Village Salad

Village salad is the one I make on repeat from July through September, whenever my counter fills up with ripe tomatoes and I don’t want to turn on the stove.

It’s a real Bulgarian salad — tomatoes, cucumbers, fire-roasted peppers, and white beans — not a lettuce salad with feta thrown on top. The beans turn it from a side dish into an actual meal, and it’s on the table in about 10 minutes.

The thing that surprised me the first time I paid attention to it: the beans are the whole point. In Bulgaria this is “selska salata,” and the beans are what set the village salad apart from every other tomato-cucumber salad on the table.

Season it the Bulgarian way — salt first, then vinegar, then oil (I use olive, but back in the day everyone used sunflower oil on salads in Bulgaria), straight over the bowl — and with good summer tomatoes you barely need anything at all.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is a real Bulgarian village salad, light and fresh, and the canned white beans add protein and fiber that turn it into a full meal instead of a side.

There’s no dressing to make — you season it straight over the bowl, and even that’s optional when the tomatoes are ripe and the peppers are smoky. I make it constantly through tomato season, and it’s the salad I bring to every summer cookout.

 

How to Make Village Salad

The whole method is chop, season, toss — the only real work is the knife work.

Finish with a few grinds of black pepper.

The seasoning itself is optional — with ripe summer tomatoes and smoky peppers, this salad is honestly good with nothing on it at all.

Chop the lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber into bite-sized pieces and add them to a large bowl.

Cut the tomatoes last so they don’t sit in their own juice.

Dice the red onion, chop the roasted red peppers, and add both to the bowl along with the drained white beans.

Season directly over the salad, the way it’s done in Bulgaria: sprinkle the salt first, then the apple cider vinegar, then drizzle the olive oil.

A little honey on top is optional if you like a touch of sweetness.

Toss gently, so the beans don’t break up.

The Traditional Bulgarian Version (No Lettuce)

In Bulgaria this is called “selska salata” — village salad — and the beans are what earn it the name.

They’re what set it apart from the other tomato-cucumber salads on a Bulgarian table.

The version you’d get there is served without lettuce: just tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, and the beans, sometimes without the cucumbers too.

Restaurants in the US add chopped lettuce, which stretches the salad and gives it crunch — romaine or iceberg both work, and honestly I don’t mind it.

If you want the authentic Bulgarian version, leave the lettuce out and add a little extra tomato. The salad becomes juicier and more intense, so go lighter on the vinegar and oil.

Tips

• Fire-roast the peppers if you can. Sweet long red peppers charred over a gas flame or under the broiler give the salad a smoky depth that jarred peppers can’t fully match. Roast a big batch — they keep in the fridge for days.
• Use ripe, in-season tomatoes. This salad has nowhere to hide. In winter I’d rather make something else than use pale tomatoes here.
• Red beans work too. White beans are traditional, but drained canned red or kidney beans make a good village salad if that’s what you have — add them last and toss gently so they don’t mash.
• Rinse the diced onion in cold water if raw red onion is too sharp for you. It mellows the bite without losing the flavor.
• Salt first, then vinegar, then oil. That’s the order I learned in Bulgaria — the salt dissolves in the vinegar and tomato juices, and the oil goes on last so it coats everything. Start with less salt than you think; canned beans already bring some sodium.
• Season right before serving. The lettuce wilts and the tomatoes weep if it sits seasoned. If you’re prepping ahead, chop everything and season at the table.

Serving Ideas + More Recipes

Village salad works next to anything grilled — the vinegar cuts through char and fat, which is exactly why it’s the standard summer pairing in Bulgaria alongside grilled meats.

It’s also great with crumbled feta or sirene on top and crusty bread for a no-cook dinner.

For something heartier off the grill, pair it with grilled pork or chicken skewers; the salad’s acidity is made for smoky meat.

If you’re building a Bulgarian-style summer table, Shopska Salad is the close cousin of this one — same fresh vegetables, topped with grated white cheese instead of beans.

FAQs For Selska Salata

Can I use jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting my own? Yes — I’ve made it both ways many times. Fire-roasted peppers give the salad a smoky flavor that’s closer to how it tastes in Bulgaria, but jarred peppers still make a very good salad. Pat them dry first so they don’t water down the dressing.

What beans work best in village salad? Any canned white bean — cannellini or great northern both work — and drained red or kidney beans are a good swap too. I rinse them so the dressing coats the beans instead of the canning liquid. If your beans are very soft, add them last and toss gently or they’ll mash.

Can I make this salad ahead of time? Chop everything ahead, but don’t season until serving. I’ve made the mistake of seasoning it an hour early — the lettuce wilts and the tomatoes release too much juice. Unseasoned, the chopped vegetables hold in the fridge for a day.

Is village salad the same as shopska salad? They’re close relatives. Shopska is tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and peppers topped with grated white brined cheese (sirene), with no beans and no lettuce. The beans are what make this one a village salad — “selska salata” in Bulgarian — and it skips the cheese. The romaine is an American restaurant addition.