I absolutely adore barbecues during the summer. I don’t know what I like better—the smell of the charcoal coming in from outside or the fact that I don’t have to heat up my kitchen for a really good meal. But one thing I struggle with is coming up with sides. I always have an idea for the meat to grill but unless we’re throwing corn or potatoes on the grill I’m usually at a loss.
Last summer I made these Marinated Vegetables and loved the idea of no-cook sides. No-cook sides mean I can keep my kitchen cool and still serve something other than chips.
I came across this cucumber and feta salad and wanted to try it. It went perfectly with our grilled hamburgers and the feta makes ordinary cucumbers taste great.
Below the recipe you’ll find some other great no-cook side dishes that you can add to your family’s summer cookouts!
Cucumber and Feta Salad
Recipe Adapted from Michael Symon
Ingredients
2 cucumbers, unpeeled, sliced thinly
1 cup crumbled feta
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Mix together the oregano, garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and vinegar in a small bowl.
Pour the dressing over the cucumbers. Add a little salt to your tasting preference.
At this point you can refrigerate the salad until you are ready to serve it and right before serving toss in the feta.
This recipe goes great with any grilled meat and the cool crisp cucumbers offset the heat of the entrée!
Here are a few more no-cook sides for you to enjoy!
This Zucchini Apple Slaw looks so delicious and perfectly refreshing for the summer!
Heat and Sweet Corn Salsa would accompany any barbecue perfectly. And if you’re like me and prefer to use as little canned foods as possible, it would be simple to replace those ingredients with the fresh produce.