Foodie, Recipes

SUN DRIED TOMATO SALAD WITH CUCUMBER.

By The Clever Meal

This scrumptious sun-dried tomato salad with cucumber and feta is tossed with a lemon garlic dressing. It’s fresh, flavorful, and super YUMMY.

summer salad recipe that’s easy to make and ready in no time.

LIST OF THE INGREDIENTS

  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Cucumber
  • Feta
  • Fresh basil
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Honey & Dijon Mustard
  • Garlic
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt & pepper

HOW TO MAKE SUN-DRIED TOMATO SALAD

(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)

  • Place the sliced cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and crumbled feta in a large salad bowl.
  • Add the dressing ingredients to a glass jar and shake vigorously until emulsified.
  • Pour over the salad and toss to combine. I recommend serving it with crostinifocaccia, or crusty panini rolls. It’s delicious!

RECIPE NOTES

SUN-DRIED TOMATO SALAD INGREDIENTS

Jarred sun-dried tomatoes: Use good-quality sun-dried tomatoes submerged in oil that are soft and full of flavor. If you have leftovers, check my roundup of recipes for more ideas to use this clever pantry staple.

Cucumber: English/Telegraph cucumbers are my go-to cucumber. They’re sweeter, and no need to peel or to deseed them. Persian/Lebanese cucumbers work fine, too, but I use two or even three as they are smaller.

Feta cheese: Buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it yourself – it’s a no-brainer. It’s cheaper, creamier, and tastes much better than pre-crumbled feta.

Dressing: I’ve used one of my favorite combinations of fruity extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice for acidity and freshness, garlic and Dijon mustard for flavor, and honey for sweetness and texture. I’ve also added plenty of shredded basil that pairs beautifully with the sun-dried tomatoes. I LOVED it!

Salt & pepper: The seasoning is essential to make the flavors pop, and I always recommend adjusting it to your liking before serving.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO SALAD VARIATIONS

This simple summer salad is easy to customize with your favorite extras. Think of creamy avocado, fresh fennel, red onion, or black olives. For a more filling meal, toss in shredded grilled chicken or plant-based protein like chickpeas or white beans, or add grains like cooked quinoa or orzo.

STORAGE TIPS

If you plan to make this sun-dried tomato salad ahead of time, I recommend making it on the day and adding the dressing just before serving. If you have salad leftovers, they keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Remember that the cucumber will continue to release excess water as it sits, making the salad a bit watery and dull.

Ingredients

  • 1 long English cucumber
  • ¾ cup (100 grams) sun-dried tomatoes
  • ⅓ cup (50 grams) crumbled feta cheese

DRESSING

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated or pressed
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • ½ scant teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 10 basil leaves, shredded

Instructions

  • Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then slice it into slices (about 3 mm/ 1/8″ thick). Crumble the feta and chop the sun-dried tomatoes. Add the salad ingredients to a large bowl.

DRESSING

  • Add the dressing ingredients to a jar with a tightly fitted lid. Shake vigorously until emulsified. Alternatively, whisk together the dressing ingredients into a small bowl.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and mix very well to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more fine salt if necessary. Then sprinkle with extra fresh basil and enjoy!

Notes

Cucumber: Use 1 long English/Telegraph cucumber (no need to peel). Alternatively, 2 or 3 smaller Persian/Lebanese cucumbers work fine, too.