Mediterranean · salad
Mediterranean Cucumber and Yogurt Salad With Red or Black Quinoa
Mediterranean Cucumber and Yogurt Salad With Red or Black Quinoa reads herbaceous 4.8, allium 4.7 and salinity 3.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mediterranean salad, about 23 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 4.1 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 1.7 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 3.4 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.5 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 1.5 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 5.4 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Herbaceous 4.8 · Allium 4.7 · Salinity 3.7 · Sourness 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.2 · Umami 1.7 · Sweetness 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Earthy 1.5 · Floral 1.2 · Richness 1.2 · Nutty 1.0 · Bitterness 0.6 · Heat 0.6
What's in it (7)
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups finely diced cucumber (use a seedless variety such as a long hothouse cucumber, a Japanese cucumber or Persian cucumbers)
- Salt
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups plain Greek yogurt or drained yogurt (to taste)
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), cut in half, green shoots removed, and mashed to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons (to taste) chopped fresh dill or mint
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup cooked red or black quinoa
Time & effort: about 23 min (8 min active) · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 51.1 kcal, 2.5 g protein, 0.8 g fat, 8.8 g carbs
Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (7 steps)
- Toss cucumber with a generous amount of salt and leave in a colander in the sink to sweat for 15 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels (rinse first if the cucumber tastes very salty).
- Spoon yogurt into a salad bowl and mix with garlic.
- Stir in cucumber.
- Add freshly ground pepper (I like a generous amount), taste and adjust salt.
- Sprinkle dill or mint on top.
- Spoon quinoa over salad and serve, or divide salad among 4 bowls or plates and top each serving with 1/4 cup quinoa.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Főzelék — Hungarian
- Ogórki Kiszone (Salt-Brined Dill Cucumbers) — Polish
- Cacik — Turkish
- Tzatziki — Greek
- Raita — Indian
Keep reading: what herbaceous, allium, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.