Tomato, Cucumber, and Radish Salad with Yogurt and Tahini Dressin

(from jess’s recipe box)

Serves 2 people

Categories: Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped cucumber (about 2 small cucumbers, cut into pieces about 3/4 inch)
  • 1 cup chopped tomato (cut into pieces about 3/4 inch if using whole tomatoes)
  • 1 cup chopped radishes (cut into half-moon slices)
  • (Any proportion of cucumber, tomato, and radishes can be used, or use just cucumber and tomato if you don't have any radishes)
  • 1 tsp. salt (for salting cucumbers) plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used Chobani fat-free Greek yogurt I received as a sample and liked. You can also make your own Greek yogurt if you can't find it.)
  • 1/4 cup tahini paste, also called tahina (This can be hard to find, but almond butter or natural peanut butter would be a pretty good substitute, especially with a little sesame oil added.)
  • 2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp. ground cumin (start with 1/2 tsp. and taste)
  • 1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
  • 2-3 pinches Aleppo pepper or cayenne pepper
  • ground Sumac (optional, for sprinkling on salad)

Directions

  1. Wash cucumbers and peel if desired. (If you can get fresh garden cucumbers, they don’t have to be peeled.) Cut cucumbers into same-size pieces about 3/4 inch and place in a colander sitting in the sink. Sprinkle with about 1 tsp. salt, mix with your hand so all the cucumber pieces are salted. Let cucumbers stand and release water while you prep other ingredients, or if you have time, let cucumbers drain in the sink for 20-30 minutes. (The salad will be more watery if you skip this salting step, but if you’re eating it right away it probably doesn’t matter too much.)

  2. While cucumbers drain, put Greek yogurt, tahini paste, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, minced garlic, and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup and mix together. (I found a fork worked best for mixing.) Taste and see if you want to add more ground cumin or a pinch of salt, then set aside to let ingredients blend.

  3. Wash tomatoes and cut in half (if using cherry tomatoes) or cut into 3/4 inch pieces (if using whole tomatoes.) Wash radishes, cut off stem and root ends, then cut in half and slice into half moon pieces.

  4. Blot cucumbers dry with a paper towel (most of the salt will have rinsed off if you’ve drained them long enough.) Combine cucumbers, tomatoes, and radishes in a bowl, then stir in enough dressing to moisten (I used about half the dressing, save the rest in the fridge for another salad.) Sprinkle salad with Sumac if desired and serve immediately.

  5. This does not keep well, so just make enough for what you’ll eat immediately.

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