Easy Mediterranean Pepper Cucumber Salad - 15-Minute Side

Mini sweet peppers and mini cucumbers are the two vegetables that make this salad work. The peppers stay crisp and sweet, the cucumbers stay cool, and neither one turns to mush the way a chopped tomato does after ten minutes in dressing.

You slice everything thin, crumble feta over the top, and pour on a lemon dressing you shake in a jar. That's it. Fifteen minutes of work, and the bowl looks like you fussed.

I make this when the fridge is full of odds and ends and dinner needs something green on the table. It sits well for a few hours, which means you can make it before the rest of the meal and forget about it.

About the Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) mini sweet peppers

Look for firm, glossy peppers with no soft spots. If mini sweets are hard to find, two large red bell peppers sliced thin work just as well.

1 lb (450 g) mini cucumbers

English cucumbers are the closest swap. Peel them in stripes so some skin stays on for color and crunch.

4 oz (115 g) feta cheese

Block feta crumbles better than pre-crumbled, which is often dry. If you want it dairy free, a firm brined tofu works in a pinch.

1/2 red onion

Soak the slices in cold water for ten minutes if raw onion tastes too sharp. A shallot is a gentler swap.

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Flat-leaf parsley has more flavor than curly. Mint or dill both work here if that's what you have.

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Any decent olive oil works. Save the expensive finishing oil for something else.

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar are fine swaps. Balsamic is too dark and sweet for this dressing.

1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tbsp)

Roll the lemon on the counter first to get more juice out. Bottled lemon juice tastes flat here.

1 tsp salt

Kosher or fine sea salt. Add it to the dressing, not the vegetables, so it dissolves evenly.

Black pepper, to taste

Fresh cracked pepper is worth it. About 1/4 teaspoon is a good starting point.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Wash and prep the vegetables

Rinse the peppers and cucumbers under cold water and dry them well. Wet vegetables water down the dressing, so this step matters more than it sounds.

2. Seed and slice the peppers

Cut the tops off the mini peppers, slice them in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and white ribs with your thumb or a small spoon. Slice them into thin rings, about 1/8 inch thick.

3. Stripe-peel and slice the cucumbers

Run a vegetable peeler down each cucumber in stripes, leaving a band of skin between each peeled strip. Slice them into thin rounds, the same thickness as the peppers.

4. Slice the onion and chop the parsley

Cut the red onion in half, then slice it as thin as you can. Chop the parsley leaves and tender stems until you have about 2 tablespoons.

5. Build the salad

Add the peppers, cucumbers, onion, and parsley to a large bowl and toss with your hands. Crumble the feta over the top and leave it there for now.

6. Shake the dressing

Put the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper in a jar with a lid. Shake hard for 15 seconds until it looks cloudy and slightly thickened.

7. Toss and serve

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently so the feta stays in pieces. Let it sit 10 minutes, then taste and add more salt or lemon if it needs it.

Tips & Tricks

• Seed the peppers over the sink. The seeds and white ribs hold water, and that water is what makes the bowl soupy by dinnertime.
• Peel the cucumbers in stripes, not all the way. Leaving some skin on keeps them from going limp and gives the salad its green and white look.
• Dress it 10 minutes before serving, not an hour. The salt pulls water out of the vegetables, so short contact keeps everything crisp.
• If you're making it ahead, keep the dressing in a jar and pour it on right before you eat. The vegetables hold for a full day undressed.

Delicious Variations

Greek Style

Add 1/2 cup of kalamata olives and a teaspoon of dried oregano to the dressing.

Creamy Feta

Mash half the feta with 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt and a splash of lemon juice, then thin it with water and use it as the dressing.

Summer Tomato

Swap half the cucumbers for cherry tomatoes cut in half, but only if you're serving it right away.

How to Store Healthy Salads

Frequently Asked Questions

Make this one the next time you need a side that comes together faster than the main dish. It's the kind of salad that disappears at a family table, and the leftovers are just as good cold the next day. From my table to yours.

Healthy Salads Recipe – Quick Weeknight Dinner Idea

This Mediterranean mini sweet pepper and cucumber salad comes together in 15 minutes with crisp vegetables, feta, and a bright lemon dressing.

15 minPrep time6Servings165 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) mini sweet peppers
• 1 lb (450 g) mini cucumbers
• 4 oz (115 g) feta cheese
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 tsp salt
• Black pepper, to taste

📋 Instructions

1. 1Wash and prep the vegetables — Rinse the peppers and cucumbers under cold water and dry them well. Wet vegetables water down the dressing, so this step matters more than it sounds.
2. 2Seed and slice the peppers — Cut the tops off the mini peppers, slice them in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and white ribs with your thumb or a small spoon. Slice them into thin rings, about 1/8 inch thick.
3. 3Stripe-peel and slice the cucumbers — Run a vegetable peeler down each cucumber in stripes, leaving a band of skin between each peeled strip. Slice them into thin rounds, the same thickness as the peppers.
4. 4Slice the onion and chop the parsley — Cut the red onion in half, then slice it as thin as you can. Chop the parsley leaves and tender stems until you have about 2 tablespoons.
5. 5Build the salad — Add the peppers, cucumbers, onion, and parsley to a large bowl and toss with your hands. Crumble the feta over the top and leave it there for now.
6. 6Shake the dressing — Put the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper in a jar with a lid. Shake hard for 15 seconds until it looks cloudy and slightly thickened.
7. 7Toss and serve — Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently so the feta stays in pieces. Let it sit 10 minutes, then taste and add more salt or lemon if it needs it.

👨🍳 Chef's Note: If you're short on time, the dressing can be made up to a week ahead and kept in the fridge. Just shake it again before you pour.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Course: Salad

Easy Recipes for Everyday Cooking15 minutes25 minutes

Nutrition (per serving): 165 kcal · 4g protein · 9g carbs · 13g fat