Italian Cucumber Salad (Printable version)

Crisp cucumbers and ripe tomatoes in a zesty Italian dressing with fresh basil. Ready in just 15 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

→ Dressing

05 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

10 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
11 - Fresh cracked black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers, diced tomatoes, red onion, and chopped basil.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Toss gently to combine and evenly coat all the ingredients.
04 - Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
05 - Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and additional black pepper, if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No cooking required means your kitchen stays cool while you prep something that tastes like summer on a plate
  • The flavors actually improve as they sit, making it perfect for meal prep or make ahead gatherings
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that adding salt too early draws out too much water and makes the salad soggy within an hour
  • Letting it sit for those ten minutes isn\'t optional, that\'s when the magic of flavor melding really happens
03 -
  • Use a mandoline if you have one, it makes those paper thin cucumber and onion slices effortless and perfectly uniform
  • The salad tastes even better after sitting in the refrigerator for an hour, if you can resist eating it immediately

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