Crisp, cool, colorful, and crunchy—this Greek Cucumber Salad ticks all the boxes!
This colorful salad is the one to take to your next picnic. It’s a delightful mix of textures and flavors and is sure to please. It’s a good start to “eating the rainbow” with its green, red, and purple hues. Don’t skimp on the freshly ground black pepper! Making it a few hours ahead gives the flavors time to mix and mingle.
You’ll want to slice everything into bite-sized pieces. And while the onions are already thinly sliced, I also prefer to cut them in half. If you have a mandoline, put it to use and get evenly sliced cucumbers in a short amount of time.
You’ll love the refreshing flavor and cucumber crunch combined with the light, vinegary dressing. It’s perfect as laid out in this recipe, but you can customize it by adding more ingredients you love and removing those you don’t care about. The overall effect is still going to be the same delightful salad.
Is Greek Cucumber Salad Healthy?
This is an extremely healthy salad loaded with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. The feta has a bit of calcium and protein. If you’d like a protein boost, add a half cup of rinsed and drained canned beans, such as cannellini, or even some grilled chicken.
The salad can be made vegan by using plant-based feta, which is remarkably like dairy feta in taste and texture. A scant teaspoon of honey added to the dressing is a delightful touch, unless a vegan salad is your goal. If that’s the case, a half teaspoon of organic cane sugar can add that little bit of sweetness you’re after.
Choosing the Right Cucumber for Your Salad
Cucumbers can be peeled or left intact. It’s your call. If using organic cucumbers, a fun alternative is to peel them into stripes, so each bite has just a bit of peel. However, if I can’t find organic cucumbers, I peel them. Either way, scrub them well with a veggie brush—sometimes, they’re coated with food-grade wax. I also like to soak them in a vinegar-and-water mix first to loosen that wax.
English cucumbers are known to have smaller seeds, so they are preferable. Mini cucumbers will also work well and are sometimes easier to find in the organic section. Larger, regular cucumbers are not recommended, but if that’s all you have on hand, consider slicing in half lengthwise and then running a spoon down the middle to remove the seeds, which can make the dish watery.
How to Make Ahead and store
This salad is best eaten within 24 hours of making it. A few hours give the flavors time to mix, but the tomatoes and cucumbers will begin to break down and change consistency after too much time in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
This crunchy salad pairs especially well with burgers, either vegetarian varieties like black bean or this meaty favorite of mine, the Jalapeño Popper Burger With Ranch. Yum!
It also works well with Crispy Air-Fried Fish, Salt-And-Vinegar Chicken Wings, or this Gluten-Free Pasta Recipe With Cheesy Pumpkin Sauce. The salad even makes a lovely complement to the sweet potato casserole I serve at Christmas. It will also lend a touch of freshness to this Coconut Curry With Almond Butter, Sweet Potato, And Apple Noodles.
Ingredients
- 2 large English cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, and halved kalamata olives.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the salad just before serving. Devour!
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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