Name: Sumac Onions (Turkish Onion Salad)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 large onions (red or white); 2 teaspoons sumac (please read the note); ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pul biber (red pepper flakes, optional); ¼ cup parsley (chopped); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses; 1 tablespoon olive oil

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In Türkiye, sumac onions are one of those simple sides almost always served with kebabs. They are made with thinly sliced onions, lots of sumac and parsley, and they add a fresh, tangy flavour to any meat dish.

Turkish sumac onions made with red onions, parsley and sumac in a white serving bowl.

The Side Dish Every Turkish Kebab Needs

If you’ve ever had kebabs in Türkiye, chances are these sumac onions (sumaklı soğan salatası) were served on the side. They are especially common at mangal restaurants and kebab houses.

Thinly sliced onions are mixed with sumac, salt, lemon juice, olive oil and parsley until they soften slightly and turn bright purple. They stay a little crunchy, but the flavour becomes tangy and fresh, almost like pickled onions.

As a Turkish family, we almost always serve them with kebabs, especially when making dürüm (wraps) at home.

Close-up of Turkish sumac onions made with red onions, parsley and sumac in a white bowl.

What Is Sumac?

Sumac is a dark red spice made from dried sumac berries. It has a tangy, lemony flavour and is used a lot in Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking.

In Turkish cuisine, we often sprinkle it over onion salads, kebabs, mezes and even soups. It is especially popular in salads because it adds a fresh, slightly sour flavour without using lemon juice.

And of course, one of the most popular ways to use it is in sumac onions like this.

If you want to learn more about it, check out our detailed post on sumac.

About the Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make Turkish sumac onions.

Onion: We usually use red onions because of their colour and flavour, but white onions work too.

Sumac: The tangy red spice that gives this salad its signature flavour. You can usually find it at Turkish or Middle Eastern shops, or online.

Pul Biber: Optional, but we love adding a little for extra flavour and mild heat. Aleppo pepper works too.

Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a lot here, so we don’t recommend skipping it.

Lemon Juice: Helps soften the onions and balances their sharpness.

Pomegranate Molasses: This is optional and not used everywhere in Türkiye, but Zerrin grew up eating it this way in the south of Türkiye. It adds a slightly sweet and tangy flavour that works really well with the onions.

How to Make Sumac Onions

Making Turkish sumac onions takes just a few minutes.

Place the sliced onions in a bowl and sprinkle over the sumac, salt and pul biber if using. Then gently massage everything together with your hands for about a minute. This helps soften the onions slightly and brings out their flavour.

Add the parsley, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and olive oil, then toss everything together well.

That’s it. Your sumac onions are ready to serve with kebabs, grilled meat or dürüm wraps.

A collage of four pictures showing the steps of making sumac onion recipe.

Serving Suggestions

In Türkiye, sumac onions are almost always served with kebabs. They are usually placed right next to the meat, often over lavash bread with grilled tomatoes and peppers on the side.

We especially love serving them with:

And if you don’t eat meat, sumac onions are also a classic side for mercimek köftesi. In Tarsus, Zerrin’s hometown, you would almost never see one without the other.

Hands mixing Turkish sumac onions with parsley, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses in a white bowl.

How to Make Onions Less Sharp

Some people like soaking sliced onions in cold water before making onion salad. This helps make the flavour milder and takes away some of the sharpness.

But as a Turkish family, we usually skip this step for sumac onions because we actually like that sharp onion flavour. Plus, the lemon juice, salt and sumac already soften the onions quite a bit, so we don’t usually find it necessary.

If you still want a milder flavour, soak the sliced onions in cold water for 10-15 minutes, then drain and pat them dry before using.

How to Slice Onions Thinly

For the best texture, try to slice the onions as thinly as possible. Thin slices soften more easily and absorb the sumac and lemon juice better.

We usually cut the onion in half first and then slice it into thin half moons. A sharp knife works perfectly, but you can also use a mandoline if you want very thin, even slices.

Red onions sliced on a wooden cutting board and a knife accompanies.

What Do Sumac Onions Taste Like?

Sumac onions taste tangy, fresh and slightly sharp. The sumac gives the onions a lemony flavour without actually using much lemon juice, and as the onions sit, they soften slightly while still keeping some crunch.

They are a little similar to pickled onions, but fresher and lighter. That sharp, tangy flavour is exactly why they go so well with kebabs and grilled meats.

Storage

Place the sumac onions in an airtight container and store the container in the refrigerator. They can be kept refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

Before serving, give them a quick stir to redistribute the marinade. If they seem a bit dry, you can add a little more lemon juice or olive oil to refresh them.

Can I Make It Ahead?

You can make sumac onions ahead of time, but we personally think they taste best when freshly made.

As they sit, the onions continue to soften and release more liquid. They will still be delicious after a few hours, but they lose some of that fresh crunch we really like in this salad.

Close-up of Turkish sumac onion salad made with red onions, parsley and sumac in a white serving bowl.

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📖 Recipe

Turkish sumac onion salad made with red onions, parsley and sumac in a white serving bowl.

5 from 4 votes