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5.0 from 6 votes

Instant Pot Kısır Salad

Use an Instant Pot to perfectly cook the base of this Turkish kısır salad while you chop the veggies. Then just toss everything together for an easy spring salad!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 meal-sized bowls
Calories: 413 kcal
Course: Side Dish , Salad
Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

Salad Base (to pressure cook)
  • 1 cup cracked wheat (see Note 1)
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp red pepper paste aka biber salçası (*optional)
  • ½ tsp cumin (*optional; see Note 2)
  • 1 cup water
Kısır Additions
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 1 cup parsley
  • 3 scallions (around 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp fine salt or 1½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp Aleppo pepper aka pul biber (*can sub with chili flakes)
  • juice of ½ lemon or 2 tbsp şalgam suyu (see Note 3)
  • 1–2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (*optional; see Note 4)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (*optional)
  • 1 tsp sumac (*optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add all of the Salad Base ingredients (cracked wheat, diced onion, tomato paste, pepper paste, cumin) and water to the Instant Pot.
  2. Use "Pressure Cook" setting ("Manual" on older models) for 5 minutes at High Pressure. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, prep the rest of the rest of the ingredients: chop the tomato, parsley, scallions, and gather the spices.
  4. Release any remaining pressure in the Instant Pot and open the lid.
  5. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste for salt and spice level.

Notes

  • If you have bulgur instead of cracked wheat, there is no need to use the Instant Pot since bulgur is already cooked (see "Bulgur vs Cracked Wheat" section below). Just put the Salad Base ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour over 1 cup of boiling water. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
  • Cumin is often found in kısır recipes from the south of Turkey. I happen to prefer this version with a little cumin, but nothing wrong with leaving it out either.

  • Şalgam suyu is a sour Turkish drink made from fermented carrots.

    I was inspired to sprinkle in some şalgam after reading Somer Sivrioğlu's kısır recipe in the cookbook Anatolia: Adventures in Turkish Cooking. His version calls for pickle juice. According to M. Ömür Akkor in Ottoman Cuisine: A Rich Culinary Tradition, "in 16th century, janissaries used to eat salads prepared with turnip juice, cucumber, radish, onion, garlic, and vinegar." I thought this added quite a nice flavour to the salad.

  • I was inspired to sprinkle in some şalgam after reading Somer Sivrioğlu's kısır recipe in the cookbook Anatolia: Adventures in Turkish Cooking. His version calls for pickle juice.
  • According to M. Ömür Akkor in Ottoman Cuisine: A Rich Culinary Tradition, "in 16th century, janissaries used to eat salads prepared with turnip juice, cucumber, radish, onion, garlic, and vinegar." I thought this added quite a nice flavour to the salad.
  • Pomegranate molasses, aka nar ekşisi, is a Turkish condiment traditionally used in kısır. It also adds a bit of sweetness. Feel free to substitute any of lemon, şalgam, or pomegranate molasses for each other, but it's necessary to have at least one sour ingredient in there for kısır's signature flavour. You can also try substituting balsamic vinegar for the pomegranate molasses. I haven't tried this myself, but I heard it's a decent substitute.

Nutrition Information

Calories 413kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 76g (25%) Protein 12g (24%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 5g Sodium 1264mg (53%) Potassium 868mg (25%) Fiber 14g (56%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 2413IU (48%) Vitamin C 48mg (53%) Calcium 78mg (8%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2meal-sized bowls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 413

% Daily Value*

Calories 413kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 76g 25%
Protein 12g 24%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 5g 25%
Sodium 1264mg 53%
Potassium 868mg 18%
Fiber 14g 56%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 2413IU 48%
Vitamin C 48mg 53%
Calcium 78mg 8%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.