Name: Pork Meatballs and Cucumber Salad
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: ¼ cup golden raisins; 2 lb. thin-skinned cucumbers (such as Persian, English hothouse, and/or kirby) cut into bite-size pieces; 2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more; 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 3 Tbsp. pine nuts; ¾ cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted, divided; 1 large egg; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; ½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs); 3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley; ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 lb. ground pork; ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one); 2 cups tender herb leaves (such as mint and/or parsley); 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar; Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (for serving)

Photo of a meatball and cucumber salad in a bowl.

Photo & Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin

If you find yourself with an abundance of cucumbers (or simply a craving for them), this salad taps into their cooling crunch without making a watery mess. The trick is to salt, drain, and squeeze out any excess liquid before dressing them—and to turn them into a full meal by adding simple oven-baked meatballs studded with briny green olives and sweet golden raisins.

Recipe information

Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 Servings

Ingredients

¼ cup golden raisins

2 lb. thin-skinned cucumbers (such as Persian, English hothouse, and/or kirby) cut into bite-size pieces

2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 Tbsp. pine nuts

¾ cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted, divided

1 large egg

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. ground pork

½ small red onion, very thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)

2 cups tender herb leaves (such as mint and/or parsley)

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°F. Place raisins in a small bowl and pour in hot water to cover; let sit until ready to use.
Step 2
Place cucumbers in a colander or sieve set in or over a large bowl; sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt and toss to combine. Let sit while you make the meatballs. (It will seem like a lot of cucumbers at first, but they will shrink down as they drain.)
Step 3
Meanwhile, drizzle 2 Tbsp. oil over a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange pine nuts in an even layer on another rimmed baking sheet (use a quarter-sheet if you have one!).
Step 4
Finely chop ¼ cup olives. Transfer to a large bowl and add egg, garlic, panko, parsley, 1½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes; season with black pepper. Drain raisins and add half to bowl; mix well to combine. Add pork and gently mix with your hands to incorporate. Working one at a time, scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of pork mixture and form into balls (think about the size of a golf ball; you should get about 20). Arrange on oiled baking sheet, spacing 1" apart. Turn to coat.
Step 5
Bake meatballs, rotating baking sheet front to back halfway through, until browned on bottom and cooked through, 10–15 minutes. Toast pine nuts on bottom rack until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Step 6
Coarsely chop remaining ½ cup olives. Gather cucumbers into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess liquid into bowl (don’t worry if they get a little smashed); discard liquid. Wipe out bowl and combine cucumbers, olives, pine nuts, onion, herbs, and remaining raisins in bowl; toss to combine. Drizzle in vinegar and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, season with salt and black pepper, and toss again to coat.
Step 7
Swoosh a generous scoop of yogurt over each plate, then top with salad and meatballs. Season with more black pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.