Ingredients
- 2 large English cucumbers, halved and sliced into half-moons (about 4 cups)
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 oz block feta, crumbled)
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint, roughly chopped (optional but recommended)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional add-ins: ½ cup canned chickpeas (rinsed), ½ cup roasted red peppers (sliced), ¼ cup thinly sliced pepperoncini
Instructions
Prep the Cucumbers Wash your English cucumbers and slice them in half lengthwise, then cut into half-moon shapes about ¼ inch thick. If you’re using regular cucumbers, peel them first and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds before slicing. Place the sliced cucumbers in your large mixing bowl.
Step 2 — Prep the Remaining Vegetables Halve the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice the red onion. If your red onion is very pungent, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes and then drain. Halve the Kalamata olives. Add everything to the bowl with the cucumbers.
Step 3 — Make the Dressing In a small bowl or directly in the large salad bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
Step 4 — Add Fresh Herbs Roughly chop the fresh parsley and mint and add them to the bowl.
Step 5 — Toss and Add Feta Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything gently together. Sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese over the top — it’s best to add the feta after tossing so it doesn’t break down into the salad and get lost. Alternatively, fold it in gently at the end.
Step 6 — Rest and Serve For best flavor, let the salad rest for at least 10–15 minutes before serving. This allows the vegetables to absorb the dressing and the flavors to meld beautifully. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice, salt, or oregano as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Cucumber moisture tip: If your cucumbers seem very watery, toss the sliced cucumbers with ½ teaspoon of salt and let them sit in a colander for 15 minutes. Pat dry before adding to the salad — this draws out excess moisture and keeps your salad from becoming watery.
- For best flavor, let the salad marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Feta tip: Block feta crumbled by hand is creamier and more flavorful than pre-crumbled feta. It’s worth the extra two minutes.
- To make it a full meal, add a can of drained chickpeas, or top with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
- This salad tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had overnight to develop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approx. 1/5 of recipe)
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 490mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 175g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 9g