A Persian cucumber and tomato salad, served with some crumbled feta or sliced avocado, a crusty baguette, and a crisp glass of wine makes for a fantastic summertime meal. Plus this recipe comes together so easily, there’s just a little bit of chopping to do and that’s it! Then it’s back to enjoying the summer sun with a light and refreshing meal. Less time in the kitchen = more time enjoying summer weather = joy!
A refreshing cucumber and tomato salad for those hot summer days
So fresh and pretty… cucumbers, sun-ripened tomatoes, red onion and fresh herbs are the stars of this salad. What makes it extra special is a sprinkling of lemony sumac and juicy sweet pomegranate seeds. OH MY! Oh yes, let’s not forget… there’s a generous amount of tangy lemon juice, a little olive oil and a sprinkled of salt and pepper. Bright fresh flavors that will keep you hydrated on a hot summer day.
Mini Persian cucumbers are the best choice for this salad as they have a thin delicate skin and few seeds. If you can’t find mini cucumbers, then English cucumbers are a good alternative. Speaking of cucumbers… they tend to be so underrated considering all health benefits they have to offer. Just think, with the water content alone (a whopping 95%!) they are amazing for flushing out toxins and great at keeping you hydrated. Plus they contain silica which also makes them beneficial to the skin and nails. BTW have you read my article on their health benefits and other useful purposes?
Persian Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 mini cucumbers, or 2 English cucumbers, seeds removed, diced
- 6 vine-ripened tomatoes, halved, cored and diced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 4 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, about half a bunch
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- juice from 1 large lemon
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons sumac spice
- seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
- crumbled sheep’s milk feta cheese, for serving (optional)
Method
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Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion and herbs to a serving bowl.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper (I use about 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt).
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Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Right before serving, sprinkle with the sumac and pomegranate seeds. For feta fans, serve with crumbled feta cheese.
Notes
Food loving friends, this is a very versatile salad recipe that can be adjusted to suit your taste. Feel free to add a sprinkling of ground red chili flakes, more herbs, some diced avocado or even a can of chickpeas. I also like pan-fried chickpeas spiced with a sprinkle of ground coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Yum!
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