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Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad)

11 July, 2016 by Tara 7 Comments

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A recipe for Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad)! This refreshing salad is packed with diced vegetables and seasoned simply with a drizzle of lime juice and olive oil.

Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad) on three white plates next to lime wedges.

Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad)

Kachumbari is a refreshing Kenyan vegetable salad. It is also popular in Tanzania and surrounding East African countries. Tomatoes and onions are tossed with cilantro to create the base for this salad.

I also added diced avocados (optional), cucumbers, and red chile peppers with a squeeze of lime juice and drizzle of olive oil. These ingredients are optional based on the region. Thinly sliced cabbage is often added in Tanzania. This is a great summer salad to serve with Nyama Choma (grilled meat) and ugali (maize porridge) or pilau (rice pilaf).

Aerial view of Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad) on three white plates next to lime wedges.

The vegetables can be diced or thinly sliced depending on the region. I chose to dice everything to make it easier for Claire to eat.

The onions are soaked in salt water to soften and remove some of the bite before adding to the salad. Drain in a fine mesh sieve for about 10 minutes after soaking to remove all of the water.

I added one small red pepper. Bump it up to two and don’t remove the seeds for extra heat. If desired, you can substitute lemon for the lime juice.

This Kachumbari is best immediately after preparing.

Looking for more Kenyan recipes?

Try 

  • Chai ya Tangawizi (Kenyan Ginger Tea)
  • Chapati Za Ngozi (Kenyan Soft-Layered Chapati)

Close up of Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad) on a white plate and sprinkled with chopped cilantro.

Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad) Recipe

Adapted from Cafe Sigrun

Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad) on three white plates.
Print Pin

Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad)

A recipe for Kachumbari (Kenyan Tomato and Onion Salad)! This refreshing salad is packed with diced vegetables and seasoned simply with a drizzle of lime juice and olive oil.
Course Salad
Cuisine Kenyan
Keyword avocado, Kenya, Kenyan, onion, salad, tomato
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Resting Time: 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 small red onion finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 tomatoes diced
  • 1/2 cucumber diced
  • 1 avocado pit removed, peeled, and diced
  • 1-2 small red chile peppers stem removed and finely diced
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil optional

Instructions

  • Place the chopped onion in a medium bowl and add just enough water to cover. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Drain for 10 minutes in a fine mesh sieve.
  • In a large bowl, gently toss together the drained onions, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, red peppers, and cilantro.
  • Squeeze lime juice over the salad to taste, drizzle with olive oil, and if desired, season with additional salt. Serve immediately.
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Filed Under: Middle Eastern/African, Soups/Salads Tagged With: africa, african, avocado, cucumber, kachumbari, kenya, kenyan, lime, onion, salad, tomato

Previous Post: « Dondolini Salad with Grilled Peppers and Feta and Pasta Cookbook
Next Post: Damper (Australian Soda Bread) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook

    11 July, 2016 at 12:28 pm

    That reminds me of a tomato salad I made all last summer with our neighbor’s tomatoes.

    Reply
  2. Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon

    11 July, 2016 at 1:01 pm

    That’s a lovely, refreshing looking salad. Perfect for those summer tomatoes which are just arriving here. It seems as though variations on tomato and cucumber salads are popular all over.

    Reply
  3. Dahn

    11 July, 2016 at 1:08 pm

    this looks wonderful, I will have to make this for our side dish tonight. I love recipes that call for ingredients that I already have on hand

    Reply
  4. Willow

    11 July, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    This sounds amazing! I love all of these ingredients, and I am glad it’s vegan!

    Reply
  5. Lisa

    11 July, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    This sounds so refreshing and delicious – perfect for a light summer meal!

    Reply
  6. Cookilicious

    11 July, 2016 at 2:31 pm

    We Indians too make a similar dish using the same ingredients..your dish reminded me of my home food. Love this. Pinned it as well.

    Reply
  7. Aish

    11 July, 2016 at 2:41 pm

    This is my fav salad of all time. Great to see your version

    Reply

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