Cucumber Salad with Preserved Lemon, Fresh Herbs, + Pistachios

Make this Cucumber Salad with Preserved Lemon, Fresh Herbs, + Pistachios on a hot day for an easy, no-cook recipe. Enjoy alongside grilled proteins, nestled into a grain bowl, or on their own.

Prep:
15
minutes
Cook:
0
minutes
TOtal:
15
minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 small shallot, diced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons diced preserved lemon plus little bit of brine (can sub in zest and juice of 1 lemon instead)
  • 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 lb Persian cucumbers (about 6 Persian cucumbers - sometimes they’re labeled as “mini cucumbers” )
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chiffonaded (cut into small ribbons or roughly chopped), plus more for serving, if desired
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped, plus more for serving, if desire
  • 1/2 cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces) plus more for serving, if desired
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • Optional: flaky salt and Turkish chiles or Aleppo pepper for serving

The Riffs, Subs + Swaps!

  • The Preserved Lemon: Sub in zest and juice from 1 lemon.
  • The Champagne Vinegar: Sub in anything acidic - fresh citrus or red wine vinegar are easy swaps.
  • The Persian Cucumbers: Use any kind of cucumber you like, but use Persian cucumbers if you can find 'em!
  • The Herbs: All mint or all dill would be fabulous. Incorporate chives, cilantro, or basil for a simple riff.
  • The Pistachios: Sub in toasted pinenuts.
  • The Feta: Sub in goat cheese or cotija.
  • The Dairy-Free + Vegan Swaps: Omit the feta.

Instructions

Prep the dressing

  1. To small bowl, add shallot, preserved lemon, splash of preserved lemon brine, and champagne vinegar. Season with kosher salt, stir, and set aside. You'll prep the rest of the salad while the shallots sit in the briny, acidic ingredients, which will essentially quick-pickle them.

Prep the ingredients

  1. Chop cucumber into bite sized pieces and add to same bowl you plan to serve salad in. Add herbs, pistachios, and feta.

Finish + serve

  1. Whisk olive oil into shallot mixture to finish dressing, and toss with rest of salad ingredients to combine. Finish with flaky salt and chiles, if using. Season to taste - if it's tasting bland, add more kosher salt. Serve with more fresh herbs and pistachios for added flavor. Finish with additional extra virgin olive oil as needed.