This fresh vegetarian salad makes clever use of leftover herbs and tomatoes while still feeling substantial enough for lunch. Cucumber keeps it crisp, pistachios add crunch, and mozzarella softens the sharp lemon dressing with its mild, creamy texture.

It serves two as a main dish or four as a side and needs only 15 minutes of preparation, with no cooking required.

What You’ll Need

1 lemon, zested

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp crème fraîche or yoghurt, using a little more for a creamier dressing

1/2 tsp caster sugar

1/2 large cucumber or 2 small cucumbers, sliced or cut into chunks

2 green tomatoes, or any tomatoes you prefer, cut into wedges

1 small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped

1 small bunch of dill, roughly chopped

1 handful of shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

1 large ball of mozzarella

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

Extra olive oil, optional, for finishing

1. Prepare The Lemon

Put the lemon zest into a large bowl.

Cut between the membranes to release the individual lemon segments directly into the bowl.

Squeeze in any juice left in the membranes and from the pieces of peel you removed.

Using both the zest, flesh and juice gives the dressing several layers of lemon flavour. The zest brings fragrance, while the segments provide sharper bursts of acidity throughout the finished salad.

2. Whisk The Dressing

Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche or yoghurt, the caster sugar and plenty of seasoning to the bowl.

Whisk everything together until the dressing becomes creamy and well combined.

The acidity in the lemon helps the oil emulsify rather than remaining completely separate, while the crème fraîche gives the mixture a softer, richer consistency. If you prefer an especially creamy dressing, add a little more crème fraîche or yoghurt as suggested in the original recipe.

3. Build The Salad

Put the prepared cucumber and tomato wedges into a separate large bowl.

Add most of the chopped parsley and dill, reserving a little of each for the final garnish. Do the same with the chopped pistachios.

Pour over most of the lemon dressing and gently toss until the vegetables, herbs and nuts are evenly coated.

Keeping some dressing and toppings aside helps create different textures in the finished dish rather than having every ingredient completely mixed together.

4. Add The Mozzarella

Tear the mozzarella into pieces directly over the salad.

Tearing rather than neatly slicing it creates irregular edges that catch more of the dressing and keeps the salad looking relaxed rather than overly arranged.

Pour over the remaining dressing, then scatter the reserved parsley, dill and pistachios across the top.

Finish with a small extra drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Serve It Fresh

Serve the salad immediately for the greatest contrast between the crunchy cucumber, juicy tomatoes, soft mozzarella and crisp pistachios.

The lemon dressing is bright enough to balance the richness of the cheese, while dill and parsley give the dish a particularly fresh, green flavour. Green tomatoes work especially well because their firmer texture and gentle sharpness complement the creamy elements, but ordinary ripe tomatoes can be used instead.

The salad is substantial enough to eat on its own, but it can also be stirred through pasta or served alongside a larger meal.

Serve It Fresh

Serve the salad immediately for the greatest contrast between the crunchy cucumber, juicy tomatoes, soft mozzarella and crisp pistachios.

The lemon dressing is bright enough to balance the richness of the cheese, while dill and parsley give the dish a particularly fresh, green flavour. Green tomatoes work especially well because their firmer texture and gentle sharpness complement the creamy elements, but ordinary ripe tomatoes can be used instead.

The salad is substantial enough to eat on its own, but it can also be stirred through pasta or served alongside a larger meal.

Storage Tips

This salad is best eaten within about a day.

As it sits, the cucumber and tomatoes gradually release water into the dressing, making the mixture increasingly loose and juicy. That extra liquid is part of the playful “swamp” idea behind the original dish, but the textures are at their best shortly after everything is assembled.

If preparing ahead, you can make the dressing and chop the herbs separately, then combine everything closer to serving time. The result is a refreshing salad that feels creamy without becoming heavy, with lemon, herbs and pistachios keeping every mouthful lively.