published Aug 05, 2024 Gavurdagi salatasi is a tomato salad named after Gavur mountain in Southeast Turkey. It’s prepared with fresh, wholesome produce (tomatoes, onions, and peppers) and topped with crunchy walnuts. It’s a great solution to an overproductive garden, and I love it because it’s so simple and easy to prepare. It’s also topped with thick, mildly sweet pomegranate molasses that I combine with olive oil and other seasonings to make a tangy, fruity dressing. Pomegranates are a prized, revered fruit in Turkey. While traveling there I was blown away by the fresh juice stands everywhere. If it’s a new cooking ingredient for you, I’m happy to make the introduction! Its syrup is perfect for fruity, zesty dressings like in this tomato salad recipe. Its seeds add pops of juicy sweetness in other salads, too — Egyptian barley salad, zaatar couscous, or a Turkish beet salad, for example. But pomegranates are also delicious in hot, savory recipes like this pan-fried chicken!
Recommended Tools
Sharp Knife – There’s a lot of veggie prep in this tomato salad recipe — start it off right with a good, sharp knife. Serving Platter – Gavurdagi salatasi is a very colorful, visually appealing dish. I recommend serving on a platter for guests to take their servings from.
Storing
Leftovers will keep for up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. Refrigeration should be used for tomatoes only when they are nearing the end of their shelf life because it alters their flavor and texture. If a tomato has been chilled, it should be allowed to return to room temperature to restore its natural flavor and texture. Generally, tomatoes should be kept out of the refrigerator because cold temperatures cause an enzyme reaction that breaks down cell membranes, resulting in a mushy and mealy texture.
Tomatoes – I’ve tried all kinds of tomatoes: cherry, plum, and even juicy beefsteak. Any variety is fine, so just chop them into chunks or pieces as you’d like. Green Pepper – Gavurdagi salatasi is always made with grassy, somewhat bitter green peppers. They’re very well complemented by the thick, sweet dressing. Red Onion – This tomato salad recipe usually contains sweet, sharp red onion. Substitute with white or yellow if needed. Pomegranate Molasses Dressing Pomegranate Molasses Syrup – This ingredient is sometimes labeled as pomegranate syrup, sometimes as molasses — it’s the same product either way. Olive Oil – The best quality olive oil is stored in dark, glass containers to preserve its flavor. Sumac – This bright, lemony spice cuts the sweetness of the syrup. If you need a substitute, try a bit of lemon juice and zest. Salt & Pepper – Just a pinch of each to heighten the other flavors in the dressing. If you feel like the salad needs more, I’d recommend cracking salt and pepper on the vegetables themselves. Walnut Pieces – Another key ingredient in gavurdagi salatasi! Toast them first to make them even crunchier and unleash an even nuttier taste and aroma.
However, tomato salad is best served fresh with chilled, crisp vegetables. Once the dressing is added, the vegetables will all start to weep and soften. Especially the tomatoes — they will start to leak juice onto everything else, making it sort of soupy and unappetizing, after a day or so in the fridge. Love this recipe? Share it with the world on Pinterest.
