Name: Rudy's Sunshine Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 limes; 1 tsp salt; ¼ cup tahini (60 g); ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (60 mL); 1 14-oz can chickpeas (drained, 400 g); 2 medium cucumbers (cut into bite-sized pieces); 5 stalks celery (diced); ½ cup cilantro (finely chopped)

With fresh seasonal veggies and a creamy tahini sauce, this is the only veggie salad you’ll need all summer!

Every recipe on the blog so far has been my own creation. But then Rudolph, one of our readers, emailed me one day. The subject line was, “It’s yours to use or publish as you wish”, and the email was simply this recipe – Rudy’s Sunshine Salad.

So I made it. And it was delicious. And the combination of ingredients and flavors that I never would have thought of on my own inspired me to discover even more reader recipes.

And so this week I’m so excited to be featuring YOUR recipes! I put a call out for recipes and you all delivered. Coming up we’ve got coconut veggies from the Philippines and a weeknight pasta from London and stuffed tomatoes from a lake house in Missouri.

But first, we’re kicking it off with the recipe that started it all. Rudy’s Sunshine Salad!

Here’s What You’ll Need

Limes: We’ll be using both the zest (which adds lime flavor) and the juice (which adds acidity) to bring some power to the salad dressing.
Salt: Salt will enhance the flavors of the dressing and all the veggies!
Tahini: Tahini, or sesame seed paste, can have an overpowering flavor on its own (go ahead and lick the spoon, you’ll see!), but it makes a creamy base for the salad dressing and is delightful when mixed up with everything!
Olive Oil: Aim for a good quality extra virgin olive oil. The flavor will shine through!
Chickpeas: Honestly, do we even need a reason for chickpeas? You know I love ’em!
Cucumbers: You can use either seeded or non-seeded (English) cucumbers here.
Celery: The bright flavors of the celery balance out the tahini dressing and add a hefty dose of crunch!
Cilantro: And finally, Rudy’s favorite part of the salad (and mine too!) – the fresh cilantro.

How to make this veggie salad

Step 1: Dressing
Grate the zest from one of the limes and add it to a medium bowl, along with the juice from both limes. Whisk in salt, tahini, and olive oil. It should be thick but pourable.

Step 2: Salad
Drain the chickpeas and chop the cucumber, celery, and cilantro. Add it all to a large mixing bowl.

Step 3: Toss
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

And that’s how you make Rudy’s Sunshine Salad! It’s equal parts easy, delicious, and perfect for summer. Enjoy!

More Refreshing Summer Eats

From refreshing ingredients to grilled fruit, there’s a reason why these dishes are perfect for summer!

And be sure to try out our other featured Reader Recipes, like Kyaw’s Porcini Pasta, Marika’s Coconut Veggies, and Trish’s Broiled Tomatoes!