Cucumber, Tomato, and Olive Salad with Lemon and Salt

Other Xerophagy Published March 23, 2026

This is the xerophagy version of a Greek salad — stripped of its oil, its feta, and its cooked elements. What remains is still remarkably good. Ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny olives, sharp red onion, all dressed with nothing but lemon juice and salt. The lemon does the work that oil would normally do, providing acidity and carrying the salt across every surface. It is lighter than the original but honest in its own way.

Serve this alongside bread as a complete xerophagy lunch or dinner during Great Lent and Holy Week.

FASTING LEVEL: Xerophagy (the strictest level — no cooked food, no oil, no wine)
SERVINGS: 2
TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 large cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 15-20 Kalamata olives (brine-cured, not oil-packed)
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- Bread, for serving

METHOD

1. Combine the tomato wedges, cucumber slices, and red onion in a bowl.

2. Add the olives.

3. Squeeze the lemon juice over everything. Sprinkle with salt and oregano.

4. Toss gently with your hands or two spoons. Let it sit for 5 minutes — the salt will draw juice from the tomatoes and cucumbers, creating a natural dressing at the bottom of the bowl.

5. Serve with bread to soak up the juices at the bottom. That juice-soaked bread is the best part.

NOTES

- The quality of the tomatoes is everything. If your tomatoes are pale and mealy, this salad will be disappointing. Wait for ripe, in-season tomatoes, or use quality cherry tomatoes.
- Some add capers — they are salt-cured and xerophagy-compliant.
- The red onion mellows slightly from the lemon juice. If raw onion is too sharp for you, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes before adding.
- This is standard fare throughout Great Lent on xerophagy weekdays and during Holy Week.