Iraqi Sumac Salad

posted on: Aug 4, 2025

By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributing Writer

Sumac, with its lemony flavour, is a favourite spice of eastern Arab world.  As a seasoning, it lends a tarty taste to barbecues, chicken, savoury pies, fish, salads, sauces, dips, stews, stuffings and vegetables.  It is also mixed extensively with onions and salt as a savoury spice for roasts.

Nothing tastes better than the combination of raw onion and sumac. Mixed with other fresh vegetables, sumac gives the ‘punch’ to this salad – a meal on its own.

Serves 4 to 6

2 medium cucumbers (about 6 to 7-inches long), quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced

1 large tomato, quartered, then sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 large sweet onion, cut in half and very thinly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sumac
3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Place cucumber, tomato and onion in a salad bowl and combine, then stir in remaining ingredients and serve.

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