Strawberries Sunshine A Zesty Summer Salad with Crisp Cucumber and Mint

Zesty Strawberry Cucumber Salad 2

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Preparation time:20 Mins

Cooking time:0

Servings:4 servings (side dish)

Ingredients:

• 1 pint (approx. 350g) Fresh, firm Strawberries
• 1 large (approx. 300g) English Cucumber
• ¼ small Red Onion (approx. 25g), thinly sliced
• ¼ cup (10g) Fresh Mint Leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 cups (60g) Baby Spinach or Mixed Greens (Optional base)
• ½ cup (100g) Feta Cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup (60ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Honey or Maple Syrup
• ½ teaspoon Kosher or Sea Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Instructions:

• Prepare the Produce: Wash and dry all greens and berries thoroughly. Hull the strawberries and slice them into quarters or halves, depending on size. Peel the cucumber (optional) and slice thinly into half-moons. Thinly slice the red onion; soak slices in cold water for 5 minutes to temper the sharpness, then drain well.
• Make the Vinaigrette: In a jar, combine the olive oil, lime juice, Dijon mustard, honey/maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified. Alternatively, whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Assemble the Greens (Optional): If using spinach or mixed greens, place them gently in a large mixing bowl.
• Combine Main Ingredients: Add the sliced strawberries, cucumber, and tempered red onion to the bowl.
• Dress Lightly: Pour about three-quarters of the vinaigrette over the salad ingredients. Gently toss everything together until just coated. Do not over-mix.
• Finish and Serve: Sprinkle the chopped fresh mint and crumbled feta over the top. Drizzle any remaining dressing over the feta just before serving. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	750 kcal
Protein	10.5 g
Fat	7.0 g
Carbs	47.2 g
Fiber	8.4 g
Sodium	10250 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Salad
Cuisine	American

Why This Strawberry Salad with Cucumber is Your New Summer Staple

When the heat of summer settles in, the last thing anyone wants is a heavy, complicated meal that requires standing over a hot stove. Enter the Strawberry Salad with Cucumber , a dish that epitomizes effortless, vibrant eating.

This recipe, which we’re calling "Strawberries & Sunshine," moves beyond the basic garden salad, offering a delightful interplay of sweet fruit against cool, crisp vegetable.

It’s incredibly quick to assemble, yet delivers a gourmet flavour profile that makes it perfect for everything from a sophisticated picnic addition to a light, refreshing main course.

The beauty lies in its simplicity high-quality ingredients speaking for themselves, enhanced by a sharp, zesty dressing that ties the whole experience together. This is not just another bowl of greens; it’s your new go-to Simple Summer Cucumber Dish .

The Perfect Marriage of Sweet Fruit and Crisp Vegetable

The core magic of this Strawberry Cucumber Salad Recipe rests on balancing contrasting textures and tastes. Ripe strawberries offer juicy sweetness, which finds its perfect foil in the watery, neutral crunch of the cucumber.

This combination ensures that every bite is both satisfyingly fresh and bursting with natural flavour.

Unpacking the Appeal of Fresh Seasonal Produce

To truly nail this dish, you must rely on peak season components. When strawberries are at their height, their natural sugars are concentrated, meaning they require very little coaxing from any dressing. Similarly, a good English cucumber provides incredible texture without introducing excessive bitterness.

When these two elements are treated right, they create a foundation that elevates even the most basic accompanying ingredients into something special. Think of it as letting nature do most of the heavy lifting for you.

A 15-Minute Masterpiece for Light Lunches

Contrary to what some lighter dishes suggest, this salad doesn't rely on an hour of marinating to achieve depth. If you have 20 minutes, you have time to wash, chop, and whisk. This rapid assembly makes it ideal for those rushed weekday lunches or as a last minute side dish when hosting.

Since the recipe involves zero cooking unless you count the optional, quick toasting of nuts it keeps your kitchen cool and the process enjoyable.

Elevating Simple Ingredients to Gourmet Status

While the ingredients are fundamentally simple fruit, veg, feta, mint the combination, especially when paired with our sharp vinaigrette, feels decidedly refined. Adding the bright, salty notes of feta cheese transforms it into a true Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Feta .

It’s this thoughtful layering of flavour that ensures this simple dish always lands with an impression of culinary care.

Curating Your Market Haul: Essential Components

Success in salads like this always starts at the market. Since there are so few components, the quality of each one shines through dramatically. For this Healthy Strawberry Cucumber Dish , aim for ingredients that are firm, fragrant, and vibrant in colour.

Selecting Strawberries That Truly Sing

When choosing your strawberries, avoid any that show signs of bruising or softness near the cap; these will break down too quickly when sliced and dressed. You want berries that are firm to the touch and deeply coloured all the way to the tip.

If you happen to have a patch of summer spinach, this makes a wonderful bed for the fruit creating a vibrant Strawberry Spinach Salad with Cucumber —but even on its own, the berries provide enough structure.

The Role of English Cucumber vs. Standard Varieties

I strongly recommend using an English or Hothouse cucumber for this recipe. These varieties have thinner skin, fewer seeds, and crucially, they are less watery than standard slicing cucumbers.

This means when you slice them, you get maximum crispness and minimal sogginess, preserving the desirable texture throughout the salad. Peel them only if the skin seems thick or waxy; otherwise, the green exterior adds nice colour contrast.

Pantry Checklist: Herbs, Shallots, and Flavour Boosters

Fresh herbs are non-negotiable here. We are relying heavily on fresh mint for its cooling properties. Quarter of a cup, roughly chopped, should suffice to brighten every forkful. For a little sharpness that cuts through the sweetness, a small amount of red onion is essential, but slice it almost transparently thin or temper it first by soaking slices in ice water for five minutes, which softens the bite considerably.

Tool Kit Essentials for Perfect Preparation

While you don't need a complicated setup, a very sharp knife is key. You want clean, uniform slices of cucumber and strawberry to ensure even distribution of texture. For the dressing, having a small jar with a secure lid makes emufying the Cucumber Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette simple a vigorous shake is often easier than meticulous whisking.

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Crafting the Tangy Feta Mint Vinaigrette

The dressing is the assertive counterpoint to the sweet fruit. Forget heavy, creamy additions; we are aiming for bright acidity and herbaceous lift. This forms the basis of our signature Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing (though we are using lime today for extra zest!).

The essential components for this vibrant dressing include a generous ¼ cup of high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, balanced by 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice.

To bring them together and add a foundational tang, we introduce 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard this acts as our emufier, helping the oil and acid stay married. A teaspoon of honey or maple syrup smooths the edges without making the dressing overtly sweet.

Finally, season well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Step-by-Step Assembly: Bringing the Strawberry Salad with Cucumber Together

The assembly process must be handled with care to protect the delicate structure of the berries. We want defined shapes, not a mushy pile.

Prepping the Produce: Slicing Secrets for Texture

Begin by ensuring all produce is completely dry after washing; wet ingredients repel oil-based dressings. Hull your pint of strawberries and slice them into halves or quarters, depending on their initial size. Slice the cucumber into delicate half moons.

Next, slice that tiny bit of red onion so thinly it’s nearly translucent, remembering to drain it well if you pre-soaked it to mellow its pungency.

The Gentle Tossing Technique to Avoid Bruising

If using an optional base of baby spinach or mixed greens, place those first in your largest mixing bowl. Then, add the prepared strawberries, cucumber, and slivered red onion. The trick here is gentleness.

When you pour on the dressing, use a pair of large tongs or your clean hands to lift and turn the ingredients, rather than stirring vigorously. A few gentle swoops are all that’s needed to coat everything lightly.

Infusing the Feta Dressing for Maximum Brightness

Once the main ingredients are lightly tossed in the dressing, scatter the crumbled, full fat feta cheese and the roughly chopped fresh mint leaves over the top. You want the feta to sit mostly on top, slightly protected from the initial aggressive toss, so it maintains its creamy texture.

A final, light drizzle of any remaining dressing enhances the look just before serving.

Final Plating: Creating Visual Appeal

To truly present this as a showstopper, consider building the salad on a wide, shallow platter rather than deep in a bowl. This allows the vibrant red of the strawberries and the dark green of the mint to really pop against the pale cucumber and white feta.

Pro Tips for Next Level Flavor Enhancements

Elevating this simple salad from good to truly memorable requires only minor adjustments to technique or ingredients.

Optional Crunch: Incorporating Toasted Nuts or Seeds

Texture variation is vital for keeping a fresh salad interesting. While this recipe is fantastic as is, adding a ¼ cup of toasted slivered almonds or pecans provides a warm, nutty complexity. Toasted sunflower seeds also work brilliantly if you prefer a smaller crunch element that integrates seamlessly.

Fantastic Flavor Swaps Beyond the Standard Recipe

If you are looking to experiment with similar flavour profiles, consider exploring variations on the herb base. If mint isn't your favourite, a chiffonade of fresh basil can offer a more peppery, slightly sweet complexity.

Alternatively, if you enjoy a deeper profile, swapping the lime for a high quality white balsamic vinegar will create a Strawberry and Cucumber Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing variation just add a teaspoon of poppy seeds to your shaken vinaigrette!

Nutritional Snapshot: Lightness Without Sacrificing Satisfaction

This Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Feta is remarkably light yet surprisingly fulfilling. The healthy fats from the olive oil and the protein from the feta provide satiety, while the high water content of the cucumber makes it incredibly hydrating.

It’s a genuine nutritional powerhouse dressed simply with natural sugars and bright acid, making it a guilt free indulgence.

Keeping Leftover Salad Vibrant for Later Enjoyment

If you must prep ahead, remember the golden rule: dressing degrades freshness quickly. Prepare all the chopped fruit, vegetables, and the vinaigrette separately. Store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When ready to eat, combine the solids and dress immediately.

If you absolutely must pre-dress a portion, stick to no more than an hour before serving; any longer, and the cucumbers will begin to yield too much moisture.