Get ready to warm up while cooling down. Wait…that doesn’t make any sense. So why the name “fire and ice” in reference to this salad? Well, for starters, this salad has cooling, crunchy produce like tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. You can thank the cayenne pepper for the “fire” portion of the salad. Don’t fear the heat, though, because it won’t cause you to sweat profusely or drink copious amounts of liquid. It’s just the right amount of heat to give you that little nudge of spice you need in life.
Think of this salad like a Greek salad without the feta cheese. The acidic vinaigrette mellows the allium in the onion, breaking it down so it’s not as intense when you take a bite. In fact, to minimize the intensity of the onion even further, you can let them soak in the dressing before you incorporate the rest of the salad ingredients. This is an optional step but it can work in your favor if you’re sensitive to oniony flavor.
- Prep Time:10m
- Total Time:10m
- Serves: 4 servings
- Category: Appetizers & Snacks, Salads & Dressings, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 6 large tomatoes, peeled and quartered
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
For the Dressing
- 3/4 c white wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp. celery salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard seed
- 4 1/2 tsp. white sugar
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 c filtered water
Instructions
For the Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion.
- Toss gently to combine and then set aside while you make the dressing.
For the Dressing
- Prepare the dressing by adding all of the ingredients to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk thoroughly until everything is well-incorporated. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat everything generously.
- Cove the bowl and place the salad in the fridge for about one hour. This helps the flavors intensify.
- Remove from the fridge and serve.
