Parsley Salad

This parsley salad is a delicious and refreshing summer staple! Topped with sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette, this refreshing salad is sure to be a crowd favorite.

Parsely isn’t just for topping your omelet at the local diner! It is a nutritious leafy vegetable that can be used much the same as lettuce or spinach can be. It has a slightly bitter taste, making it a great salad base. That may sound strange, but when paired with sweetness, the parsley’s bitterness is neutralized!

This particular staple of mine is a parsley tomato salad where the tomatoes are the sweetness to balance the bitterness. When the cherry tomatoes are at peak ripeness (like in the summer!), this salad really comes to life and is the epitome of summer dining.

Beyond tomatoes, it is packed with all the other in-season produce favorites like red onion, cucumber, and lemon. Finally, I top it with creamy feta cubes that help tame the bite of the vinegarette. This salad is basically a flavor roller coaster (the good ones that you want to keep riding over and over)! So, keep reading for how to make parsely salad.

Ingredients for Parsley Salad

This meal comes together quickly with just a little bit of chopping and mixing. You can even prep the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, feta, and dressing to have for the week. This way you can quickly throw together a fresh salad!

• Parsley: I use flat Italian parsley because it has more flavor (than its curly parsley counterpart) and have a wider surface area to hold the delicious dressing. Just be sure to remove the stems!
• Tomato: Feel free to use Roma tomato, cherry, or beef steak. Any will work, but the Roma and cherry tomatoes are sweeter, which is my preference.
• Cucumber: Cucumber is one of the crunch ingredients! You could use mini cucumbers, English, or standard. I do not peel my cucumbers (part laziness, part added nutrients with the skin), but you definitely can.
• Red Onion: Red onions are always a favorite of mine to add to dishes. They are slightly sweet and so bright and beautiful! You could use any other type of onion but others do not have the sweetness we are after for this salad.
• Feta: Cubed or crumbled feta is great!
• Dressing: This dressing couldn’t be easier! It uses olive oil (yeah, good fat!), lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Easy peasy!

How to make a Parsley Salad

Parsley cucumber salad is ready in 15 minutes and with only 3 steps, how easy is that?! Plus, you can make this salad in advance and put the dressing on when ready to serve.

Step 1: Prep salad
Wash and cut all Salad ingredients, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. We want to make sure the ingredients are all cut small enough to fit on a fork and be eaten easily. There is nothing worse than trying to fit a huge piece of lettuce in your mouth in front of friends at dinner… speaking for a friend, not from experience…

Step 2: Dressing
Whisk together all dressing ingredients. I find this easiest to do by adding everything to a mason jar, sealing the lid, and shaking aggressively! This way, any left overdressing can be stored directly in the jar.

Step 3: Toss
When ready to eat, drizzle dressing over salad then gently toss together. It is important to be gentle when tossing the salad because parsley is so tender.

Storing this Parsley Salad

Want to make this in advance? Salads are great to prep in advance, to take to a potluck, or to meal prep!

• To meal prep this salad for the week ahead, I recommend chopping all of the vegetables and storing them separately from the parsley. This prevents the liquid from soaking the parsley while it is stored. Then make and store the dressing in a sealed container and use it each day you enjoy the salad.
• To make this for a potluck or friend’s house, simply make the salad as directed, but keep the dressing separate until you arrive at the party. This way you can either add it to the salad for a freshly tossed salad or people can add the amount of dressing they want to their serving.

What Goes with Parsley Salad?

Lots of things! This salad is a great base for any meal because it has such staple flavors. I have included some other topping options and dishes to serve with it.

Toppings

• Avocado: Honestly, what salad isn’t delicious with heart-healthy avocado on top? This is definitely an option that’s sure to taste great.
• Glazed nuts: I love adding glazed walnuts or pecans to my salads.

ideas to serve with this salad

• Portobello Mushroom Gyros are so yummy and use many of the same ingredients!
• Greek Baked Feta is an underestimated dish in my opinion. It is creamy, gooey, delicious, and a hands-off meal once it’s in the oven!
• Fresh Tomato Soup with Basil is a great way to use up all those tomatoes!
• Goat Cheese Pizza is just a necessary summer meal. Fresh pizza and salad, yum!