Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Close Banner
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Looking For A Creamy Dairy-Free Salad? Try This Take On A Greek Salad

Eliza Sullivan
Author:
June 30, 2020
Eliza Sullivan
mbg Nutrition & Health Writer
By Eliza Sullivan
mbg Nutrition & Health Writer
Eliza Sullivan is a food writer and SEO editor at mindbodygreen. She writes about food, recipes, and nutrition—among other things. She studied journalism at Boston University.
Greek Salad With Cashew Tzatziki
Image by Monica Stevens Le / Contributor
June 30, 2020
We carefully vet all products and services featured on mindbodygreen using our commerce guidelines. Our selections are never influenced by the commissions earned from our links.

Salads are the perfect side for summer, but even the best green salads sometimes fall flat—or worse, wilt. This vegan and paleo-friendly Greek salad avoids that by swapping lettuce leaves for a collection of fresh vegetables.

While it's mostly made up of cucumbers, their refreshing flavor is accented by sweet notes from cherry tomatoes and a bit of salt from capers and olives. The dressing, a cashew-based take on tzatziki, adds to the light freshness while still lending a satisfying creamy texture.

The recipe, from the new cookbook Clean Paleo Real Life, is simple and can even be made ahead (having a bit of time to sit actually makes the dressing better), making it the perfect salad to bring to a summer potluck.

Greek Salad With Cashew Tzatziki

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

For the dressing

  • 1½ cups raw cashews
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1½ cups grated English cucumber (about 1 large cucumber)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, plus more for serving (optional)
  • Black pepper, to taste

For the salad

  • 6 Persian cucumbers, halved, seeded, and sliced
  • 1½ cups (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 green bell peppers, diced
  • 1 white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup (150 g) pitted kalamata olives
  • 2½ tablespoons (25 g) capers, drained, plus more for serving (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons (8 g) dried oregano
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Method

  1. To make the dressing, add the cashews to a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit, uncovered, for 1½ hours. Drain thoroughly and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
  2. In the pitcher of a high-speed blender, add the water, lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, salt, and cashews. Blend on high speed, scraping down the sides as necessary. You want it to be thick and creamy throughout.
  3. Add the cucumber and blend until completely incorporated.
  4. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the dill and pepper. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Refrigerate to allow it to thicken.
  5. When you're ready to make the salad, toss together the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, olives, capers, and oregano in a large bowl. Sprinkle with a large pinch of salt and black pepper.
  6. Add your desired amount of tzatziki dressing, tossing to combine.
  7. You will most likely have plenty of dressing left over, which you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  8. Serve right away, garnished with extra capers and fresh dill, if desired.
Excerpted with permission from Clean Paleo Real Life © 2020 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Text © 2020 Monica Stevens Le Photography Monica Stevens Le.

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

What Is Meditation?

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins

Box Breathing

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

What Breathwork Can Address

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

Nutrition | Rich Roll

What to Eat Before a Workout

Nutrition | Rich Roll

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Nutrition | Sahara Rose

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Love Languages

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Related Videos (10)

What Is Meditation?

Box Breathing

What Breathwork Can Address

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

What to Eat Before a Workout

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love Languages

Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

More On This Topic

more Food
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.