Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Salad with Za'atar Tomatoes and Olives

Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Salad with Za'atar Tomatoes and Olives is light, refreshing, and delicious! Perfect as a side salad or as the main dish for a light supper or meatless meal.

While this is a delicious salad to make in the summer months when tomatoes are in their prime, it is also a wonderful salad to enjoy during the winter months as well. Why you might ask? With improved winter hoop houses for growing, vine ripe cherry and grape tomatoes are fairly easy to find in the marketplace. Even our little town has a few baskets each week when I shop for fresh produce items.

This salad calls for Za'atar, which is a spice blend. I had never enjoyed this spice mix before making this salad. Fortunately, it is very easy to make, so I have included the same homemade version we used and enjoyed.

Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Salad with Za'atar Tomatoes and Olives can also be paired with whole-grain bread and fresh fruit for a filling lunch or a light supper. When I made this the first time my first task was to stir together the Za'atar, which takes about 30 seconds, it is so simple to do.

You can offer additional Za'atar so each person can customize their portion of this delightful salad. And should you have any leftover Za'atar simply store it in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid to preserve the delicious flavor.

Since you will want to make this salad more than once it is a good thing that the recipe for Za'atar makes enough for at least two recipes of Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Salad with Za'atar Tomatoes and Olives.

But I actually recommend doubling the Za'atar recipe, because, besides this tasty salad you will want to use it in the following ways, offer a plate of sliced crusty bread, along with a small dish of olive oil and another of the Za'atar for dipping, or you might want to dust chicken thighs before baking.

Some thoughts on this recipe:

You will layer the salad into the serving bowl as you prepare the vegetables.

This salad will be tossed right before serving, so make sure the serving bowl selected is large enough to allow tossing the ingredients without spilling.

For the Za'atar if using a spice grinder, take care to not over-grind the herbs.

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

English cucumber
cherry or grape tomatoes
green onions
black olives
cottage cheese
Za'atar seasoning, recipe provided.

You will also need the following:

kitchen knife
cutting board
vegetable peeler
medium-sized serving bowl
measuring cups
mortar and pestle or spice grinder

Now we are ready to begin!

Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Salad
adapted from, Kalyn's Kitchen

1 large English cucumber, peeled if desired
1 c halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 c sliced black olives
1/4 c sliced green onion
1 c cottage cheese
Za'atar seasoning

Combine the ingredients for the Za'atar, set aside.

Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, then slice. Place in the bottom of a medium-sized serving bowl.

Around the rim of the bowl, add the halved tomatoes, sliced olives, and then the sliced green onions.

In the center place the cottage cheese.

Sprinkle with a generous tablespoon of the Za'atar seasoning.

Toss the salad right before serving.

Za'atar
adapted from, the world wide web
makes about 1/4 cup

1 T toasted sesame seeds
1 T marjoram leaves
1 T thyme leaves
1 T oregano leaves
2 T sumac
3/4 t salt

Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, coarsely grind sesame seeds and place them in a small jar.

Separably grind each of the herbs, placing each into the same jar.

Add the sumac and salt, cap, and shake to combine.

Storage options for Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Salad with Za'atar Tomatoes and Olives. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can expect some additional liquid from the cucumbers to take have accumulated.

UPDATE: For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Mediterranean Cottage Cheese Salad with Za'atar Tomatoes and Olives has been included below.

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