Description
Ezme is a fresh and tangy Turkish salad made from finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, blended with bold spices and pomegranate molasses. This vibrant, flavorful mezze is perfect as a side dish or appetizer, offering a refreshing balance of sweet, spicy, and sour notes.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2–3 large ripe tomatoes, quartered (around 400g)
- 1 medium red Romano pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 medium sivri biber or small green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
- 25g fresh flat-leaf parsley
Condiments and Spices
- 2 tbsp red pepper paste
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp pul biber (Turkish chili flakes)
- 2 tsp sumac
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
Oils
- 60ml extra virgin olive oil (divided)
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: Place the quartered tomatoes and both types of peppers into a food processor. Blitz until they are finely chopped but not pureed. Tip this mixture into a sieve set over a bowl and allow it to strain, removing excess liquid.
- Chop onion mixture: Add the roughly chopped onion, crushed garlic, and fresh parsley to the food processor. Blitz these ingredients until finely chopped and set aside separately.
- Make the sauce: In a serving bowl, combine red pepper paste, tomato purée, pomegranate molasses, pul biber, sumac, dried mint, and most of the extra virgin olive oil. Whisk the ingredients thoroughly until well blended, forming a rich and flavorful sauce.
- Combine all components: Add the blitzed onion mixture and the strained tomato-pepper mixture into the sauce bowl. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt. Stir all together thoroughly so the salad is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Serve: Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the salad before serving to add extra richness and sheen.
Notes
- Using ripe tomatoes enhances the freshness and sweetness of the salad.
- Straining the tomato and pepper mixture prevents the salad from becoming too watery.
- Pul biber adds a smoky spiciness; adjust amount to taste for heat level.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature alongside grilled meats or fresh bread.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 1-2 days but are best consumed fresh.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Turkish
Keywords: Ezme, Turkish salad, mezze, pomegranate molasses, spicy tomato salad, red pepper paste, healthy appetizer
