Vegan Mediterranean Cucumber and Olive Salad
This bright, herb-forward salad is everything you want on a warm day — crisp cucumber, briny Kalamata olives, and a zingy lemon-turmeric dressing that pulls the whole bowl together. The quick salting step draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers first, so you get clean, satisfying crunch in every bite rather than a watery mess. Fresh parsley, torn mint, and optional oregano layer in that unmistakable Mediterranean fragrance that makes the dish feel genuinely special without any extra effort. Every single ingredient here is entirely plant-based, so there's no need to swap anything out or double-check labels — it's naturally free of animal products from start to finish. The dressing comes together with a simple whisk of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and a touch of turmeric, which adds a subtle warmth and a gorgeous golden hue. It's the kind of salad that works as a light lunch, a crowd-pleasing side at a cookout, or a quick weeknight addition to whatever else you have going on.
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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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