Tomato, cucumber, red onion, and feta salad. It’s a very classic summer dish that celebrates that fresh garden produce. It’s less of a step by step and more of a toss all these fresh veggies in a bowl and season. Which is kind of what I’m liking right now. I am really on a roll with these no recipe, recipe posts. because it’s summer and cooking should be easy and more go with the flow, you get me?
Last week I posted a spicy garden pesto, a tomato burrata salad, and a berry compote. There’s loose recipes for these but it’s mostly based on combining a few things and celebrating the summer flavors. This salad Definitely falls along the same line.
I’ve mentioned this several times before but we grow a lot of vegetables and in the summer of course this means loads of tomatoes and cucumbers. The funny thing is I’m actually not crazy about cucumbers. Love me a pickle but a fresh cucumber isn’t my top choice of vegetable. But I enjoy them enough that it doesn’t keep me from eating them. My favorite way if not dipped in something delicious like a hummus or romesco is in something like this salad. Fresh juicy tomatoes, salty feta, crisp cucumbers, and just a little pinch of salt and pepper with a drizzle of dressing on top. Perfection.
I eat this all throughout the summer for lunch, a side salad for dinner or even the leftovers as a little snack with crackers. It’s just so good, light, and so fresh.
OK so now Let’s get to the recipe. Like I said it’s one of those no recipe recipes. I’m going to give the quantities to make a side salad for two. Easily doubled or tripled.
I take one cup of freshly diced cucumbers and one cup of freshly diced cherry tomatoes. I also add 2 tablespoons of freshly diced red onion. I love red onion so I add more sometimes but do what you like. I add that to about a quarter cup (1/4) feta cheese. You can use plain or you can use an herb feta, it’s your call. You can also add more like I sometimes do because it’s cheese and who doesn’t love cheese. A vegan alternative also works if you don’t do dairy. Then sprinkle on about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Give it all a good mix and then about pour over half a tablespoon of olive oil and one teaspoon of your choice of red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or my favorite a balsamic reduction. Give it a little taste and adjust if needed. That’s all! Summer on a plate.
Looking for more recipes that celebrate the flavors of summer? Check out some of these other recipes listed below.
Summer vegan BLTA salad. The other salad I’m currently obsessed with
Broiled and roasted tomatoes with feta. Dig in, this is an appetizer everyone will love! Warm feta sits in a bed or broiled tomatoes. So good!
Classic pesto to use up all the fresh basil you picked up from the farmers market. Or better yet, that you have growing.
