Shopska Salad in Bulgaria 2025
Probably the most favorite seasonal vegetable salad in Bulgaria!
Best time: June–November
Shopska salad (shopska salata) is known as the main salad of Bulgarian cuisine. Here, in Bulgaria, it is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, before meals, and after. Locals often eat it directly from a typical large bowl. Shopska salad's composition includes tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, bell peppers, soft cheese, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and ground pepper.
The vegetables are diced, greens are finely chopped, and then sprinkled with grated cheese and olive oil. Shopska salad is often used as a snack for Balkan brandy—rakia. It is noteworthy that the colors of the salad are similar to the colors of the national flag of the country—green (cucumbers), red (tomatoes and pepper), and white (cheese). The most delicious Shopska Salata is made during harvest season, namely in summer and fall.
