Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Persian or English Cucumbers, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup Cherry or Roma Tomatoes, halved
  • 1.5 cups Full-Fat Cottage Cheese (4% milkfat)
  • 0.25 cup Red Onion, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Za’atar or Dried Oregano
  • 1 tbsp fresh Dill or Parsley, chopped
  • 0.25 tsp Flaky Sea Salt
  • 0.25 tsp Cracked Black Pepper

Instructions:

  1. Prep the cucumbers. Dice 2 cups of Persian cucumbers into uniform 1/2 inch cubes. Note: Uniformity ensures every bite has the same ratio of crunch to cream.
  2. Slice the tomatoes. Halve 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, ensuring you cut through the equator to expose the seeds. Expect a slight spray of juice.
  3. Mince the onion. Finely mince 0.25 cup of red onion. Stop when the pieces are roughly the size of a grain of rice.
  4. Drain the cheese (optional). If the 1.5 cups of cottage cheese looks very liquid, let it sit in a sieve for 2 minutes until the excess whey stops dripping.
  5. Layer the base. Place the cottage cheese in a shallow bowl and spread it slightly with the back of a spoon.
  6. Add the vegetables. Scatter the diced cucumbers, halved tomatoes, and minced onion over the cheese.
  7. Drizzle the oil. Pour 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil evenly over the top until the vegetables look glossy.
  8. Season the dish. Sprinkle 1 tsp of Za’atar, 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt, and 0.25 tsp cracked black pepper over the salad.
  9. Add the herbs. Finely chop 1 tbsp of fresh dill or parsley and scatter it as the final layer.
  10. Fold gently. Use a large spoon to turn the ingredients over exactly twice until the herbs are barely incorporated.