Mediterranean Salad

This is a fresh and colourful salad packed with simple ingredients and flavours inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. It is light, refreshing, and easy to put together, making it a great side dish or a simple meal on its own.

For our recipe, we have used Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Original provided to us by one of our partners, Sosun Fihaara. This extra virgin olive oil has a smooth and well-balanced flavour, making it a great choice for salad dressings, marinades, and everyday cooking.

Serving Size: 2-3 people

Ingredients:

Creamy Yogurt Dressing

• ¼ medium sized cucumber (peeled, grated and squeezed)
• 120g plain unsweetened yogurt
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Original
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp honey

Pasta Salad

• 2 ½ cup water
• ½ tsp salt (to cook the pasta)
• 85g pasta
• 1 cup cucumber (diced into ½ inch)
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved in parts)
• ¼ cup onion (sliced)
• ¼ cup parsley or coriander (roughly chopped)
• ¼ cup basil (roughly chopped)
• 3 tbsp feta cheese (crumbled)
• 1 + ½ tsp chilli flakes

Olive Oil Dressing

• ½ tsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Original
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp chilli flakes
• 1 ½ garlic clove (minced)

Instructions:

1. First, prepare the creamy yogurt dressing. Add the ¼ medium sized cucumber (peeled, grated and squeezed) to a bowl along with 120g plain unsweetened yogurt, ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 garlic clove (minced), 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/8 tsp salt, ¼ tsp Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Original, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, and 2 tsp honey. Mix well using a spoon and set aside.
2. Add 2 ½ cups water, ½ tsp salt (to cook the pasta), and 85g pasta to a medium-sized pot. Cook on medium-high heat for around 13 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to cool. Transfer it to a large bowl.
3. Add 1 cup cucumber (diced into ½ inch), ½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved in parts), ¼ cup onion (sliced), ¼ cup parsley or coriander (roughly chopped), and ¼ cup basil (roughly chopped) to the cooled pasta. Gently toss everything together using a tong or spoon.
4. To prepare the olive oil dressing, add ½ tsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Original, ¼ tsp salt, ¾ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ¼ tsp chilli flakes, and 1 ½ garlic clove (minced) to a small bowl. Mix well using a spoon until combined.
5. Pour a desired amount of the prepared olive oil dressing over the pasta and vegetables. Gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
6. Similarly, add a generous amount of the creamy yogurt dressing prepared earlier and gently toss to combine. Add more dressing if needed, but avoid adding too much at once.
7. Finally, sprinkle 3 tbsp feta cheese (crumbled) and 1 + ½ tsp chilli flakes over the salad and give it a final gentle mix. For the best flavour, refrigerate the salad for around 30 minutes before serving.