This 5 minutes sumac onions is a Turkish-style onion salad that adds a nice crunch to anything it’s added to.
You can also try Onion Marmalade, Fried Onions, or Restaurant Style Vinegar Onions if you are looking for some onion-based side dish recipes.
Jump to:
About This Recipe
Sumac onions is a Middle Eastern onion pickle where sliced red onion is mixed with sumac and other picking ingredients.
While the sumac adds a subtle lemon flavor to this sumac onions salad, red wine vinegar and olive oil make the onions soft and also settle down the raw flavor of the onions.
In Turkey, this raw onion salad is a must on the side with meat and chicken dishes, and believe me, just munching on these crunchy onions with a bite of that delicious meat, makes it even better. Maybe, serve it with your favorite kebabs, just like they do in Turkish cafes and restaurants.
So if you get your hands on Sumac, you know that it should be used to make these 5 minutes Turkish sumac onions. It is easy, quick, and makes anything taste better.
This Sumac Onion Salad is,
- Delicious
- Crunchy
- Vegan
- Versatile
- Easy + quick
- Made with easy ingredients
- Perfect to serve with kebabs
Ingredients
Onions – These are traditionally made using red onion. Although you can use yellow or white onion too.
Sumac – This spice, right here is the key ingredient in this red onion salad. A red sourish spice from Middle East cuisines that will add a lemony flavor to the raw onion salad.
Parsley – Add in some fresh parsley for the refreshing taste. It also adds a nice hint of green color to the salad.
You can even add mint or cilantro, in case you do not get your hands on fresh parsley.
Lemon Juice – Use only freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best taste.
Oil and Vinegar – I have used extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, which makes the onion a bit soft and adds a beautiful flavor at the same time. The tangy flavor of the red wine vinegar really complements the taste of sumac.
Salt and Sugar – Season it with a little salt and sugar, to make it even more yummy.
If you want to make these marinated onions spicy, then you can add in some cayenne pepper or red chili flakes too.
How to make Sumac Onions?
Start by preparing the onions. Peel 3 large onions and wash them. Cut them into half using a sharp knife and then into thin and even slices. If the onions are very bitter, slice them and soak them in cold water for 15 minutes. Squeeze to remove excess water and then use to make the salad.
Wash the parsley and chop it finely. Mix 2 cups sliced onion and 2 tbsp chopped parsley in a bowl.
Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp sumac, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp sugar in the salad parsley mixture.
Mix everything well and massage well using your hands. Massaging the onions with the other ingredients makes the absorption better and the resulting onion salad is very flavourful. Refrigerate the onions for at least one hour before serving to bring the flavours together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sumac is a Middle Eastern or Turkish Spice, that is red in color and has a subtle lemony flavor. It is not as strong as lemon, but it is sour in taste. It is quite often used in marinades, soups, meat rubs, or even in salad dressings.
Apart from having a nice tangy flavor, sumac also has antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Sumac is easily available at the stores nowadays, but in case you cannot get it, you can order it from online grocery portals such as amazon.
Pro Tips by Neha
Use a sharp knife to slice onion to minimize the burning of the eyes. You can also soak peeled and halved onion in water before slicing it to reduce the burning of the eyes.
Sumac loses its flavor if kept for a long time. Store it in the refrigerator and use it within 6 months.
Some people also add a little pomegranate molasses to this salad. Check out my recipe to make pomegranate molasses at home and use a tsp or two in this quick pickle.
The tastes of onions mellow down when marinated in oil and acidic ingredients.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these sumac onions on the side with falafel, kebabs, grilled meat dishes, egg dishes, etc. You can even include it in mezze platters, or even serve it with hummus and pita bread.
Stuff them inside wraps, sandwiches or burgers.
Add in some of your sumac onions to salads such as fattoush, to enhance the flavors and make your boring salads interesting.
Storage Suggestions
Keep this sumac marinated onions in the refrigerator for up to a week. Their flavor will mellow down every day.
I do not recommend freezing them as they will become soggy once thawed.
You might also like
Recipe Card
Sumac Onions Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups thinly sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sumac
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Start by preparing the onions. Peel 3 large onions and wash them. Cut them into half using a sharp knife and then into thin and even slices. If the onions are very bitter, slice them and soak them in cold water for 15 minutes. Squeeze to remove excess water and then use to make the salad.
- Wash the parsley and chop it finely. Mix 2 cups sliced onion and 2 tbsp chopped parsley in a bowl.
- Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp sumac, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp sugar in the salad parsley mixture.
- Mix everything well and massage well using your hands. Massaging the onions with the other ingredients makes the absorption better and the resulting onion salad is very flavourful. Refrigerate the onions for at least one hour before serving to bring the flavors together.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!