Marinated Summer Salad
Now for something really special: an heirloom recipe from my mom’s kitchen. This Marinated Summer Salad is bright, beautiful, and full of fresh vegetable flavour. Easy and delicious, perfect for picnics, potlucks, and long, hot days!
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 1 227 g package cremini mushrooms quartered
- 2 small zucchinis chopped
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 orange bell pepper chopped
- 1 yellow pepper chopped
- 1 280 g package grape tomatoes halved
Sundried Tomato Dressing
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes very finely chopped
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a large mason jar. Secure the lid and shake well until fully combined.
- Chop the carrot, zucchinis, cauliflower, bell peppers, and quarter the mushrooms. Halve the grape tomatoes.
- Add all the chopped vegetables to a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss well to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Toss again before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Let it sit overnight - While it tastes great after a few hours, the flavors deepen after a full night in the fridge.
- Serve cold or room temp - It’s flexible and delicious straight from the fridge or after sitting out for a bit at a picnic.
- Use a glass or ceramic bowl for marinating to avoid any metallic taste from vinegar-based dressings.
- Use vegetables with bite - Think bell peppers, carrots, celery, radishes, cucumbers, cauliflower, snap peas - anything that stays crisp when marinated.
- Layer flavor with fresh herbs - Add chopped fresh parsley, dill, basil for example.
- Add protein, if desired - Toss in chickpeas, white beans, or grilled chicken for a more substantial dish.