Description
Crisp cucumber and apple salad delivers a refreshing dance of textures and flavors from summer’s garden harvest. Cool crunch meets sweet tang, creating a light side dish that invites you to savor each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Fresh Produce:
- 2 cucumbers, sliced
- 2 apples, cored and chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 handful parsley, chopped
Protein and Legumes:
- 1 cup red beans, cooked and drained
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 4 tablespoons thick yogurt
- 1 tablespoon coarse mustard
- 2 tablespoons fruit vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Salt the freshly sliced cucumbers, grated carrots, chopped tomatoes, diced apples, and thinly sliced onions in a large mixing bowl. Allow ingredients to rest for 5 minutes to release natural juices.
- Craft a vibrant dressing by whisking thick yogurt, coarse mustard, Italian seasoning, fruit vinegar, and lemon juice until silky and well integrated. Season with salt to enhance flavor profile.
- Gently fold cooked red beans into the vegetable mixture, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Drizzle the prepared yogurt-mustard dressing over the salad, thoroughly coating each component with the creamy mixture.
- Garnish the salad with freshly chopped parsley, adding a bright herbal note to the dish.
- Refrigerate the completed salad for approximately 30 minutes at 40°F to allow flavors to harmonize and develop a more complex taste profile.
- Before serving, give the salad a final gentle toss to redistribute the dressing and ensure maximum flavor integration.
Notes
- Drain vegetables thoroughly to prevent watery dressing and maintain crisp texture.
- Massage salt into sliced vegetables to help release excess moisture and enhance flavor concentration.
- Chill ingredients before mixing to keep salad ultra-refreshing and prevent premature wilting.
- Prep ingredients just before serving to preserve maximum crunchiness and vibrant colors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg