This salad is crisp, bright, tangy, sharp, and ridiculously refreshing. It has that perfect chopped-salad texture where every bite is crunchy, juicy, and coated in a vinaigrette that wakes everything up without overpowering the whole bowl.
The vinaigrette is bold in the best way: sharp, zippy, savory, and full of that unmistakable za’atar flavor that makes the salad feel more interesting than your average bowl of chopped vegetables. It can even be used as a marinade for meat.
This salad is fresh enough for a warm day, satisfying enough to eat as a meal, and easy enough to serve as a side dish with almost anything.
This is a great recipe for lunch, dinner, meal prep, cookouts, or anytime you want something colorful and fresh that still has real flavor. Serve it right away for maximum crunch, or let it chill for 15 to 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can settle in and get acquainted.
Watch the full demo on my YouTube channel HERE.
Choose organic ingredients whenever possible.
Ingredients
Salad
1 hothouse cucumber, diced (and peeled if you don’t love the skin)
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 to 12 green onions, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
4 cups finely shredded cabbage, green, savoy, or napa cabbage
Napa cabbage is my favorite for this dish.
Za’atar Vinaigrette
7 teaspoons crushed garlic
1/4 cup plus 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tahini
Juice from 2 limes
1 tablespoon date syrup
2 teaspoons za’atar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well combined.
Place the vinaigrette in the refrigerator while you prepare the salad.
Dice the cucumber, red bell pepper, green onions, red onion, and grape tomatoes.
Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss until everything is evenly distributed.
Pour the za’atar vinaigrette over the top.
Toss well until the salad is evenly coated.
Serve immediately, or place the salad in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
Bon appetit.
To read about the benefits of eating cucumbers click HERE for the article.