Bulgarian Shepherd's Salad (Ovcharska Salata)
Овчарска салата Ovcharska salataSay it: ov-CHAR-skah sah-LAH-tah
Ovcharska salata is Bulgaria's hearty shepherd's salad, a more substantial cousin of the famous Shopska salad. It combines ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted peppers and onion with sliced mushrooms, ham, hard-boiled eggs and crumbled white cheese, all dressed simply with sunflower oil and red wine vinegar. Salty, juicy and tangy, it is popular year-round as a meze, starter or light main, especially alongside a glass of rakia.
Bulgarian Shepherd's Salad (Ovcharska Salata)
Овчарска салата, Ovcharska salata
Pronounced ov-CHAR-skah sah-LAH-tah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Salad
Dressing
Method
Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Drain, cool under cold water, peel and quarter.
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, roasted peppers, onion, mushrooms and ham.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sunflower oil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. Pour over the salad and toss gently.
Add half of the crumbled sirene cheese and half of the parsley, and toss lightly to combine.
Transfer to a wide serving bowl, arrange the egg quarters on top, scatter over the remaining cheese and parsley, and serve immediately.
Regional variants
Some cooks add a handful of black olives, use marinated mushrooms instead of fresh, or substitute some yellow cheese for part of the white cheese.
Cook's notes
- For a deeper flavor, sauté the sliced mushrooms in a little oil until golden and cool before adding them to the salad.
- If the tomatoes and cucumber release a lot of juice, drain the vegetables briefly before adding the dressing.
- Bulgarian sirene is salty; if using feta, rinse it briefly or use a light hand with the added salt.
Serve with
Good with rakia as a starter, or with crusty bread and grilled meats.
Make ahead and storage
Best fresh; hard-boil eggs and chop vegetables a few hours ahead, but dress just before serving.
