Description
Fresh cucumber tomato salad from Ina Garten brings Mediterranean flavors to summer dining. Crisp vegetables and zesty herbs combine for a refreshing side dish that you’ll want to serve at every gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ pound (227 grams) feta cheese, ½-inch diced (not crumbled)
- 1 pint (473 milliliters) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup calamata olives, pitted
- 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 red bell pepper, large-diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
- ½ red onion, sliced in half-rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup good olive oil
- ¼ cup good red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Vegetable Preparation: Dice cucumber, slice bell peppers, chop tomatoes, and thinly slice red onion into a spacious mixing bowl, creating a colorful and vibrant base for the salad.
- Vinaigrette Creation: Whisk minced garlic, dried oregano, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, then slowly stream extra virgin olive oil while continuously stirring to form a silky, emulsified dressing.
- Salad Assembly: Pour the crafted vinaigrette over the vegetable mixture, gently coating each piece, then delicately fold in crumbled feta cheese and kalamata olives, ensuring a balanced distribution of flavors and textures.
- Flavor Infusion: Let the salad rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, allowing the ingredients to marinate and develop a harmonious Mediterranean-inspired profile that enhances the overall taste experience.
- Final Presentation: Give the salad a final gentle toss just before serving to redistribute the dressing and ingredients, presenting a vibrant, refreshing dish that captures the essence of Mediterranean cuisine.
Notes
- Maximize Vegetable Freshness: Choose ripe, firm tomatoes and crisp cucumbers for the best flavor and texture in your salad.
- Perfect Vinaigrette Technique: Whisk ingredients thoroughly and slowly drizzle olive oil to create a smooth, well-emulsified dressing that clings beautifully to vegetables.
- Flavor Infusion Time: Let the salad rest for 30 minutes to allow herbs and dressing to penetrate the vegetables, developing a rich, complex taste profile.
- Serving Pro Tip: Serve at room temperature to enhance the salad’s aromatic herbs and allow ingredients to release their full flavor potential.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg