Italian Cucumber Salad (Printable)

Crisp cucumbers and tomatoes in a zesty Italian dressing with fresh basil.

# 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 -
  • Its the kind of salad that actually gets better after sitting for a bit so you can make it ahead without worry
  • The combination of crisp cucumbers with that zesty Italian dressing hits every refreshing note you want on hot days
02 -
  • I once skipped the marinating step and served it immediately which was fine but honestly the flavors never quite married the way they do after sitting
  • Salt your vegetables right before dressing them otherwise they will release too much water and your salad becomes soupy instead of crisp
03 -
  • Use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to get those impossibly thin cucumber slices that make this feel restaurant quality
  • Let the salad come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving if it has been refrigerated because the flavors pop more

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