Mediterranean Summer Salad
Dive into a vibrant Mediterranean Summer Salad that bursts with fresh flavors and delightful crunch! This colorful medley features juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and briny olives, all tossed in a zesty lemon-olive oil dressing. Whether enjoyed solo or topped with grilled chicken or chickpeas, it's the ultimate dish to brighten up your summer meals!
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(8)
- 1 large avocado
- 1/2 head of purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- 3-4 finely diced Persian cucumbers
- 1 to 2 finely minced garlic clovesoptional
- the zest and juice of 1 good sized lemon
- a small handful of fresh mint
- a large handful of finely chopped fresh parsley
- fresh ground pepper
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 2 to 3 oz of feta from the brine, sliced into blocks (56.7-85.1 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1/4 cup of a GOOD olive oil (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tbsp oregano (15 ml)
- a couple pinches sea salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 heaping tsp yellow or dijon mustard (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 to 2 tbsp fresh chives (15-30 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
For the salad, use 1/2 head of purple cabbage as the base. Thinly slice it one way, turn it, and slice it the other way to get super small pieces. Add 3-4 finely diced Persian cucumbers, a large handful of finely chopped fresh parsley, a small handful of fresh mint, and a large avocado.
- 2
Add 2 to 3 oz of feta from the brine, sliced into blocks on top.
- 3
For the dressing, grab a mason jar and add 1/4 cup of a GOOD olive oil, the zest and juice of 1 good sized lemon, 1 heaping tsp yellow or dijon mustard, 1 to 2 finely minced garlic cloves (optional but great), 1 to 2 tbsp fresh chives, 1 tbsp oregano, a couple pinches sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. Close the lid and give it a really good shake. Taste and adjust as needed.
- 4
Add dressing to the salad. Toss well, taste, and modify however way you want.
- 5
IMPORTANT: This salad is best enjoyed served right away. If you must prep in advance, be sure to keep dressing separate.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cross-cut the cabbage as instructed, but salt the shredded pieces with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and let sit for 10 minutes before adding other vegetables, then squeeze out excess liquid—this pulls water out via osmosis and prevents a watery, diluted dressing later.technique10 minutes
- ✓Dice the avocado and toss it separately with 1 tsp of the lemon juice before combining with other ingredients, since ascorbic acid blocks the polyphenol oxidase enzyme responsible for browning within minutes of cutting.ingredient1 tsp lemon juice
- ✓Emulsify the dressing by adding the mustard before the oil and shaking vigorously for at least 20 seconds—the lecithin in mustard acts as an emulsifier, keeping oil and lemon juice suspended together instead of separating within minutes.technique20 seconds
- ✓Zest the lemon before juicing it, since the fragrant citrus oils live in the outer peel's oil glands and are physically impossible to extract once the fruit is cut and squeezed for juice.technique
- ✓Toss the dressed salad no more than 5-10 minutes before serving because cabbage cell walls continue releasing water under salt and acid, causing the volume to wilt down by roughly 20-30% if it sits too long.timing5-10 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Mediterranean Summer Salad
Dive into a vibrant Mediterranean Summer Salad that bursts with fresh flavors and delightful crunch! This colorful medley features juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and briny olives, all tossed in a zesty lemon-olive oil dressing. Whether enjoyed solo or topped with grilled chicken or chickpeas, it's the ultimate dish to brighten up your summer meals!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(8)
- 1 large avocado
- 1/2 head of purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- 3-4 finely diced Persian cucumbers
- 1 to 2 finely minced garlic clovesoptional
- the zest and juice of 1 good sized lemon
- a small handful of fresh mint
- a large handful of finely chopped fresh parsley
- fresh ground pepper
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 2 to 3 oz of feta from the brine, sliced into blocks (56.7-85.1 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1/4 cup of a GOOD olive oil (60 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1 tbsp oregano (15 ml)
- a couple pinches sea salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 heaping tsp yellow or dijon mustard (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 to 2 tbsp fresh chives (15-30 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
For the salad, use 1/2 head of purple cabbage as the base. Thinly slice it one way, turn it, and slice it the other way to get super small pieces. Add 3-4 finely diced Persian cucumbers, a large handful of finely chopped fresh parsley, a small handful of fresh mint, and a large avocado.
- 2
Add 2 to 3 oz of feta from the brine, sliced into blocks on top.
- 3
For the dressing, grab a mason jar and add 1/4 cup of a GOOD olive oil, the zest and juice of 1 good sized lemon, 1 heaping tsp yellow or dijon mustard, 1 to 2 finely minced garlic cloves (optional but great), 1 to 2 tbsp fresh chives, 1 tbsp oregano, a couple pinches sea salt, and fresh ground pepper. Close the lid and give it a really good shake. Taste and adjust as needed.
- 4
Add dressing to the salad. Toss well, taste, and modify however way you want.
- 5
IMPORTANT: This salad is best enjoyed served right away. If you must prep in advance, be sure to keep dressing separate.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cross-cut the cabbage as instructed, but salt the shredded pieces with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and let sit for 10 minutes before adding other vegetables, then squeeze out excess liquid—this pulls water out via osmosis and prevents a watery, diluted dressing later.technique10 minutes
- ✓Dice the avocado and toss it separately with 1 tsp of the lemon juice before combining with other ingredients, since ascorbic acid blocks the polyphenol oxidase enzyme responsible for browning within minutes of cutting.ingredient1 tsp lemon juice
- ✓Emulsify the dressing by adding the mustard before the oil and shaking vigorously for at least 20 seconds—the lecithin in mustard acts as an emulsifier, keeping oil and lemon juice suspended together instead of separating within minutes.technique20 seconds
- ✓Zest the lemon before juicing it, since the fragrant citrus oils live in the outer peel's oil glands and are physically impossible to extract once the fruit is cut and squeezed for juice.technique
- ✓Toss the dressed salad no more than 5-10 minutes before serving because cabbage cell walls continue releasing water under salt and acid, causing the volume to wilt down by roughly 20-30% if it sits too long.timing5-10 minutes