Sumac Onion Salad is basically a pickled red onion with a ton of zippy flavor, a little lemony, and a little crunchy, and is an essential condiment/relish for so many Middle Eastern dishes.
Sumac Onion Salad
It’s going to bring a refreshing brightness to any meal it’s served with and is a perfect contrast to so many of the deeply flavored kebabs and koftas prevalent in the cuisines of the area.
About Sumac Onion Salad:
This condiment is so simple and quick, it’s almost mind-blowing. You’re gonna want to make it all the time. For ideas on what to serve your Sumac Onion Salad with, scroll below.
I’ve made many versions of this recipe, some with lemon, some with red wine or white vinegar, but this one is not only the easiest, but one of the best. You might want to check out my recipe for Sumac Red Onion & Cucumber Relish as another option.
Making Sumac Onion Salad:
As you can guess, this 10-minute recipe is easy to make! Just mix everything except the parsley, give everything a quick massage, add the parsley, and you’re good to go.
Use right away or wait a bit. If you want a little spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. If you don’t have fresh parsley, don’t let that stop you. It’s still fabulous if you leave the parsley out.
Sumac Onion Salad
Make Ahead:
- Although the Sumac Onion Salad can be served immediately, 30 minutes improves the flavor. I personally think it’s best the next day.
- It will keep for a week, tightly covered, in the fridge; after the first day, the parsley will become wilted.
About the Sumac:
Sumac has an earthy, bright, deep, and tangy flavor; some say lemony, but a bit acidic might be a better description. There’s no actual substitute, but for this recipe, use a little red wine vinegar if no sumac is available.
Other options to use instead of Sumac might be Za’atar, lemon pepper, or a little coriander mixed with lemon zest.
A little sumac can be used in salads and dressings, sprinkled on hummus, and a pinch added to any marinade, but especially kebabs with roots in the Middle East.
Sumac is a dried berry, and if you feel you won’t use Sumac or any other spice regularly, buy it in the original form, not as a powder; it will keep almost forever in glass, in a dark, cool cupboard. Whiz in your spice grinder, blender, smash with a mortar and pestle, or break down between two pans.
Your Mediterranean or Middle Eastern market is a great place to pick up dried Sumac berries.
Sumac Berries
Serve Sumac Onion Salad With:
This particular version is made to go with my Easy Sheet Pan Kofta, but serve with any Shawarma, like my Home Style Chicken Shawarma, linked below, Pitas, Kebabs, falafel, or anywhere you’d like to add bright, contrasting, and fresh flavor and texture.
Try it with savory yogurt dishes or grain bowls; they’ll never be dull and one-dimensional when Sumac Onion Salad is served on the side, a little picked up with every bite.
Unlike many other pickled onions (I have a few on my site), the color, thanks to the sumac, remains bright and vibrant even after storing. Try this Sumac Onion Salad with any recipe you might use Pickled Red Onions with.
Easy Sheet Pan Kofta
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Here are a few recipes that would be marvelous with Sumac Onion Salad.
- Easy Sheet Pan Kofta – Yep, I had to go there! So easy when done on a sheet pan, but the flavor and spices are all there!
- Yogurt Marinated Shish Kebabs – Turkish leaning with a hint of heat, a family fave!
- Home Style Chicken Shawarma – It’s only home style because it’s not cooked on a spit!
Yogurt Marinated Shish Kebabs
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
Saving Money on Onions:
- Onions rarely go on sale, but are less per pound in bags. Aldi and Lidl have great pricing. Typically, Buyers’ Clubs don’t beat their pricing but have beautiful, large onions, which can be easier to work with.
- Wherever you buy, inspect to ensure they’re all sound. Once home, store in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place away from potatoes.
- Peel onions carefully, leaving as many layers intact as possible; most of the healthful nutrients (like most vegetables) lie just below the skin.
- A partially used onion can be bagged and stored in the fridge door, where it’s easy to see. If freezing onions, saute or cook first to improve texture, flavor, and reduce size. The smell of raw onion in the freezer can permeate everything.
- Normally discarded pieces, roots, stems, and skins can be frozen for stock.
Saving Money on Fresh Herbs:
- It pays off to grow your own, even if your only recourse is to grow in pots. Bring in during the winter.
- A plant costs around the same as a bunch of herbs from the store; if it dies, just snip and dry the leaves.
Saving Money on Lemons:
- Lemons are at their lowest from January through April. The juiciest will have thin skins. Weigh several in your hand; choose the heaviest.
- Avoid soft lemons and those with brownish spots. Examine any bags thoroughly. Avoid small lemons; even discounted, you’ll pay for mostly rind.
- To store, place in a loosely covered paper towel-lined container in the fridge.
- Expect about three tablespoons of juice. To get the most from your lemon, wash, then microwave 30 seconds and/or roll with pressure on the counter. Grate the rind and freeze excess in small ziplocs. Toss what’s left in a pitcher for “Spa Water.“
Hello Friends and Visitors. Sumac Onion Salad is a great side for almost anything you can dream up – and it’s a great way to use up a little red onion, too. Hope you enjoy it!
Mollie
Sumac Onion Salad
Sumac Onion Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: about 1 cup 1x
- Category: Condiments
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, medium-sized, cut across horizontally into two halves, then thinly sliced
- 1 small handful of parsley, chopped
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon ground sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch of red chili flakes, optional
Note: if raw onion is too sharp for your taste, soak slices in cool water for 10 minutes, then drain.
Instructions
Add onions to a jar or bowl. Add the lemon, olive oil, sumac, salt, and chile flakes if using. Mix, massaging gently. Stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.
While the onions are ready to use immediately, if possible, let sit for at least 30 minutes to blend the flavors. Sumac Onion Salad is even better the next day and will keep for several days, although the parsley will deteriorate.
