Shopska Salad is a classic of Balkan cuisine and a true delight for all lovers of fresh, healthy ingredients. This refreshing salad consists of a simple but incredibly delicious combination of juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, aromatic bell peppers, onions, and a generous portion of sheep’s cheese, which gives the dish its special flavor. High-quality olive oil and a splash of vinegar perfectly round off the taste.

The freshness of the ingredients is the heart of this salad. The ripe, juicy tomatoes offer a natural sweetness that is in perfect harmony with the fresh cucumbers and bell pepper strips. The onions give the salad a pleasant sharpness, while the sheep’s cheese contributes a salty, creamy component. The olive oil not only binds the ingredients beautifully but also further enhances the flavors. Shopska Salad is a dish that reflects the simplicity and purity of Balkan cuisine, yet is full of flavor.

This salad is ideal as a light appetizer, but also as a refreshing side dish to our grilled meat dishes or a hearty meal. Shopska Salad pairs particularly well with freshly grilled Cevapcici or a juicy steak. The salad is not only delicious but also nutritious and healthy – a true delight for body and palate.

In our restaurant, we always prepare Shopska Salad fresh, with the best available ingredients, to ensure that every bite is a pure delight. Fresh, light, and authentic – this salad is the perfect example of how simple yet flavorful Mediterranean and Balkan cuisine can be.

Shopska Salad is a true refreshment for the palate and a classic of Balkan cuisine, captivating with its freshness and simplicity. The combination of ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and aromatic bell peppers creates a fresh, light taste, perfectly rounded off by the sheep’s cheese and olive oil. The sheep’s cheese not only gives the salad a creamy consistency but also a pleasant salty note that harmoniously complements the other ingredients.

Particularly valuable about this salad is its versatility. It is excellent as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to the many grilled meat dishes of Balkan cuisine. This salad also pairs perfectly with a glass of fresh wine or a glass of Rakija.

Preparing Shopska Salad is incredibly simple, yet we manage to find the perfect balance between the ingredients every time. For us, it is a symbolic dish of Balkan hospitality – light, yet full of flavor.

The origin of Shopska Salad lies in Bulgaria, specifically in the Shopluk region, after which it was named. It was created in the 1950s as part of a national advertising campaign for Bulgarian tourism and quickly developed into a culinary ambassador for the Balkan region. Interestingly, the salad is varied differently in many countries – in North Macedonia, it is often prepared with fine Sirene cheese, while in Serbia, parsley or hot peppers are sometimes added to give it a spicier note. Although the preparation is simple, the quality and ripeness of the ingredients are crucial, especially for the tomatoes. A true Shopska Salad is never served with industrial cheese – the authentic taste only comes from traditionally ripened sheep’s cheese, crumbled by hand.