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Ezme (Turkish Spicy Tomato and Pepper Salad)

A finely chopped, tangy and gently fiery tomato and pepper salad that works as a meze, a spoonable relish or a topping for grilled food.

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Finely chopped red tomato and green pepper ezme with red onion and parsley in a shallow bowl, lightly drizzled with oil, AI-generated imageAI-generated image
At a glance
  • 450 gripe tomatoes
  • 120 glong mild green peppers
  • 90 gred onion
  • 30 gextra virgin olive oil
  • 22 gfresh lemon juice
Serves 4

Ezme is a Turkish salad of finely chopped tomatoes, peppers, onion and parsley, dressed with olive oil, pomegranate molasses and chili flakes. It is eaten as part of a meze spread, alongside grilled meat or vegetables, and scooped up with flatbread. The texture sits somewhere between a salad and a fresh salsa.

The main challenge is water. Ripe tomatoes release a lot of juice once salted, which can leave you with a soupy bowl. Here the diced tomatoes are seeded and drained in a sieve first, then a little of the saved juice goes back in so the salad stays moist and spoonable without pooling on the plate.

The onion is rubbed briefly with sumac and a pinch of salt to soften its bite, and the dressing is built from tomato paste, pomegranate molasses and lemon for a deep, sweet and sour flavor. A short rest in the refrigerator lets everything meld before serving.

Ezme (Turkish Spicy Tomato and Pepper Salad)

Formula & Method
Servings
4
Units
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Ingredients

Salad

Dressing

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Preparation

  1. Step 019 min

    Wash the tomatoes, peppers, chili and parsley under cold running water and pat dry. Halve the tomatoes, scoop out most of the watery seeds with a spoon, then cut the flesh into 5 mm (1/4 inch) dice.

  2. Step 021 min

    Put the diced tomatoes in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, toss with the 2 g tomato salt, and leave them to drain for at least 10 minutes while you do the next two steps. They are ready when juice has collected in the bowl and the dice look slightly softened. Press gently with a spoon but do not mash.

  3. Step 038 min

    Finely dice the green peppers and mince the chili. Put the diced onion in the mixing bowl with the sumac and 1 g salt, and rub with your fingertips for about 1 minute until the onion looks slightly softened and turns pinkish.

  4. Step 043 min

    Finely chop the parsley and add it to the onion along with the green peppers and chili.

  5. Step 052 min

    Weigh 30 g of the drained tomato juice into a small bowl. If you have less than 30 g, add cold water to make up the difference. Whisk in the garlic, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, olive oil, Aleppo pepper, dried mint and 2 g salt until smooth and evenly red.

  6. Step 062 min

    Add the drained tomatoes to the mixing bowl, pour in the dressing, and fold gently until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice or Aleppo pepper if you like. It should taste tangy, lightly sweet and pleasantly hot.

  7. Step 0715 min

    Cover and refrigerate at 4 C (40 F) or below for 15 to 30 minutes so the flavors can meld. Stir once, then serve in a shallow bowl with a drizzle of olive oil if you like, with flatbread, grilled vegetables or rice.

Kitchen notes

  • Serve within 2 hours of taking it out of the refrigerator. If it has been sitting at room temperature for 2 hours, discard it. Keep any leftovers covered in the refrigerator at 4 C (40 F) or below for up to 2 days.
  • The salad releases more liquid as it sits. Stir before serving and drain off excess juice with a spoon if needed, or use the juice to dress rice or bulgur.
  • For a smoother, more spreadable ezme, pulse the finished salad briefly in a food processor, three or four short pulses, so it stays textured rather than puréed.
  • For a smoky variation, char the green peppers under a hot broiler or grill until blistered, peel, and dice them before adding.
  • Handle the chili with care and wash your hands afterward. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin.

Diet and allergens

Suitable for: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.

Contains: none of the allergens we track (sesame, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, egg, gluten, soy, celery, mustard, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, lupin).

Labels come from the ingredient list by fixed rules. If you cook for someone with an allergy, check the labels of packaged ingredients such as stock, spice blends, tahini and bread, since brands differ. How labels work.

Frequently asked questions

What do you serve ezme with?

Serve it as part of a meze spread with warm flatbread, or alongside grilled vegetables, kebabs, beans, rice or bulgur. It also works as a topping for flatbread or a filling for wraps.

Why is my ezme watery?

Tomatoes release a lot of juice once salted. Scooping out the seeds and draining the diced tomatoes in a sieve for 10 minutes removes most of it. Dice by hand rather than using a food processor, which breaks the tomatoes down further.

Can I make ezme ahead?

Yes. Prepare it up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator at 4 C (40 F). Stir well before serving, and drain off any extra juice if needed.

What can I use instead of pomegranate molasses?

It is available in most large supermarkets and Middle Eastern shops, and it gives ezme its signature tang. If you cannot find it, use the same amount of lemon juice plus a quarter teaspoon of sugar, though the flavor will be less deep.

References and sources

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