Zeytin Piyazi is a tangy, refreshing, easy to make Turkish green olive salad. It is a traditional dish from the southeastern part of Turkey which is generally enjoyed for breakfast or as part of a mezze. Usually enjoyed with some bread. A simple salad made from green olives, tomato, onion, fresh herbs and seasoning. Sometimes walnuts, bell pepper, green apples, other herbs are added.
As a matter of fact, olives in Turkish are called zeytin. Piyazi originates from the Persian language meaning onion. However, in Turkish piyazi refers to a salad made with onion. Therefore Zeytin Piyazi is an olive salad with onions.
Sharing Zeytin Piyazi Recipe With 2025 Alphabet Challenge Group
Wow, 2025 is ending so soon. Actually, the year has just whizzed by so so fast. I am so happy I chose to share A-Z salad recipes for 2025. In reality, it gave me an opportunity to include some traditional salads, like Kachumbari, Waldorf, Moong Kosambari, Fattoush,etc. Undoubtedly, it allowed me to try out new ones like the Ottolenghi Date Salad. Allowed me discover salads from different parts of the world like the Guava Salad, Burmese style. And got me to think out of the box and use unusual ingredients like ice apple for my Ice Apple Salad. Or make a simple avocado and egg salad into a festive one.
We are on the last letter Z. Z is for zucchini, Za’atar, zest, Zinfandel, Ziti, Zeppole, Zabaglione, etc. My recipe for letter Z is Zeytin Piyazi.
Z is for Zeytin.
Stay Tuned
We will be taking an alphabet challenge journey in 2026. Every fortnight or bi weekly we will be posting a recipe using an ingredient beginning with the letter of that week or a dish name. 2024 I shared random recipes, 2025 did the A-Z salad recipes. For 2026 I aim to share Indian curries, dals, sabzi with gravy, etc. So please come back on 07th Jan when the alphabet challenge begins for the year 2026.
Some Recipes With Letter Z You May Like
ZA'ATAR SWIRLS
Za'atar Swirls are flaky, flavourful, delicious and easy to make snack or appetizer. Basically you need puff pastry and za'atar and you're good to go. Bake them for parties or gatherings .
Zucchini Halwa is dairy free, melt in the mouth, flavorful, aromatic halwa cooked in the Indian style. If you are a fan of doodhi ka halwa or bottle gourd halwa then you'll surely love this one.
Spinach Zucchini Soup is an excellent way to enjoy both spinach and zucchini. Simple ingredients like onion, garlic and fresh coriander add flavour and the potato provides the slight thickness. To elevate it to the next level, I suggest you serve it with a blob of chutney, pesto or flavoured oil. This soup is suitable for those on a vegan diet or for those who need gluten free soup.
Stuffed Zucchini Boats are so deliciously cheesy with 3 different kinds of cheese used along with pasta and pesto. Serve them with some soup, salad or as a side dish.
Mombasa Mix is popular as street food in Mombasa. Nowadays it is much easier to find it at fat food restaurants. It is basically a brown chickpea potato curry cooked in coconut milk. It is then served with deep fried lentil fritters, coconut chutney and some chevdo. Chevdo is popular snack made of potatoes, lentil and flat rice with spices.
Avocado, Bean & Mango Salad is a zesty, nutritious, filling and delicious salad bursting with colours. Like me if you are a lover of both avocado and mango then this salad is just right for you. With homemade Cilantro Dressing, we love to have this salad as a light meal. I
Barley Salad with a Greek lemony dressing is easy to make, ideal potluck salad and makes a healthy meal. Add vegetables of your choice. What I like about this salad is that it stays fresh for at least 3 days in the fridge
Chickpea Chaat Salad is a tasty, gluten free, vegan, slightly sweet, a bit spicy and tangy kind of salad. The star ingredient is boiled chickpeas. Add salad vegetables of your choice. This salad is a version of the popular Indian street food Chana Chaat.
Date Salad, Ottolenghi Style is a must try salad. The dates, sumac, chilli flakes and marinated onion adds a bright, sweet, sour and slightly spicy taste. An excellent way to use up old pita bread, enjoy this salad as a meal or side dish.
Fattoush Salad is a delicious tangy, slightly sweetish, crunchy Levantine Salad made with veggies, herbs and crispy pita. Fattoush is an ideal weight loss salad as it is low in calories, filling and flavourful.
Guava Salad, Burmese Style is full of unique flavours imparted by toasted chickpea flour, fried onion, tamarind, jaggery and the red chilli flakes. Easy to make, it can be enjoyed as a light meal if you are a guava lover like me.
GRILLED HALLOUMI SALAD AND BLACKBERRY SALAD DRESSING
Grilled Halloumi Salad is a colourful, healthy and filling Mediterranean inspired salad. Pair it with a fruity salad dressing like the blackberry one I made at home. Ideal as a summer picnic, party salad or as light meal.
Ice Apple Salad with coconut milk, mint, cucumber and a few spices is a refreshing, cooling and unique summer salad. This salad is full of nutrients and an excellent way to enjoy the superfood - ice apples or tadgola. Serve it as a starter or enjoy it as a light meal. Make sure it is served chilled.
Armenian Jajukh Salad is a refreshing, healthy, easy to make, five ingredient Cucumber and Yogurt Salad. Healthy, easy to make,cooling, refreshing and perfect for the summer season.
Kachumabari, Kenyan Salad is the easiest, most popular and a superbly delicious side dish that goes well with chicken, fish, barbecued meat (nyama choma), kebabs, tikkas, pilau, ugali, etc. It is a basic salad of tomatoes, onion, fresh coriander, lemon and a bit of chilli.
Lobia Paneer Salad is an Indian style, protein rich, healthy, filling and delicious salad. Easy to make, this black eyed beans or cow peas salad is a versatile one. Add any choice of vegetables and additional proteins to it. Enjoy it as a side dish or as a light nourishing meal.
Moong Dal Salad is a popular, protein rich, delicious and healthy South Indian style salad. Known as Kosambari, it is generally made from yellow moong dal, cucumber and coconut. A tempering of mustard seeds, green chillis and curry leaves is added to make the salad flavourful.
Crispy Noodle Salad is not only a filling nutritious light meal on its own but a dish which offers different flavours and textures. Quite easy to make, this salad is pretty versatile as you can add any ingredients that you like. Dress it up with a sweet, sour or a balanced dressing. This salad dish is inspired by the famous and popular Aussie favourite Chang's Crispy Noodle Salad. This salad can be enjoyed warm or cold. So it is perfect for both the hot and cold seasons.
Orange Avocado Salad is a colourful, refreshing, full of flavour kind of summer salad. Enjoy it as side or as a light meal. What I like about this salad is the delicious light orange dressing. And you can add other salad ingredients like radish, beans, quinoa, orzo, rice, etc. Somehow I felt that oranges and tomatoes don't go together well.
Pineapple Salad with berries, coconut, fresh mint, with a drizzle of honey and some fresh orange juice makes a refreshing summery dessert salad. Enjoy it on its own or with some vanilla ice cream.
Nectarine Quinoa Salad is a gluten free, vegan, colourful, bright, packed with flavours and textures kind of summery salad. With a homemade fresh ginger salad dressing, this is one salad you don't want to miss out on.
Rosolli, Finnish Salad is usually prepared during Christmas time. It is made of beetroot, apple, carrot, potato and onion. The dressing is fresh cream. Trust me this salad has become one of my favourite. We enjoyed as a light meal. A balance of flavours and different textures. Softness from the boiled potatoes, crunch from the carrot and beetroot, crispiness from the onion and apples
Chermoula Sweet Potato Salad is a filling, flavourful salad where sweet potato, chickpeas, couscous, tomatoes, olives and feta are mixed with Chermoula Sauce. Enjoy this delicious salad warm or cold.
Mini Taco Salad Cups make a great appetizer/starter dish for parties. Best part is that you don't need a fork. Add any salad of your choice to the taco cups.
Udon Noodle Salad, especially cold is my favourite summer time light meal. With the right amount of carbs, loaded with protein and colourful veggies, it has the right balance of flavours too. Marinated tofu, the peanut sauce or dressing, crunchiness from the veggies and come together beautifully to create an awesomely delicious light meal.
Salata De Varza Rosie is a simple and yet flavourful Romanian Red Cabbage Salad. Easy to make, basically you need only a handful of ingredients. Some red cabbage or white (then it is simply called Salata De Varza), carrot, vinegar, salt and oil.
Waldorf Salad is a creamy, crispy, filling, delish, classic salad. Enjoy it as a light meal, serve it as a starter dish or as a side for a party. The subtly sweet dressing, the crunch from the celery and crispiness of the apples makes this elegant salad a party winner.
Vegetable Raita is an easy to make Indian side dish or salad. Vegetables and a few spices are added to some plain yogurt to make this delicious dish. While you can use any vegetable of your choice, I have used tomato, cucumber and onion. You can also enjoy raita as a light meal.
Any type of green olives of your choice or a mixture. I prefer to use the deli ones, where you can choose the type and how much one needs.
Onion
The choice is between red onion peeled and finely chopped or spring onion (scallion). I went for the spring onions, finely chopped, both the green and white parts.
Tomato
Best to use Roma tomatoes. Cut them into halves and scoop out the seeds. Then dice the tomatoes.
Parsley
Use a generous amount. Go for the flat parsley or the curly one. I prefer using flat parsley.
Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice adds a refreshing zing. If you prefer, can replace the lemon juice with pomegranate molasses. If the olives have been in brine, then you may need to use only 1 tbsp lemon juice. If the olives have been in oil you will need 2 tbsp.
Olive Oil
Use extra virgin olive oil for a robust flavour.
Red Chilli Flakes
Or use red chilli powder. Add according to your taste. If you have, add some biber salçası but it is not a must.
Walnuts
Toast the walnuts lightly in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave oven for 1-1:15 minutes. Then chop them up roughly.
Pomegranate
Adds a bit colour and taste to the salad. This is an optional ingredient. But I do recommend adding some arils as it makes the salad so much prettier and flavourful.
Salt
Add according to your taste. Remember, the olives may be salty if they have been in a brine.
ZEYTIN PIYAZI | GREEN OLIVE SALAD
mayurisjikoni
Zeytin Piyazi is a tangy, refreshing, easy to make Turkish green olive salad. It is a traditional dish from the southeastern part of Turkey which is generally enjoyed for breakfast or as part of a mezze. Usually enjoyed with some bread. A simple salad made from green olives, tomato, onion, fresh herbs and seasoning. Sometimes walnuts, bell pepper, green apples, other herbs are added.
Cut the tomato into half and scoop out the seeds. Dice the tomato.
Add it to the chopped olives.
Finely chop the spring onion or scallions, both the white and green parts.
Add to the olive mixture.
Add the finely chopped parsley and pomegranate arils.
Chop the walnuts roughly. Add to the mixture.
PREPARE THE DRESSING
Mix olive oil, lemon juice, dried thyme, red chilli flakes and salt.
Add to the olive salad. Mix well.
Serve zeytin piyazı as part of a mezze, for breakfast with some bread slices, as a side with fish or chicken or simply enjoy is as a starter with some pita bread.
Notes
Replace lemon juice with pomegranate molasses.
Use Turkish chilli paste if you have any.
Add a mixture of green olives.
Can use red onion, finely chopped or sliced.
Adding pomegranate and walnut is optional.
Sometimes diced red pepper is added.
Keyword green olive salad, Turkish green olive salad, zeytin piyazi, zeytin piyazi recipe
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If you do try this recipe then please either
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Just in case we haven’t met before I’m Mayuri Patel from the coastal sunny town of Mombasa. In fact more of a global citizen now as I spend time between Canada and India. I’m the creator and writer of Mayuri’s Jikoni. Jikoni is kitchen in Kiswahili. Love cooking up a storm in my jikoni. When I’m not in the jikoni then you may find me reading fiction books, watching romantic movies, listening to Bollywood songs or enjoying God’s creation, nature. If my recipes can inspire you to cook at home then my job is done here. Cook up a storm in your kitchen with easy to follow vegetarian recipes right from soups to desserts.
What an amazing array of salads you have shared this year, Mayuri! It would be almost impossible for me to choose a favorite but we are big fans of olives at my house so this salad would go down a treat!
Thank you so much Stacy. I made it last weekend when I invited friends over. I served it with mini pita bread and bread slices. They loved it. Go ahead and try the recipe.
That array of olives with those nutritious ingredients is gorgeous and so colorful. I’ve enjoyed seeing how creative you were with the salad theme. I’m looking forward to 2025 and all of the Indian recipes.
I have so enjoyed your A to Z salad recipes over the year…and I am definitely keeping this one in mind for next year’s Z recipe. We are huge OLIVE FANS in this house and this salad sounds AMAZING!!!
17 Comments
Wendy Klik
December 17, 2025 at 1:36 pm
That is a gorgeous salad, Mayuri.
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2025 at 6:13 pm
Thank you so much Wendy.
Simple Zero Cream Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
December 17, 2025 at 1:59 pm
[…] Zeytin Piyaz – Turkish Green Olive Salad by Mayuri’s Jikoni […]
hobby baker Kelly
December 17, 2025 at 3:35 pm
I need to give olives more chances, I definitely like castelvetrano olives and having olives interspersed with other salad stuff sounds pretty tasty!
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2025 at 6:11 pm
I too love castelvetrano olives but unfortunately didn’t get any. This salad is an ideal party salad as a side or starter.
Stacy
December 17, 2025 at 4:47 pm
What an amazing array of salads you have shared this year, Mayuri! It would be almost impossible for me to choose a favorite but we are big fans of olives at my house so this salad would go down a treat!
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2025 at 6:08 pm
Thank you so much Stacy. I made it last weekend when I invited friends over. I served it with mini pita bread and bread slices. They loved it. Go ahead and try the recipe.
Karen’s Kitchen Stories
December 17, 2025 at 8:08 pm
That array of olives with those nutritious ingredients is gorgeous and so colorful. I’ve enjoyed seeing how creative you were with the salad theme. I’m looking forward to 2025 and all of the Indian recipes.
mayurisjikoni
December 22, 2025 at 10:12 pm
Thank you so much Karen.
Jolene
December 18, 2025 at 5:47 am
So colorful! Always looking for snacky things that are on the healthier side.
mayurisjikoni
December 22, 2025 at 10:10 pm
Thanks Jolene, we throughly enjoyed it with some soft pita bread. Do try the recipe out, you wouldn’t regret it.
Colleen – Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
December 18, 2025 at 7:16 am
I have so enjoyed your A to Z salad recipes over the year…and I am definitely keeping this one in mind for next year’s Z recipe. We are huge OLIVE FANS in this house and this salad sounds AMAZING!!!
mayurisjikoni
December 22, 2025 at 10:09 pm
Thank you so much Colleen. Please do try out the salad, it is a perfect one for olive lovers. You can use a mixture of green olives.
Sneha Datar
December 22, 2025 at 2:33 am
A colorful yummy dish this is!
mayurisjikoni
December 22, 2025 at 10:03 pm
Thanks
Sneha Datar
December 22, 2025 at 2:33 am
A colorful yummy, love it!
mayurisjikoni
December 22, 2025 at 10:03 pm
Thanks