Sesame Free Mediterranean Cucumber and Olive Salad
Bright, briny, and bursting with fresh herb flavor, this Mediterranean salad is the kind of dish that disappears fast at any table. Crisp cucumber half-moons get a quick salt-and-drain treatment so they stay perfectly crunchy rather than watery, which makes a real difference in the final texture. Kalamata olives bring a rich, savory depth that pairs beautifully with the sharp bite of red onion and the fragrant lift of parsley, mint, and optional fresh oregano. The dressing is a simple whisk of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and a touch of turmeric — no tahini, no sesame oil, no hidden seed-based ingredients of any kind. That matters more than you might think, because Mediterranean-style salads and dressings often sneak in tahini or sesame-forward components that can be hard to spot on a restaurant menu or store-bought bottle. Here, every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify, so you can toss it together with total confidence. Serve it immediately after dressing for the best crunch, or prep the components ahead and combine just before eating.
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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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