This Mediterranean / Middle Eastern Olive Salad is one of those dishes that just feels sooo good . It’s fresh, light, and full of flavor. It’s great on its own, but I also love serving it alongside hummus, grilled veggies, or as a topping for a warm bowl of quinoa or couscous.This salad has quickly become a go-to in my kitchen. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

1/2 cucumber, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 long green pepper, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

100g (3.5oz) green olives, pitted and chopped

1 cup parsley (loosely packed), chopped

1/2 cup mint (loosely packed), chopped

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

For the Dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp dried mint

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp sumac

1/2 tsp cumin

1-2 tbsp red pepper paste (adjust to taste)

salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Start by finely chopping all the veggies and toss them into a large bowl. Then add walnuts, olives, herbs, and pomegranate seeds.

2. You can either make the dressing separately and add later or directly add the red pepper paste, all spices, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and olive oil.

3. Season with salt to taste.

4. Toss everything well to make sure the dressing evenly coats all the ingredients.

5. Let the salad sit for at least 5-10 minutes for the flavors to mingle. 6. Enjoy!