Summer Salad Ottolenghi Style

Hey friends!

So summer isn’t over yet, we’re still generously enjoying the good sun-soaked vegetables to feast on! New recipe then…

Here is my summer salad Ottolenghi style.

Why this Ottolenghi-style summer salad recipe?

I try to vary the recipes I share with you as much as possible and above all to share what’s happening in my kitchen over days, weeks, seasons… And this Ottolenghi-style summer salad recipe meets 3 must-haves for me right now: eating fresh (even if the thermometer is cooling down a bit), eating quick and well done (and here you won’t be disappointed!) and also eating healthy and balanced.

A word about Chef Ottolenghi

Yotam Ottolenghi is an iconic figure in contemporary cuisine, known for revolutionizing the way we approach vegetarian and Mediterranean cooking. Born in Jerusalem in 1968, Ottolenghi studied philosophy before turning to gastronomy at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu school in London. His culinary approach is deeply influenced by his Israeli roots, his love of Middle Eastern spices, and a clear passion for freshness and the abundance of plant-based products.

Settled in London, he opened his first deli in 2002 in the Notting Hill neighborhood. This place quickly became a reference, with its colorful displays full of salads, cakes, and savory dishes. He then published a series of books that have become classics, including Plenty, Jerusalem (co-written with Sami Tamimi), Simple, and Flavor. These works helped popularize a cuisine rich in textures, spices, and contrasts, highlighting ingredients once considered marginal.

Ottolenghi excels in the art of elevating vegetables. He demonstrates that a dish can be deeply satisfying without meat, thanks to clever pairings: grilled eggplant and yogurt, lentils and pomegranate, or roasted cauliflower with hazelnuts. His generous, visually striking style has become emblematic.

Beyond cooking, Ottolenghi embodies an open and inclusive vision, both in his recipes and in how he tells stories of cultures. He remains today a major source of inspiration for amateur and professional cooks worldwide.

More about my salad…

During the holidays, we treat ourselves and that’s only natural. I’m a fan of appetizers, so in summer I tend to forget a bit about balance on my table. So I’m getting back to my good habits and this Ottolenghi-style summer salad is perfect for that!

You’ve understood it, I was inspired by a recipe from the Chef published in his book “Jerusalem”, which I highly recommend! This book is a gem. Obviously, I couldn’t resist making my little tweaks: either for taste choices or because I didn’t necessarily have all the ingredients on hand. In the end, it works wonderfully. I loved it!!

My Ottolenghi-style summer salad, a versatile recipe

You can, of course, vary the list of ingredients depending on your tastes or the vegetables you have available: I made a version with avocado, raw zucchini and that’s very nice too. I also tried it with basil and mint. Yum! Feel free to share your variation in the comments of this article. 😉

A little note about chickpeas: I used jarred chickpeas, it’s practical. But you can perfectly use dried ones, soak them 12 hours in cold water and then cook them.

The necessary utensils:

A small pan,

A cutting board,

A good paring knife,

A bowl

And a salad bowl.

You have all that in your cupboards, I’m sure… Shall we get started?

The recipe, Chef!

Print Recipe

Summer Salad Ottolenghi Style

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vegetarian – Mediterranean

Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy Price: $

Prep Time: 10 min – Cooking Time: 3 min

Ingredients

• Salad
• 200 g cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tomatoes
• 12 radishes
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded
• 1 red onion
• A handful of coriander and/or parsley
• Dressing
• 90 g olive oil
• 1 lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1.5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions

Salad

1

Mix the chickpeas, cardamom, cumin, and paprika in a bowl.

2

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add the chickpeas and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring.

3

Keep warm in the pan over low heat.

4

Cut your vegetables, chop your herbs, and put everything in your serving dish.

Dressing

5

Mix the remaining olive oil and all the other ingredients.

6

Add the still-warm chickpeas to the vegetables.

7

Pour the dressing over and serve.