Zesty Tomato Herb Salad

Directions

• Before We Start

  You can make this to serve immediately or make it ahead and just let it chill out in the fridge for a few hours and even overnight. The flavors will continue to meld.
  
  Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes are ideal here—sweet, firm, and juicy.
  Sumac: This gives lemony brightness without adding more acid. It’s not essential, so don’t feel obligated to add it.

• Prep Your Produce

  Tomatoes: Slice each tomato in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half again to make clean, even quarters. Set aside in a bowl. You can also the place the whole tomatoes between takeout lids and cut multiple tomatoes in half with one slice. Use a very sharp knife or serrated knife. Then finish quartering each one individually.
  Red Onion: Cut in half from root to tip and peel off the outer skin. Then notch off the root for one of the halves. Lay the onion flat side down and angle the knife with the curvature of the onion, and slice them about 1/16in thick with the grain into fine half-moons. Optional: Rinse under cold water for 30 seconds if you want to mellow the onion flavor.
  Parsley: Bunch the leaves together on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to roughly chop—aim for a fine but not minced texture. Discard thick stems.
  Mint: Stack 4–5 leaves, roll into a tight cylinder (chiffonade), then slice thinly across. Give one quick chop through the pile to break it up.
  Lemon Zest: Using a microplane or fine grater, zest the outer yellow layer of the lemon directly over a small bowl—avoiding the bitter white pith.
  Lemon Juice: Slice the lemon in half crosswise and squeeze through a fine mesh sieve or your hand to catch any seeds. Measure out 2 tablespoons (30 g) of juice.

• Mix the Salad

  In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices (smoked paprika, sumac, salt, pepper). Toss gently to combine. Adjust seasoning if needed.

• Serve or Chill

  It can be served immediately, but ideally you want it to sit for at least 10–15 minutes in the fridge to let flavors mingle and for the acid to tone things down a bit. You can make this ahead by several hours. Serve on top of Turkish pasta, over grilled meat, toasted bread, or grain bowls.