Crisp Cucumber Salad with Dill Yogurt Dressing

This is one of those salads that tastes a little better after it sits for ten minutes. Cucumber is roughly 95 percent water, so once it meets salt and dressing it begins to release its juices, and the yogurt dressing turns thin and bright around the rounds. If you make it ahead, that is a good thing. Just know that the cucumber keeps giving up water, so the bowl will look a bit soupy by the next day. Drain it off before serving, or spoon the salad onto plates with a slotted spoon.

Cucumbers have a long history in the eastern Mediterranean and across the Middle East, where they were eaten raw with yogurt, herbs, and bread long before anyone bottled a dressing. That yogurt-and-cucumber pairing is still the backbone of many meals in Greece and Turkey, and it works because the cool, creamy tang makes a rich plate of grilled meat feel lighter. This salad borrows that idea in a simple way. Nonfat Greek yogurt gives you body and sharpness without much fuss, and the red wine vinegar and olive oil keep it from tasting flat.

A few small habits make a big difference here. Slice the cucumber fairly thin so each round catches some dressing. Shave the red onion as thinly as you can, or soak the slices in cold water for a few minutes first if the bite feels too strong for you. Chop the pistachios just before serving so they stay crunchy instead of softening into the juices. And add the dill at the end, because it bruises and fades if it sits in the dressing too long.

Leftovers keep in a covered container in the fridge for a day or two. Pour off any liquid, add a fresh pinch of pistachios, and you have a lunch side that tastes nearly as fresh as the first serving. I like to tuck leftovers into a warm pita with some cooked chicken, which turns the salad into something closer to a sandwich.

For serving, this salad is at home next to anything grilled, and it is especially good alongside Greek Pork Skewers with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, where the cool cucumber plays nicely against smoky meat. It also works on a summer table with a platter of sliced tomatoes and a bowl of olives. If you want something heartier, pair it with Seared Tilapia Grain Bowl with Roasted Vegetables and let the salad add crunch and freshness to each bite.