Description
Pickled Cherry Tomato & Zucchini Jar Salad combines tangy pickled cherry tomatoes, zucchini, feta, Kalamata olives and fresh greens for a colourful Mediterranean-inspired salad that’s perfect for lunch, picnics and meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Pickled Vegetables:
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ cup apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
For the Salad:
2 cups mixed greens or arugula
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
⅓ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Wash the cherry tomatoes thoroughly and gently pierce each tomato once with a toothpick. Thinly slice the zucchini and red onion, then slice the garlic cloves.
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, honey, salt, black pepper, dried oregano and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring until the salt has dissolved.
Place the sliced garlic, zucchini, red onion and cherry tomatoes into a clean glass jar. Pack the vegetables loosely so the pickling liquid can circulate around them.
Carefully pour the warm vinegar mixture over the vegetables, making sure they are well covered by the liquid. Allow the jar to cool to room temperature before sealing.
Seal the jar and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. For a deeper flavour, allow the vegetables to pickle overnight.
Arrange the mixed greens or arugula on a serving plate, or add them to a clean jar for a layered jar-salad presentation.
Top with the pickled zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese.
Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.
Serve chilled or allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Piercing the cherry tomatoes helps the pickling liquid penetrate more easily.
Slice the zucchini and red onion evenly for consistent pickling.
Do not pack the jar too tightly so the pickling liquid can circulate around the vegetables.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavour.
Keep the fresh greens separate until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
Red pepper flakes are optional and can be adjusted according to your preferred level of heat.
Store the pickled vegetables refrigerated in their jar and assemble the fresh salad shortly before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 3 mins
- Category: Salad, Lunch, Side Dish, Vegetarian
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean