This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Bulgarian Green Salad is a light, refreshing salad made with crisp lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, and green onions tossed in a simple vinegar and olive oil dressing.
It’s one of those salads that appears on the table often in Bulgarian homes because it’s quick, fresh, and goes with almost any meal.
This Bulgarian green salad is one of my go-to sides when I want something fresh, crisp, and effortless. Made with lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, and a simple vinegar dressing, it’s light, refreshing, and ready in minutes.
This is my go-to when I don’t know what to serve with grilled meat, roasted chicken, or a simple weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh and light
The crisp vegetables and simple dressing make this salad refreshing and easy to enjoy.
- Simple everyday ingredients
Everything is easy to find in most grocery stores.
- Quick to prepare
The salad comes together in just a few minutes.
- Great with many meals
Perfect alongside roasted chicken, lamb, pork, or grilled dishes.
- Traditional Bulgarian recipe
A classic salad served in many homes, especially around spring holidays.
Ingredients
- Lettuce – provides the crisp base for the salad
- Radishes – add crunch and a slightly peppery flavor
- Cucumber – fresh and refreshing
- Green onions – mild onion flavor that works well in salads
- Apple cider vinegar – adds brightness to the dressing
- Olive oil – brings the salad together with a simple vinaigrette
- Salt – enhances the natural flavors
Optional addition:
Hard-boiled eggs for extra protein and texture. Kalamata or black olives and a great addition. Dill and parsley add some extra freshness.
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Bulgarian Green Salad
Prepare the vegetables
Wash and dry the lettuce, then slice it into thin strips.
Slice the cucumber and radishes thinly.
Chop the green onions.
Combine the salad
Place the lettuce in a large mixing bowl.
Add the radishes, cucumber, and green onions.
Add the dressing
Drizzle with vinegar and olive oil.
Season with salt and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
Finish and serve
Transfer the salad to a serving bowl.
If using, add sliced hard-boiled eggs on top before serving.
Serve immediately while the vegetables are crisp and fresh.
Tips for Best Results
Season at the end
Add salt just before serving to avoid drawing out too much moisture from the vegetables.
Dry the lettuce well
Excess water dilutes the dressing and makes the salad soggy instead of crisp.
Slice everything thin and evenly
Uniform cuts make the salad feel lighter, more balanced, and visually appealing.
Toss right before serving
This keeps the lettuce fresh and prevents it from wilting.
Use good quality oil
Since the dressing is very simple, the flavor of the oil makes a big difference.
What Makes Bulgarian Green Salad Different
- No heavy dressing — just oil, vinegar, and salt
- Focus on freshness and simple, clean flavors
- Often made daily, not just for special occasions
- Traditionally made with sunflower oil, not olive oil
When to Serve Bulgarian Green Salad
- With grilled meats like chicken, pork, or lamb
- As a fresh side for weeknight dinners
- During spring and summer when vegetables are at their best
- On holiday tables like Easter
It’s the kind of simple salad that goes with almost everything.
Looking for more salads? These are some of the most popular on my blog: Pear and Raspberry Chicken Salad, Arugula Tuna Beet Salad and Fillet Mignon Fall Salad Recipe.
Variations
Add fresh herbs
Parsley or dill works beautifully.
Make it more filling
Add hard-boiled eggs or a little crumbled feta cheese.
Add tomatoes
Some regions include chopped tomatoes in the salad.
Use sunflower oil
Traditional Bulgarian versions often use sunflower oil instead of olive oil.
FAQ
It is a simple Bulgarian salad made with lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, and green onions dressed with vinegar and oil.
You can prepare the vegetables a few hours ahead of time, but add the dressing right before serving.
Yes. Some versions of the salad include tomatoes.
Sunflower oil is most commonly used in Bulgaria, but olive oil works well too.
Yes – hard-boiled eggs or feta cheese are great additions.
Storage
This salad is best served fresh.
If needed, store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one day, but the lettuce may soften.
For best texture, keep the vegetables and dressing separate until ready to serve.
What dishes go well with this salad?
It pairs well with:
- simple weeknight dinners
- roasted chicken
- grilled meats
- lamb dishes
- pork recipes
More Salad Recipes
If you enjoy fresh salads, you may also like:
- Marouli Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Pear and Raspberry Chicken Salad
- Arugula Tuna Beet Salad
- Filet Mignon Fall Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Bulgarian Green Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large head lettuce, washed and sliced
- 6 –7 radishes, sliced
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 3 –4 scallions, chopped
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- Optional: 2–3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- Optional: Kalamata olives
- Optional: dill and parsley – chopped
Video
Instructions
- Place sliced lettuce in a large bowl.
- Add radishes, cucumber, and scallions.
- Drizzle with vinegar and olive oil.
- Season with salt and gently toss to combine.
- Top with sliced hard-boiled eggs, olives, dill and (or) parsley if using and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How can something so simple look so fresh and pretty? I love this salad, Mira. Again, it reminds me of a salad I used to eat a lot in Greece! I love the addition of the apple cider vinegar. 🙂
Lovely video! Great salad:)