had a knack for turning the simplest ingredients into the BEST meals, and that includes a traditional chopped salad. When making Shopska salad, ensure that your tomatoes are juicy. I’ve included notes below, and you’ll find the full printable recipe in the recipe card after the post.
- Ripe Tomatoes – The ripest you can find that are plump, firm, and juicy. Good choices are Roma tomatoes, vine tomatoes, and heirloom tomatoes. I like to roll larger tomatoes gently against the countertop, like you would a lemon, to release their juices before I chop them up.
- Banana Peppers – These mild peppers are a staple in Macedonian cooking, and my grandmother would always grow them in her garden. If you can’t find banana peppers, green bell peppers make a good substitute.
- Cucumber – I use English cucumbers, which tend to be long. Mediterranean/Persian cucumbers are shorter with fewer seeds. Both will work in this recipe; you may just need an extra Persian cucumber if they’re on the smaller side.
- Yellow Onion – Choose a mild yellow or white onion, like Vidalia or shallot. Red onion also goes nicely in this salad.
- Olive Oil – Quality counts! You can make the simple dressing with a mild or more robust olive oil, depending on what you prefer.
- Vinegar – Red wine vinegar is my first choice, but you can use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic.
- Feta Cheese – Traditional shopska salad recipes use a brined cheese called sirene. It’s similar to feta, only milder. I use feta cheese since it’s readily available in most stores. Goat cheese or shaved Parmesan cheese are also good alternatives.
- Parsley – Freshly chopped. You can also use basil.
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Combine the veggies. Place the chopped tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and onions in a large serving bowl.
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Toss with dressing. Add salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad mixture, toss it, and mix until well blended. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
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Add cheese. Top with crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
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Chill and serve. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, or until ready to use. Serve.
Calories: 62kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 15.7mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Shopska Salad
The longest step is the chopping, but I’ll often get my girls involved, and it goes quickly! To make this easy shopska salad the Macedonian way, follow along below:
- Get out a large serving bowl. Add your chopped tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and onions.
- Make the vinaigrette. In another bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. Pour the dressing over the chopped salad.
- Toss, then add cheese. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Give that a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then crumble over the feta cheese. Sprinkle the salad with chopped parsley.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate the salad for at least 20 minutes so all the flavors have a chance to mingle. This is a great salad to prep the day before, too. When it’s time to serve, pass around the forks, and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Shopska salad stores very well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Store leftovers airtight and enjoy them for easy lunches. I like to top my leftover salad with cooked chicken or quick air fryer salmon for a light meal.
