Loaded and delicious cucumber carpaccio with olives, cashews and za'atar
If you’re looking to spice up your summer salad situation, this unique loaded cucumber carpaccio is a must try.
Made with cucumbers, lemons, olives, cashews, parsley and spices, it’s light, refreshing, delicious, and quick and easy to make, too!
Here’s what else I love about it -
Cucumbers are super hydrating, making them the perfect summer snack. They’re also loaded with nutrients, antioxidants and electrolytes. Cucumbers also contain very few calories, which makes it a great salad base, too, if you want to jazz it up with other ingredients.
Including cashews, olives and a touch of extra virgin olive oil creates a unique blend of healthy essential fats, which your body can’t create on its own and are good for skin and brain health and much more. Including healthy fats like these in your meals also means that your body can better absorb vitamins A, D and E. It also gives it a lot of texture and crunch!
It’s very simply spiced - using just salt, pepper and a touch of za’atar - but has a ton of flavor.
Adding a touch of lemon and zest also lends the salad a lot of favor, and comes with health benefits too like improved digestion and a dose of vitamin C.
Parsley is a powerful herb with a ton of important nutrients (that come with lots of important benefits) like vitamin A, C and K as well as folate and potassium.
It’s super easy to digest. I love leafy greens, but when eaten raw, they’re notorious for causing bloat. So if you’re looking for something filling, but light that won’t cause bloating - this is for you.
This carpaccio is ideal for just about any situation - you can whip up a plate for just yourself at home, or create an entire platter to feed a crowd (which I did this week, and it was a HIT). It’s also really easy to riff on, so you can go ahead and play around with ingredients based on what you have sitting in your fridge and pantry at home.
A few important tips I want to highlight before you set-out to make it yourself:
Use a mandolin to slice your cucumber. It makes for faster cutting, paper thin cuts, and if you’re serving a crowd, more uniform slices.
Cucumbers don’t have a ton of flavor on their own, so make sure you use a dressing with a little bit of citrus or acid, at least a pinch of salt, and don’t be afraid to go heavy on spices and herbs.
Some sort of plant-based cheese is a must. I didn’t have any on hand when I took this photo, but in subsequent versions I topped it with a little plant-based feta from violife and it was heavenly.
This really is the perfect snack for yourself or a crowd - it’s ready in under ten minutes, a feast for the eyes, light and delicious.
Check out the full recipe below for all the details. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Cucumber carpaccio salad
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 English cucumber, very thinly sliced
1-2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
10 kalamata olives, thinly sliced
2-4 tbsp raw unsalted cashews, roughly chopped
handful of parsley, chopped
1 tsp za’atar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Layer cucumbers in a circle, on a large circular plate or serving platter.
Sprinkle lemon zest and spices over cucumbers, followed by cashews and parsley.
Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over platter and serve immediately.
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