This salad puts ajvar โ a roasted red pepper and eggplant relish โ to work as a dressing ingredient rather than a side condiment, coating heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta in its smoky, slightly sweet flavor. It takes 30 minutes start to finish, and most of that is just chopping. If you keep a jar of ajvar in the pantry, this comes together on a weeknight without much thought.
Before you start
The two things that actually matter here are how you handle the ajvar and how you fold the salad together. Ajvar varies a lot by brand โ some jars are thick and chunky, others are smooth and loose. If yours is very thick, whisk it briefly with the olive oil before adding it to the bowl so it distributes evenly rather than clumping around a few pieces of feta. The second thing: fold gently. Feta crumbles fast, and you want distinct pieces throughout the salad, not a smeared paste. Use a wide spoon or spatula and turn the salad two or three times โ thatโs enough. Dress it at the table, not in advance โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast, and the tomatoes will shed water that dilutes everything.
Storage and make-ahead
You can prep every component up to 24 hours ahead and store them separately in the fridge โ tomatoes and cucumber in one container, sliced onion in another, crumbled feta in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap. The dressing keeps in a sealed jar for up to a week. When youโre ready to serve, combine the vegetables, add the feta, fold in the ajvar, then pour the dressing over and toss. Once assembled and dressed, this salad holds for about 2 hours at room temperature or up to 4 hours covered in the fridge, but the cucumber softens noticeably after that. Leftovers the next day are still edible but noticeably wetter โ the tomatoes continue releasing liquid overnight.
Common problems and fixes
- The salad is watery by the time you serve it: Heirloom tomatoes release a lot of juice once cut and salted. Chop them just before assembling, and if you notice pooling liquid in the bowl before you add the dressing, tilt the bowl and spoon it off.
- The ajvar flavor gets lost: Ajvar intensity varies by brand. Taste the salad after folding and before adding the dressing โ if the pepper flavor is faint, stir an extra tablespoon of ajvar directly into the olive oil and vinegar mixture before pouring it over.
- The feta is too salty with the ajvar: Some store-bought ajvar already contains salt, and some feta is heavily brined. Rinse the crumbled feta briefly under cold water and pat it dry before adding it to the bowl, which takes the edge off without losing the flavor.
- The red onion is too sharp and dominates the other flavors: The recipe card suggests soaking sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes. If you skip that step and the onion still tastes harsh after assembling, a small extra splash of red wine vinegar in the dressing will help balance it.
- The salad looks dull and brown after sitting: Ajvar is a dark red-orange relish and it stains everything it touches. If youโre serving this to guests, add the ajvar last, right before the dressing, and garnish generously with the fresh parsley โ the green contrast makes a real visual difference.
Serbian Ajvar and Feta Salad
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 jar Ajvar preferably homemade or a high-quality store-bought version
- 1 cup Feta cheese crumbled, preferably Greek or Bulgarian
- 2 cups Heirloom tomatoes chopped, organic
- 1 cup Cucumber sliced, Persian or English
- 1 small Red onion thinly sliced
Dressing and Garnish
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 pinch Salt to taste
- 1 pinch Ground black pepper to taste
- ยผ cup Fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped heirloom tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and thinly sliced red onion. Set aside.
- Add the crumbled feta cheese to the bowl, tossing gently to integrate with the vegetables.
- Drizzle the ajvar over the salad mixture. Gently fold it into the vegetables and feta so that it coats them evenly.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and use salad tongs to toss everything lightly until well combined. Add additional seasoning if desired.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find ajvar, and does the brand matter?
Ajvar is sold in most well-stocked grocery stores in the international foods aisle, and reliably at Eastern European delis or online. Brand does matter โ mild ajvar is sweet and mellow, while hot ajvar adds real heat, so check the label before you buy and choose based on how spicy you want the finished salad.
Can I use regular tomatoes instead of heirloom?
Yes, any ripe tomato works fine. Roma tomatoes are a practical choice because they have less water content than beefsteak or heirloom varieties, which means less pooling liquid in the bowl.
What can I serve this with to make it a full meal?
Crusty bread is the simplest option โ it soaks up the ajvar and dressing at the bottom of the bowl. The salad also works well alongside grilled sausages or a simple piece of grilled chicken if you want more protein without changing the salad itself.