This cucumber salad is a simple way to use fresh garden cucumbers and herbs when they are at their best. It is crisp, bright, and easy to make, with just a few ingredients that work well together.

    There is no heavy dressing – no mayonnaise, no sour cream, nothing that covers up the flavor of the vegetables. A quick dressing of lemon juice and olive oil keeps everything fresh and light. The lemon wakes everything up. The olive oil softens the edges. Together, they turn a bowl of simple ingredients into something that feels fresh and elegant with almost no effort.

    Fresh dill and parsley add plenty of flavor without making the salad feel heavy. Castelvetrano olives bring a mild, buttery saltiness that pairs especially well with cucumbers. 

    The key is to use fresh, firm cucumbers and let the salad sit for a few minutes before serving. This gives the lemon, olive oil, herbs, and olives time to flavor the cucumbers while they still stay crisp.

    For the prettiest texture, use cucumbers that are firm and freshly picked. If the skins are tender, leave them on. If the seeds are large, scoop some out before slicing. This salad is fantastic served with grilled chicken, fish, lamb, or a platter of tomatoes and bread. It is also perfectly happy on its own, eaten cold from the refrigerator with a fork while standing in the kitchen. In fact, it may be at its best that way. We also love to top this salad with a heaping spoon of labneh, (a thick, creamy strained yogurt popular in Middle Eastern cooking). The tangy flavor pairs so well with the lemon and herbs.

    It’s best to serve this salad within an hour or so of when you make it, but leftovers are still delicious the next day, especially tucked into a pita.

 

Cucumber & Olive Salad

INGREDIENTS

4 cucumbers, large diced (homegrown if you have them)
1 ½ cups Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved 
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh dill weed, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (roughly the juice of two lemons)
1/4 cup olive oil
½ tsp. lemon pepper

DIRECTIONS

    Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl. Add the Castelvetrano olives, dill, and parsley.

    In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon zest, if using.

    Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and toss gently until everything is well coated. Let the salad rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.