Salty, tart, and crunchy, these Sumac onions truly tick all the boxes, and are a ridiculously simple side salad you need to try your hands at.
Raw red onions are marinated in a simple mix of ingredients and transformed into this delicious quick pickled salad. You can also team it up with some crunchy cucumbers or make a separate Sumac cucumber salad to serve with your Middle Eastern meats.
Sumac, the hero ingredient in this recipe, is a beautiful Middle Eastern spice that's an absolute must-have in your kitchen. I recently got my hands on a bottle of Sumac spice on my last grocery run, and was looking for some good ways to put it to use.
My Turkish recipes, especially my Turkish cheese rolls and Fatoosh salad have been big hits, and I really wanted to try another Middle Eastern appetizer or side that’s a bit easier to put together. And that’s when I I thought of this Sumac onion salad.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
What I love the most about this recipe is the fact that it comes together so easily. It literally takes 5 minutes of prep time, and is a delicious and flavorful side that everyone will love!
You can enjoy it on its own, or add it to a salad to bump up the flavors. I love adding it to my Egyptian fried boiled egg salad.
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make this Turkish Sumac onion salad.
Red onions: You'll need to start off with some thinly sliced red onions. They have a nice bit of pungent flavor that's great for side salads.
Chili flakes: This one's optional, but since I like my salads to have a bit of heat, I also added a dash of red chili flakes.
Sumac powder: You'll need just a teeny sprinkle of Sumac spice to make the magic happen.
Olive oil: A dash of olive oil helps tackle the pungent raw onion flavor and works as a nice base for the marinade. I would recommend using extra virgin olive oil or some lemon olive oil for extra flavor.
Lime juice: To finish it all up and to bring a bit of softness and tart flavor to this simple onion salad, I also added a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Cilantro: And of course, lots of chopped cilantro to garnish the Turkish onion salad.
See recipe card for quantities.
Savor a culinary staple of the Middle East with our delicious Turkish sumac, sourced from the subtropical Izmir region! This iconic spice is famously used in traditional Palestinian Msakhan, fattoush salad, and many other delicious dishes.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you don’t have red onions, you can use white onions or yellow onions too. Red onions tend to have a nice, bright color that complements the other ingredients beautifully, which is why it is the best choice for this recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar can be a wonderful alternative to lemon juice for this recipe. It lends the salad that nice sourness you’re looking for, and is super healthy too.
- If you don’t have apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, you can just use some regular white vinegar instead. I love using my hot pepper vinegar sometimes, to lend an extra spicy kick to the salad.
- Don't have fresh cilantro? You can make do with some fresh chopped parsley or mint leaves. I also add a pinch of my Air Fryer dried mint into the mix.
- If you want to make these marinated onions a bit spicy, you can also add a dash of paprika or some cayenne pepper into it.
- Another great idea is to add a bit of pomegranate molasses to the salad, right before you plan to serve it. This will lend the salad a nice pop of color and some fruitiness.
How to Make Sumac Onions
Ready to make this recipe? Here's what you'll need to do once all the ingredients are ready.
Step 1: Peel and slice the onions and place them in a bowl. Top the thinly sliced onions with the Sumac, olive oil, salt, chopped coriander leaves, lemon juice, and chili flakes.
Step 2: Mix everything together well and refrigerate for an hour, or at least for a few minutes. Serve with your favorite Middle Eastern foods, or just as a side salad.
Top Tip
- Use your hands to massage the onions together with all the spices. This will help all the ingredients meld together beautifully, and is also an incredible sensory experience.
How to Store Leftover Sumac Onion Salad
If you have some leftovers, you can transfer them to a food safe container or glass jars and refrigerate them for up to 2 days.
Fill these reusable, freezer safe food storage containers with leftovers, batch cooking, or use for canning sauces, jam and fruit. Includes 6 x 1 quart ( 4 cup ) clear containers with 6 green lids
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- For maximum flavor and deliciousness, use extra virgin olive oil.
- To tone down the sourness of the Sumac onions, add a bit of sugar to the mix.
- To bring a bit of smokiness into the salad, add a pinch or two of smoked paprika or chipotle pepper to it.
- Some varieties of onions tend to have a very strong, pungent taste and aroma. To tackle this, you can transfer the sliced onions to a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can soak the onions in cold water for 10 minutes, pat them dry, and then use them to make Sumac marinated onions. I used this exact technique to make my Laccha onions.
- For maximum flavor and texture, let the onion slices marinate for 5 minutes, ideally longer in the refrigerator, and then serve them. This little extra time will help all the ingredients mingle together and create the perfect balance of texture and flavor.
- To get the perfect thin slices, use a mandolin slicer.
- If your eyes tend to water while cutting onions, you may want to first peel them, soak them in water for 15-30 minutes, and then slice and use them to make Sumac onions.
How to Serve Sumac Onion
Sumac onions are usually served as a side for any of your grilled meats like kebabs, kofta, and falafels. Every time I make my Sumac chicken, I whip up this quick side salad along with my favorite Turkish salsa or some Zeytoon Parvardeh.
They can also be enjoyed with practically any of your mains- not necessarily Middle Eastern foods. You can also use them instead of pickled onions in your sandwiches, wraps, and sliders. They're a stunner when added to your chicken shawarma. You can add them into your shawarmas and grain bowls, stuff them into your tacos, or even use them in your omelet.
Use them as a topping over your Turkish yogurt soup for some extra flavor and texture.
Recipe FAQs
Sumac is a deep red-colored spice that’s a staple in Turkish cuisine. It is made using dried and ground berries of the wild Sumac flower. You should be able to find it in most supermarkets and food specialty stores.
You sure can! Sliced onions look beautiful when transformed into this salad, but if you prefer chopped onions instead, you can totally use them too.
Your leftover sumac onions can be added to your homemade meatballs or chicken kebabs- just remember to drain any excess liquid away, and the onions will lend that nice tanginess to the dish.
You can also use these onions as a topping for your avocado toast.
More Middle Eastern Recipes
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Sumac Onions
Ingredients
- 2 red onions sliced
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon sumac powder
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon coriander leaves chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Start by slicing the red onions and placing them in a bowl.
- Top the onions with the sumac, olive oil, salt, chopped coriander leaves, lemon juice and chili flakes.
- Mix everything together well and refrigerate for an hour.
- Serve with your favorite Middle Eastern foods, or just as a side salad.
