Dill Pea and Cucumber Salad
A salad of simple ingredients, but not-so-simple flavor.
It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary, like this quick Pea and Cucumber Salad. It truly is a simple salad – it takes no more than fifteen minutes to mix up, but it’s light and refreshing and a more than welcome addition to any potluck or gathering. (Seriously, it always gets gobbled up.)
The ingredient list is simple: peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh dill, shallots, and a quick homemade vinaigrette. The blend of flavors reaches that balance that is always the goal in a recipe, a perfect play of texture and taste. The peas and tomatoes provide bursts of sweetness, while the shallot backs it with a sharp bite and the cucumbers lend their telltale cool crunch. The dressing is an easy mixture of balsamic and apple cider vinegars and some extra virgin olive oil. A sprinkling of fresh dill and chili flake take it totally over the top.
Shallots are a sweeter, more mild cousin of the onion with some garlic flavor mixed in, but if you’re not into them or don’t have any on hand, some minced garlic would be a fine substitute. Frozen peas work absolutely fine in this recipe; you just want to give them some time to thaw. A way to speed up that process is to run some warm water over them in a colander and let them drain while you slice up the rest of the veggies.
This is a recipe without a lot of accompanying notes to go over – it’s mainly a matter of slicing up a few things and whisking up a quick dressing – but that doesn’t mean it lacks in flavor. You can serve it at room temperature or let it chill for a bit… just make sure it’s not longer than an hour, or the cucumbers will start to pickle. Enjoy!
Pea and Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen peas
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flake
Preparation
- Rinse frozen peas in a colander with warm water, and let drain while you slice the cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Add cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, and shallot to a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegars, salt, and pepper. Add sugar and whisk to combine.
- Pour over veggies and sprinkle with dill and chili flake. Toss gently, and serve immediately, or chill for no more than one hour. Any longer and the cucumbers will start to pickle. Enjoy!
Adapted from The Stay at Home Chef.