Dooymaaj Salad

By Naz Deravian

Published Nov. 12, 2022

Dooymaaj Salad
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Lish Steiling.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(432)
Comments
Read comments

Dooymaaj is a nostalgic Iranian childhood snack of dried, days-old bread — it’s an effort to not waste a single crumb — combined with fresh herbs, cheese and walnuts. The ingredients are bound with a splash of milk and a drizzle of butter, then rolled into balls and enjoyed as an afternoon treat. This refreshing, zesty, herb-filled bread salad is an homage to the beloved snack. Use any flatbread you like, but crisp lavash bread holds up particularly well against the creamy and tangy buttermilk dressing. This is hearty enough to be served on its own as a light meal or alongside grilled chicken or fish, such as chicken or salmon kababs.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Salad

    • 2pieces lavash bread (8½ by 11½ inches each)
    • 3loosely packed cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 1 bunch), coarsely chopped
    • 2cups loosely packed mint leaves (from 1 small bunch), coarsely chopped
    • 1¼cups loosely packed Persian, lemon or other basil, coarsely chopped
    • 2scallions, thinly sliced 
    • ½cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces) 
    • ½cup walnut halves, coarsely chopped

    For the Dressing

    • 2tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 2tablespoons dried mint
    • 1teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more if needed
    • ¾teaspoon black pepper, plus more if needed
    • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1cup buttermilk
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

380 calories; 28 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 676 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the bread for the salad: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the bread directly on the rack and toast until crisp, about 3 minutes. Don’t let it take on color or burn. Let cool completely, then break into 2-inch pieces. It’s better if the pieces aren’t uniform. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

  2. Step 2

    While the bread toasts and cools, make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, dried mint, salt and pepper until the salt is dissolved. Drizzle in the olive oil and add the buttermilk, whisking well to combine. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

  3. Step 3

    Finish the salad: Place the parsley, mint, basil, scallions, feta and walnuts in a large bowl. Scatter the toasts on top. Add three-quarters of the dressing and gently toss to combine. The salad should be generously and evenly dressed. If needed, add the remaining dressing, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve right away so the lavash stays crisp.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
432 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Prakash Nadkarni

The recipe's introduction mentions a "splash of milk": I'm relieved to see that the recipe actually uses buttermilk (a sour base works better) and 1 cup of it (somewhat more than a splash). Yoghurt would work as well. I've found supermarket buttermilk comparatively overpriced: also, many brands add a lot of preservatives that confer a "synthetic" taste.

Michael

It's in the intro: "This refreshing, zesty, herb-filled bread salad is an homage to the beloved snack."

WastingTime

Confused. Where are the milk and the butter mentioned in the descriptive paragraph? The recipe calls for buttermilk...but not butter and not milk. And the finishing instructions say nothing about rolling ingredients into a ball.

Darnett

Only change I made to recipe was to add butter lettuce to make it feed more without spending so much on the fresh herbs. I also added thinly sliced radishes. Someone noted they would add some sumac at the end and I think I will do that the next time. A few people that ate mine commented that the lavash “croutons” were stale. I liked them and actually think that is the way they are supposed to eat. But, what do I know? Definitely worth making again to get away from just your usual tossed salad!

Loretta NY-Bos

Several parts to the confusion. Memory vs."Recipe." 1) The intro was a fond memory of her experience: "a nostalgic Iranian childhood snack," which she describes in detail for you. 2) She can't duplicate her mother's intuitive "non-recipe", so she created a "recipe" for you to enjoy a similar experience. 3) Don't obsess! Grab whatever parsley, mint, and basil are available. Buy a bag of pita chips. Have fun! :-) 4) About the author:http://bottomofthepot.com/about-the-book/

-

Made this pretty much as written but added cucumber diced, and then instead of buttermilk thinned out some Greek style natural yoghurt with milk and a dash of vinegar

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.