The salad starts off tangy and slightly sharp on the first day, as the fresh onions and sumac dominate. Over the next day or two, the onions soften, and their sharpness mellows, making the salad less spicy. By day three, the flavors blend beautifully, with the tanginess still present but much milder.
How to Serve Sumac Onion Salad?
The salad is incredibly versatile! Here are some serving suggestions to inspire you:
- With Grilled Meats: Serve it as a tangy side dish for kebabs, arayes, or grilled chicken to complement smoky flavors.
- In Sandwiches and Wraps: Add it to pita sandwiches with falafel, shawarma, or sabich for a fresh crunch.
- On Mezze Platters: Include it alongside hummus, baba ghanoush, olives, and pita bread for a vibrant Middle Eastern spread.
- With Roasted Vegetables: Pair it with roasted eggplant, zucchini, or potatoes for a refreshing contrast.
- As a Topping: Use it as a topping for rice, couscous, or grain bowls to add brightness and texture.
What is Sumac?
Sumac is a tangy, lemony spice made from the dried and ground berries of the sumac plant. It’s commonly used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and North African cuisines to add brightness and a pop of acidity to dishes. Its flavor is less sharp than lemon juice, with a slightly fruity undertone, making it a versatile ingredient for salads, marinades, roasted vegetables, and more.
Where to Buy Sumac?
Middle Eastern or Mediterranean stores, online retailers, and health food stores often carry sumac.
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Sumac Onion Salad
Description
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion peeled
- 1 medium red onion peeled
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/4 Teaspoon sugar
- 1/4-1/2 Teaspoon salt or more, to taste
- a small handful of parsley leaves chopped
Instructions
- Halve the onions lengthwise, then slice them thinly using a sharp knife. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the salt and mix well.
- Let sit for 20 minutes to allow the onions to soften. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the onions, then transfer them to a clean bowl.
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, sugar, and parsley.
- You can serve the salad immediately for a fresh and sharp flavor. However, letting it sit for 20–30 minutes before serving allows the onions to soften slightly and the flavors to meld, resulting in a more balanced taste. For an even deeper flavor, refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight, but note that the onions will mellow, and the salad will lose some of its initial sharpness.
- Taste and adjust by adding more salt, sumac, or lemon juice, if desired.
- The onion salad is kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.