Cucumber Mozzarella Salad (Printable Version)

Fresh Mediterranean salad with crisp cucumbers, creamy mozzarella, and zesty herb dressing ready in 15 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Cheese

04 - 7 oz fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), halved

→ Dressing

05 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
07 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
08 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
09 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
11 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and halved mozzarella balls in a large mixing bowl.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar (or lemon juice), minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
04 - Add torn basil leaves and chopped parsley, then toss lightly to incorporate.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Its the kind of dish that makes people think you spent way more time on it than you actually did
  • The combination of cool cucumber and creamy mozzarella hits different on hot days
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and tossed together at the last minute
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that adding the dressing too far ahead makes the cucumbers release water and turn everything soggy
  • Room temperature mozzarella tastes so much better than cold straight from the fridge
  • The garlic needs to be super finely minced so nobody gets an unexpected intense bite
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to create pretty ribbon slices of cucumber instead of plain rounds
  • If you have time, salt the cucumbers for 15 minutes and pat them dry for extra crunch

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