Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
Recipe video above. One of my favourite Cucumber Salads. It's so refreshing, loaded with Mediterranean flavours - garlicky lemon dressing, fresh dill and mint, salty crumbled feta. Plus swap out options - I don't always have fresh herbs! Serve as a side or stuff into gyros. It's good enough for company and quick enough for dinner tonight! And I love how leftovers turn into semi-pickled cucumbers. :)
Servings: 4 - 5 people
Calories: 122cal
Ingredients
- 500g / 1 lb Lebanese cucumbers , ~3 medium, sliced in 3-4mm / 1/8" thick (US: Persian cucumbers, mini cucumbers in the UK) - Note 1
- 1/4 red onion , finely sliced
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh dill (Note 2 if you don't have)
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint (Note 2 if you don't have)
- 1/3 cup (50g) crumbled Greek feta (Note 3)
Lemon Garlic Dressing:
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (substitute white or red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove , crushed using garlic press or finely grated using microplane
- 1/4 heaped tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dressing - Shake the ingredients in a jar until well combined (or whisk in a bowl). Set aside to let the flavours meld while you chop.
- Toss - Put the cucumbers, herbs, onion and most of the feta in a bowl (reserve a bit for topping). Add dressing and toss.
- Serve - Pour into a serving bowl. Top with remaining feta and serve straight away, though it keeps well for an hour, and I still enjoy it the next day (it becomes semi-pickled).
Notes
1. Cucumber type - I prefer using Lebanese cucumbers because the skin is soft enough to eat without peeling. You could also use the long ones (telegraph / continental / English cucumbers), but I'd recommend doing zebra stripe peels or completely peeling, as the skin can be thicker.
2. Fresh herbs makes this salad extra refreshing and tasty. If you don't have them, add 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano in the dressing instead (gives it a tasty Greek Salad flavour).
3. Feta - add 1/4 tsp extra salt in dressing if you skip the feta.
Leftovers will keep for a day, the cucumbers kind of semi-pickle! Give it a good toss then drain off the excess liquid (you won't need dressing as the cucumbers will have absorbed the salt).
Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 122cal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg