Artificial Food Coloring Free Mediterranean Cucumber and Olive Salad
Bright, herby, and packed with bold Mediterranean flavor, this cucumber and olive salad is the kind of dish that looks like it came from a seaside taverna but comes together in minutes on your own counter. Every ingredient here is exactly what it says it is — crisp English cucumbers, briny Kalamata olives, sharp red onion, and a generous handful of fresh parsley and mint. The dressing is built from scratch with extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and a pinch of ground turmeric, so there are absolutely no synthetic dyes or mystery additives hiding in the mix. That matters more than people realize, since bottled dressings and jarred olive blends can quietly sneak in artificial colorants you'd never expect. Salting the cucumbers first and patting them dry is a small step that makes a big difference, keeping the whole salad crisp rather than watery. The turmeric gives the dressing a warm golden hue that's entirely natural, proving you don't need anything artificial to make a dish look as good as it tastes. Serve it immediately after tossing and it's an effortless, clean-eating side that pairs beautifully with grilled proteins or stands on its own as a light lunch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 english cucumbers (about 1 ½ lb total), halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half-moons
- ¾ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- 1
Place the sliced cucumber in a colander set over the sink, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and toss to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt until the dressing is uniform and slightly emulsified.
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