Recipe for “Shopsky” (Bulgarian) salad: an ideal solution for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Culinary experts, especially beginners, often confuse a dish from Bulgaria with a dish from Greece. What is the difference between Shopsky salad and Greek salad? In the first, there is always a fresh sweet pepper. Traditionally, it is cooked with feta cheese, and "Greek" - with feta. The classic “Shopsky” salad is sure to be laid out in layers. In Bulgaria, products for a dish are crushed finely, in Greece - coarsely.

History: mixed everything at hand

Salad is a national Bulgarian dish. First appeared in the west of the country. It got its name in honor of the shops - the ethnic group of Bulgarians. People living in mountainous areas used the simplest and most affordable products to prepare their meals. So with the salad - everything that was at hand was mixed into it.

The recipe for “Shopsky” salad became known in 1956. At this time, tourism was actively developing in Bulgaria. At the Druzhba resort, the chefs decided to offer a savory appetizer of seasonal vegetables and cheese. After that, the popularity of the dish rapidly increased: the recipe was published in culinary publications, used in the menu of restaurants in other countries. Today it is with pleasure prepared by Czechs, Macedonians, Serbs, Albanians and other residents of Eastern Europe.

Classic (Bulgarian) recipe for Shopska salad

Description. In the traditional version, the ingredients are placed in layers: tomatoes, cucumbers, feta cheese. Products of white, green, red color symbolize the national flag. Bulgarian recipe for "Shopsky" salad involves the use of fresh peppers. In season, it is better to give preference to soil products.

Ingredients:

• tomatoes - 100 g;
• cucumbers - 100 g;
• two bell peppers of green and red color;
• onion - 50 g;
• feta cheese - 50 g;
• olives - 50 g;
• parsley - 20 g;
• one tablespoon of olive oil;
• one and a half tablespoons of lemon juice;
• sea ​​salt, spices.

Cooking

1. Cut tomatoes without a stalk into small slices.
2. Grind cucumbers in semicircular slices.
3. Peeled peppers shred straw.
4. Grind onions.
5. Mix vegetables, season with lemon juice, olive oil, add spices.
6. Grind the parsley, divide the olives into thin rings. Add them to the salad mass on top without stirring.
7. Sprinkle the top with grated feta cheese.

Serbian version of the "Balkan Star"

Description. Unlike the classic, the Serbian recipe for “Shopska” salad includes hot pepper, which can be combined with sweet or even replace it. Cucumbers must be peeled. Instead of lemon juice - wine, table vinegar.

Ingredients:

• three fresh cucumbers;
• three tomatoes;
• three bell peppers;
• one green pepper;
• feta cheese - 150 g;
• one onion sweet variety;
• one tablespoon of vinegar;
• olive oil - 35 ml;
• greens, olives;
• spice.

Cooking

1. We cut in small circles or slices bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers.
2. Finely chop the greens, onions, and hot peppers.
3. Mix the ingredients, season with spices and seasonings.
4. Finely chopped or coarsely three cheese, sprinkle it with salad.

With baked pepper and feta

Description. An interesting option with a piquant taste due to baked pepper. To prepare such a “Shopsky” salad at home is possible in layers and with a mixture. But in any case, grated cheese is on top.

Ingredients:

• four tomatoes;
• two red bell peppers;
• two cucumbers;
• one sweet onion;
• feta - 150 g;
• olives;
• a small bunch of parsley;
• olive oil - 50 ml;
• lemon juice or wine vinegar - 20 ml;
• spice.

Cooking

1. Bake peppers for half an hour. After we put them in a plastic bag for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the peel from the baked pepper, remove the seeds. Shred with thin sticks.
3. Tomatoes, cucumbers finely shred cubes or slices, onions - half rings.
4. Grind greens, cut olives into rings.
5. We mix products, salt, season with seasonings.
6. Sprinkle coarsely grated feta on top.

With chicken and mayonnaise

Description. This step-by-step recipe for Shopsky salad is significantly different from the original version. The dish is more nutritious due to meat, additional products. Suitable for a large feast.

Ingredients:

• Meat (chicken fillet) - 400 g;
• one bell pepper;
• one glass of black bean;
• canned corn - 150 g;
• two tomatoes;
• shallot;
• a small bunch of parsley or cilantro;
• mayonnaise - 100 g;
• sour cream - 100 g;
• olives;
• lemon juice;
• spice.

Cooking

1. Boil chicken, beans.
2. Cut the pepper and tomatoes into cubes, the meat into small slices or straws.
3. Add the corn, chopped greens.
4. Mix the products.
5. To season the Shopsky salad, we take a separate container and prepare the sauce. Mix mayonnaise with sour cream, spices, a little lemon juice.
6. Dress the salad mass, decorate with herbs and olives.

With mushrooms

Description. In addition to traditional products, pickled mushrooms are added to the appetizer. Mushrooms are best suited. They are juicy, soft and tender.

Ingredients:

• mushrooms - 100 g;
• feta cheese - 50 g;
• one cucumber and tomato;
• greenery;
• lemon juice - 15-20 ml;
• olive oil - 15-20 ml;
• spice.

Cooking

1. Tomato, cucumber cut into small slices.
2. Marinate cubes of mushrooms in seasonings.
3. Grind the greens.
4. Mix the ingredients, sprinkle with grated cheese. If desired, add cheese cubes, not chips.

You can prepare a Shopsky salad with vegetables for breakfast for scrambled eggs, and for lunch for meat dishes. If you use it for dinner, then you will stop worrying about extra pounds, as the products are quickly absorbed by the body.

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