In my search for salads that go beyond lettuce and in an effort to use up some of the bell peppers I bought on sale, I decided to make a salad that featured all the peppers--red, yellow, and orange--as well as a crunchy cucumber and plenty of fresh parsley and cilantro. I ended up with a beautifully colored salad that was good the night I served it and even better the next day after a stint in the refrigerator that allowed the flavors of the vegetables to meld. The salad is great on its own or served atop lettuce. If you have some leftover small pasta--fusilli or bowties, for example--or rice or quinoa, feel free to toss that in for a more substantial salad. This is a versatile dish. If you want more protein for a main dish salad, add some tuna, shrimp, or chopped chicken. All would work well for a light, bright salad main dish. All you'd need to add for a meal would be some bread (like sourdough?) to accompany the salad.
Tricolor Bell Pepper Salad -- Serves 4 as a Side Dish
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3 bell peppers -- one red, one yellow, and one orange, chopped into small chunks/pieces
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped into chunks
2 tomatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large handful of parsley (about a cup), chopped
1 large handful of cilantro (about a cup), chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and salt. Toss in the rest of the ingredients and mix everything well. Serve the salad at room temperature or cold. It's best made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two.
