Easy Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (Turkish Onion Salad) (2024)

By: Author Tressa Jamil

Posted on - Last updated:

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Marinated sumac onions or Turkish onion salad are a tangy side dish or topping that takes 5 minutes to make. Pair the sumac onion salad with grilled meats like kabobs, salads, vegetable dishes, and wraps like Turkishtantuni.

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Easy Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (Turkish Onion Salad) (1)

Table Of Contents

  1. What are Sumac Onions?
  2. Ingredients You'll Need
  3. Additions and Substitutions
  4. How to Make Sumac Onions
  5. Expert Tips
  6. Serving Suggestions
  7. What to do With the Leftovers
  8. Frequently Asked Questions
  9. Sumac Onions

What are Sumac Onions?

Turkish sumac onions are thinly sliced red onions massaged with and marinated in sumac, olive oil, and lemon juice (sometimes red wine vinegar) to flavor and soften the onions.

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Onion: I prefer the sharpness of red onion, but you can also use white or yellow onion.
  • Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice from one lemon is all you need for a nice pop of acidity. Other recipes rely on red wine vinegar or pomegranate molasses instead of lemon to provide tartness.
  • Parsley: Fresh parsley adds color to the salad and compliments the flavor of the other ingredients.
  • Spices: Season the onions with sumac and salt. Sumac is a popular Middle Eastern spice found online and in health stores. However, I recommend visiting a local Middle Eastern store to explore; the ground-up sumac berries give the dish its signature color and flavor.
  • Olive Oil: Be generous with the olive oil; since it is a prominent ingredient, I recommend using high-quality olive oil if you can.

Additions and Substitutions

  • Add a pinch of ground Aleppo pepper for even more flavor.

How to Make Sumac Onions

The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Add the ingredients to a serving bowl and massage to combine for about 2-3 minutes.

Easy Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (Turkish Onion Salad) (2)

Step 2: Taste and season with sumac. Then, cover and set it aside for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Easy Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (Turkish Onion Salad) (3)

Expert Tips

  • If you find the raw onion flavor too strong, soak the onions in cold water for 20 minutes to lessen the intensity. Drain the onions, pat them dry, and continue with the salad.

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If you love this recipe, pair it with one of these dinner favorites!

Tantuni

Koobideh Kabob

Air Fryer Ribeye Steak

Tandoori Chicken Tikka

Easy Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (Turkish Onion Salad) (8)

Serving Suggestions

Sumac marinated onions often accompany chicken and red meat dishes but also act as a garnish for sandwiches, salads, and soup; brighten any meal with this healthy side dish.

  • Lamb:Boneless Leg of Lamb
  • Kabobs: Adana Kebab, Shish Kebab, Shish Tawook,Beef Seekh Kabob,Koobideh Kabob, Kefta Kebab,Joojeh Kabob
  • Wraps:Falafel Gyro,Tantuni, Döner Kebab, Shawarma
  • Chicken:BBQ Baked Chicken Legs,Al Faham Chicken

What to do With the Leftovers

  • Refrigerate Store the leftovers in an airtight container 4-5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is sumac?

Sumac ‘summāq’ means ‘dark red’ in Arabic, and it refers to a spice commonly used throughout the Middle East to top popular meals like fattoush. It comes from sumac berries, which are dried and ground into a coarse red powder for culinary purposes.

What are the onions on a kebab?

Sumac onions are a staple in kebab restaurants. They will serve them on top for meals like tantuni or on the side if ordering something like adana kebab.

How do you make raw onions less spicy?

Soak the onions in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain the onion, pat them dry, and proceed with making the salad.

What does sumac taste like?

Like lemons, sumac is tart and slightly sweet. It’s a perfect way to acidity to any meal without citrus.

What are the benefits of sumac?

According to an article written by contributors forLebanese International University, studies show that sumac contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, and the spice is helpful for meat tenderization and preservation.

More Mediterranean Recipes:

  • Skhug
  • Moroccan Shakshuka
  • Haydari
  • Biwaz

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Easy Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (Turkish Onion Salad) (9)

Sumac Onions

Tressa Jamil

Marinated sumac onions or Turkish onion salad are a tangy addition to grilled meats, kabobs, salads, and vegetable dishes.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Marinating Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Turkish

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 96 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon, juice
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ground sumac
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Add the ingredients to a serving bowl and massage to combine for about 2-3 minutes.

  • Taste and season with sumac. Then, cover and set it aside for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Expert Tips:

  • If you find the raw onion flavor too strong, soak the onions in cold water for 20 minutes to lessen the intensity. Drain the onions, pat them dry, and continue with the salad.

Nutrition Disclosure:

  • The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 96 kcal | Carbohydrates: 9 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 7 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g | Sodium: 308 mg | Potassium: 231 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 12 IU | Vitamin C: 81 mg | Calcium: 5 mg | Iron: 9 mg

Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and follow @thejamilghar or tag #thejamilghar on Instagram!

Easy Turkish Sumac Onions Recipe (Turkish Onion Salad) (2024)

FAQs

What is Turkish salad made of? ›

This easy popular Turkish salad called piyaz, or more accurately fasulye piayzi, is made with simple ingredients including white beans, tomatoes, onions, parsley and garlic. A light vinaigrette with fresh lemon juice and a good dash of sumac brings this satisfying white bean salad together. Ready in 10 minutes or less.

How to make onions less strong for a salad? ›

Submerge Them in Cold Water

Submerging them in cold water takes away that intense, sharp bite from the raw onion. The cold water helps the enzyme that causes onions to have their pungent flavor to leach out. Similarly, storing onions in the refrigerator will help mellow them out when you go to use them.

What are the 5 ingredients that are most commonly consumed in Turkish cuisine? ›

Common ingredients used in Turkish cooking include lamb, beef, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and various herbs and spices such as parsley, mint, cumin, and sumac.

What is the difference between Greek and Turkish salad? ›

Both the Greeks and the Turks make tasty salads from a variety of raw fresh vegetables; the Greeks may add Feta cheese, while the Turks may spice it up with peppers. Both the Greeks and the Turks prepare stuffed vine leaves.

What does vinegar do to onions? ›

Then you just have to wait long enough for the vinegar to do its job, rinsing away the harsh sulfurous compounds, softening the onion, and giving it a pleasantly tart pop of flavor. If you use red wine vinegar, my personal favorite, the onions also turn an amazing hot-pink color.

Why soak onions in water? ›

Onions - soaking in cold water to soften the flavor

When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor. However since soaking too long will dilute the flavor, soaking in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended. Squeeze out excess water before using.

What is Turkish made out of? ›

Turkish delight or lokum (/lɔ.kʊm/) is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often flavored with rosewater, mastic gum, bergamot orange, or lemon.

What is Turkish menemen made of? ›

Menemen is a popular traditional Turkish dish that includes eggs, tomato, green peppers, and spices such as ground black and red pepper cooked in olive oil. Menemen may be made with onions, but the addition of onions is often debated and is more common when menemen is eaten as a main dish, rather than at breakfast.

What makes Turkish food different? ›

Turkish cuisine has a wide variety of foods, including cereals, pastries, vegetables, and self-growing herbs mixed with meat. There are also many soups and other traditional Turkish foods that incorporate butter, sunflower oil, and olive oil as an ingredient.

What is Turkish sweet made of? ›

Turkish Delight is made from a sugar syrup and starch milk mixture that is cooked for five to six hours, at which point the flavor is added. The mixture is then poured into large wooden trays to be set and about five hours later they are rolled, cut and dusted with icing.

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