Kachumbari – Immaculate Bites

Kachumbari Recipe – This specialty in Kenya and Tanzania makes the East African onion and tomato salad insanely delightful! Spicy, simple, and flavor-packed for a refreshing and healthy salad or topping.

This salad is a riot of colors, and you will definitely fall in love. I like putting my own spin on the traditional Kenyan recipe for kachumbari. Adding avocado and beefing it up with some beef tomatoes (pun intended 😜) adds joy. Avocado adds healthy fat, which makes it rich – so rich that you might just get full on the salad!

The presentation is up to the chef, too. I like serving this salad atop sliced beef tomatoes. However, you could dice all the ingredients and mix them with olive oil and lime or balsamic vinegar. That way, you can scoop it up with a spoon or chip. 

What Is Kachumbari?

Kachumbari is the Swahili name for fresh tomato and onion salad. The basic ingredients are tomatoes and onions, but the rest is up to the cook.

You can slice it, dice it, chop it, blend it – whatever floats your boat. I’ve tried it several ways, and they all work. 👌

Recipe Ingredients

1. Veggies – Red onion, jalapenos, and tomatoes (I know, tomatoes are technically a fruit!) are the core ingredients.
2. Seasonings – Garlic, lime juice, cilantro or parsley, and some salt and pepper add varied yet harmonious flavors. 
3. Imma’s Custom Ingredients – I made this salad my own by adding an avocado and thickly sliced beef tomatoes.
4. Dressing – Garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, fresh parsley, and basil make an irresistible dressing.

How to Make Kachumbari

Make the Kachumbari and Dressing

• Combine all the salad ingredients: tomatoes, onion, cucumber, jalapeno, lime and herbs.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Dressing – Combine the garlic, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, and herbs in a blender. Process until well blended, or pour all the ingredients into a screw-top jar and shake it up real well.

Assemble

• Salad – Place beef tomato slices on a plate, spread mashed avocado on them, then top with kachumbari. (Photo 1)
• Dressing – Drizzle with the dressing and serve extra on the side. (Photo 2)

Recipe Variations

1. Skip my optional ingredients. Make the salad sans the avocado and beef tomatoes for a more delicate-looking side salad.
2. Add protein. A can of tuna or chicken added to this salad delivers a healthy lunch or a more filling snack.
3. Customize the veggies. Feel free to add other bright, crunchy fruits or vegetables. Sweet peppers, mango, or pineapple would be tasty options. 😋
4. Kachumbari slaw. Add sliced cabbage and shredded carrots, and replace the dressing with half a cup of mayo mixed with a tablespoon of berbere spice.

Tips and Tricks

1. You can peel the cucumber if you don’t care for the skin. Or you can stripe the skin with a peeler for an interesting visual effect. 
2. Fresh herbs are key in this recipe! Of course, you can swap them out for dried herbs if you don’t have fresh ones. 
3. Assemble the kachumbari a half hour before you plan to serve it so the veggies retain their delicious crunch.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Feel free to make the dressing ahead of time. Then refrigerate it in a screw-top jar until you’re ready to make the kachumbari salad.

I wouldn’t recommend assembling the salad the day before, though, as the vegetables will get soft and lose their crunch.

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve kachumbari right after assembling it and eat it all up because it’s best consumed fresh.

In case of leftovers, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container. Just keep the salad separate from the mashed avocado. 

What Goes With Kachumbari

Kachumbari makes a fabulous side for grilled flank steak, spicy grilled New York strip, or any grilled meat, for that matter. It also makes the perfect dip for homemade pita chips, plantain chips, and even taro chips.

Wine pairing: I highly recommend washing it down with a glass of white sangria, as the sweetness matches the salad’s spicy freshness. 😉

More Great East African Recipes to Try

1. Vitumbua
2. Mandazi
3. Pilau Rice
4. Chapati
5. Irio

This blog post was originally published in February 2015 and has been updated with additional tips and beautiful pictures