I think I ate all the cucumbers in Southern California last year during a heat wave. And this summer, I'm eating all the cucumbers in the Upper Midwest. Sorry if you're trying to get some to make this recipe — they gone.

This fresh, crunchy Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad is in heavy rotation in my house throughout the year, but it's even better when everything comes into season. It's also really fast when you promised you'd bring something to that potluck and you totally forgot.

Oh, and it goes perfectly with the Greek Lamb Meatballs. 

Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta

gluten-free and vegetarian recipe (paleo, Whole30-friendly, vegan with omissions) | serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 long English cucumber, diced (or 3 Persian cucumbers)
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 garlic clove, minced 
• 1 shallot, minced
• 4 T olive oil 
• 2-4 T lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup feta, diced
• optional: a bit of chopped mint and/or parsley

Instructions

1. Combine olive oil and lemon juice with the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Use a fork to whisk up that dressing.
2. Throw everything but the feta into a bowl and pour the dressing on top. Mix thoroughly.
3. Stir in the feta and herbs. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Tips

• The amounts for everything are all meant to be loose. Taste as you go and see what you like. 
• Buy the feta block that's in the brine! Preferably from a Middle Eastern grocery store deli, but Trader Joe's sheep's milk feta is actually really good too. I like cutting it into tiny cubes for this salad rather than crumbling it. Just a personal preference.
• If you leave the feta out to make these paleo/Whole30-friendly, you may want to add a little more salt to balance it out.
• You can substitute garlic powder and onion powder for the fresh stuff (about 1/2 tsp of each). I do it all the time because I'm lazy.
• I also (because I'm lazy) don't always mix up the dressing beforehand and just throw whatever I want into a bowl.