Mediterranean Cucumber Salad

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Mediterranean Cucumber Salad brings freshness to dinner. Raw vegetables plus a light vinaigrette dressing; how could you go wrong?

Cucumber Salad is so popular in other parts of the world that it even goes by it’s own name – Shirazi Salad. Shirazi salad is a Persian dish. It’s a traditional Mediterranean salad featuring cucumber, tomato and herbs.

Mediterranean Cucumber Salad can be dressed up with all sorts of additions. Here I use red onion, feta cheese and an Italian herb blend but be adventurous when making this recipe. Add your own flair and let your taste buds guide you.

About the Ingredients

Cucumber – Peel the cucumber leaving thin stripes of skin that run the full length. The dark green color of the skin adds visual appeal and a little texture to your salad.

Tomato – Roma tomatoes are the perfect size and shape for Mediterranean Cucumber Salad. Slice off the stem and then cut the tomatoes into wedges.

Red Onion – Onions are very pungent when raw so a little goes a long way. Just 3 or 4 slices from a small onion will be plenty.

Italian Seasoning – If you don’t already have this in your spice cabinet you can easily mix up your own using this Italian Seasoning recipe.

Oil and Vinegar – Olive oil and red wine vinegar are the base for a light and flavorful salad dressing.

Sugar and Salt – No need to measure these. Just a pinch of each is plenty.

Feta cheese – The crumbled feta adds saltiness and creaminess to each bite. The bright white of the cheese is also really pretty so save a little for sprinkling on top when you serve.

Cubed cucumbers with partial skin on, wedged tomatoes and sliced red onion glisten in a vinaigrette dressing mixed with crumbled feta cheese on a grey stone plate with a brass fork.

How to Make Mediterranean Cucumber Salad

Chop the Vegetables

The cucumbers and tomatoes should be left fairly large for this salad. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and the cucumbers into big cubes. The onion has a very strong flavor when it’s raw so that can be cut much smaller. Slice the onion first and then quarter the slices so you have small pieces. Toss all of the vegetables into a serving bowl.

Mix up the Dressing

Whisk the oil, vinegar, and Italian seasonin g in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables.

Finish the Shirazi

Sprinkle the salad with feta cheese, salt and sugar and toss everything to coat it well. Letting the salad sit in the refrigerator to marinate helps the flavors come together. If possible, let the salad marinate for 30 minutes then serve it cold.

Recipe Substitutions & Variations

Substitue Mint

Authentic Shirazi is seasoned with mint. Try chopping 2 tablespoons of fresh mint leaves and tossing it in the salad in place of the Italian seasoning.

Add Meat

The fresh flavors and light vinaigrette would compliment prosciutto so well. Rough chop 3 – 4 slices of good prosciutto and mix it into the salad.

Make It A Sandwich

This Mediterranean Cucumber Salad can make for a fantastic sandwich too. Rough chop a small eggplant, season it with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast it in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes. Then toss the roasted eggplant and a little avocado in with the salad and wrap it all up in a tortilla. That is one seriously delicious sandwich.

Make Ahead Instructions

Mediterranean Cucumber Salad needs a little time to marinate so making it ahead of time is a great idea. Simply prepare the salad according to the recipe but leave out the feta cheese. Add the feta just before serving.

FAQ’s and Recipe Tips

What does a Mediterranean salad contain?

Mediterranean salads contain fresh vegetables and a light vinaigrette dressing. The key to all Mediterranean cooking is fresh and light.

The Recipe for Mediterranean Cucumber Salad

The recipe is attached below for easy downloading and printing. If you test it out be sure to leave a note in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you thought. Serve this Mediterranean Cucumber Salad along side Beer Can Chicken or Savory Zucchini Quiche for a light and lean dinner. Enjoy!

A fresh tomato and cucumber salad lightly dressed in Italian vinaigrette. The addition of crumbled feta cheese gives a little creamy saltiness and the raw red onion a little bit of bite. The perfect light side dish for a summer time meal.

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Prep Time 10

Marinating Time (optional) 30

Total Time 10

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

2 roma tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/4 small red onion
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
4 tsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
1 pinch salt
1 pinch sugar

Instructions

Slice off the top of the tomato, where the stem is. Stand the tomato on the flat end. Cut the tomato into 6-8 wedges. Place tomato wedges in a serving bowl.
2 roma tomatoes
Peel the cucumber leaving small stripes of skin all the way around. Slice it into 1 inch thick rings and then quarter the rings. Place the cucumber pieces in the serving bowl with the tomatoes.
1 cucumber
Slice 1/4 of a red onion into thin slices. Quarter the slices and place in the serving bowl.
1/4 small red onion
In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad.
4 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
Add the crumbled feta, salt and sugar to the salad and toss gently. Marinate for 30 minutes for best flavor.
2 oz crumbled feta cheese, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch sugar

Notes

Make ahead: Letting this salad marinate for 30 minutes allows the vegetables to absorb some of the dressing and for the flavors to come together and deepen. You can make this salad up to 2 days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. If making ahead, add the cheese when serving.

Keyword healthy, salad, Vegetable, Vegetarian