Slata Tounsiya (Tunisian Salad)

Posted for: stormykitteh

Tunisian salad, also called Salad Tunisienne or Slata Tounsiya, is a traditional chopped salad from Northwest Africa’s Mediterranean coast. With canned tuna, hard boiled eggs, olives, fresh herbs, and loads of fruits and vegetables, this refreshing salad is a satisfying and nutritious dinner for a hot day.

Tunisian salad is a classic summery salad that mixes very finely chopped vegetables at the peak of their ripeness when they are bursting with flavor.

This salad always contains four essential Mediterranean staples: Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onions. In addition to such classic Mediterranean ingredients (also found in recipes like Greek salad or Shopska Salata), this salad also surprises you with diced green apple. The apple’s juicy, tart sweetness balances out the sour, citrusy tones of the lemon-based dressing.

The wonderful thing about this salad to me is its versatility. As one of the most well known meals in Tunisian cuisine, this salad is enjoyed daily in any setting, home or restaurant alike. In its most basic version, it’s an easy appetizer or side salad with an irrevocable place on feast tables. May favorite way to enjoy it, though, is to top with olives, tuna and hard-boiled eggs, and serve as a well-rounded lunch or dinner.

Every family has their own version, as is quite common with popular national dishes. My recipe was inspired by the dish I grew to love during my many years of living and studying in Tunis, Tunisia’s capital city.

Tunisian Salad Ingredients

Like the many passionate arguments sparked regarding what belongs and doesn’t belong in a Salade Niçoise, there is some debate on whether apple belongs in a Tunisian salad. I recommend you give it a try—I bet you become one of its many modern day defenders!

I also prefer to use fresh mint over the somewhat more typical dried herb version to flavor the salad. Feel free to use fresh or dried—whatever you have on hand. Regardless of what you choose to include or not include, the ingredients for Tunisian salad are simple, easy-to-find produce and pantry staples. Here’s what you need:

The Basics

Roma tomatoes: Small Roma tomatoes are firm and juicy. You can use other firm tomato varieties instead (heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, for example).
English cucumbers: Skip the possibly bitter slicing cucumber if you can. Or, if that’s all you can find, peel off the waxy skin before dicing.
Green peppers: Most typically bell peppers. If you like a bit of heat you can use or add mildly spicy varieties like jalapeños or Anaheims.
Onions: Red, yellow or even white, you can use any you have on hand. Start with only half and add more to taste so that the flavor doesn’t overwhelm everything else.
Mint: Either fresh or dried mint works. Chop it very finely if using fresh, or use only 1 tablespoon if using dried.
Olive oil: I prefer to use a small batch, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil for my salad dressings. Use any of the high quality extra virgin varieties from our shop.
Lemon juice: Start with the juice of half a lemon and add more if you prefer more zing.
Flat-leaf parsley: Finely chopped to blend in and add freshness to the flavor of the dressing.

Optional Additions

Green apple: You can omit this if you prefer but I highly recommend you give it a try first. You wouldn’t find it in the very traditional, basic versions, but it is a common and delicious addition nowadays.
Eggs: Hard boil them ahead of time and chill a bit before peeling. Check out our how to boil eggs guide for tips, along with storage advice.
Tuna: I always keep oil-packed canned tuna on hand for a quick shot of healthy protein. I like to use about a quarter can per serving to top the salad.
Olives: Some like only black, some go with just green, I love to add both for more variety.

close up of a serving of Slata Tounsiya Tunisian Salad on a plate with slices of crusty bread in front of a serving bowl of the entire tunisian salad.

How to Make Tunisian Salad

To keep things traditional, serve Slata Tounsiya in a large ornamental bowl. Place the toppings in a visually interesting pattern to mark each portion. Use slices of fresh, crusty baguette as a delicious side. You can even use the bread in place of the fork to bring the delicious bites into your mouth!

Boil the eggs. If you don’t have boiled eggs on hand, boil them to your liking according to this guide. Peel and quarter them.
Prepare the dressing. Just add 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, and the juice of ½ of a lemon to a screw top jar. Season with ¾ teaspoons each of salt and pepper, seal, and vigorously shake until emulsified. You can also just put the ingredients in a bowl or dish and whisk. Add more lemon juice to taste if needed.
Prepare your vegetables, fruit and herbs. Slice 8 tomatoes and 2 English cucumbers in half and use a metal spoon to scrape out the seeds, then finely dice. Finely dice 3 green bell peppers. Peel and finely dice 1 Granny Smith Apple. Finely chop a big handful of fresh mint leaves. Finely dice 1 red onion and keep it in a separate bowl for now.
Time to chop and mix! Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, apple, and mint to a large serving bowl. Stir in the salad dressing.
Add the onion to taste. Mix in half of the onion, taste, and add more onion to your liking. I usually end up using all of it but it really depends on personal taste. Remember that its tanginess will be tamed by the lemon juice and olive oil in the dressing.
Decorate the salad. Just before serving, top with peeled and quartered hard boiled egg or two, ½ cup each of black and green olives, and a drained and flaked can of tuna. Serve the remaining hard boiled eggs on the side.