Cucumber Tomato Salad is a classic salad, light, cooling, and oh-so refreshing. This easy salad is made with sliced cucumbers & juicy tomatoes and enhanced with slivers of red onion and a tangy vinaigrette dressing.
Serve cucumber tomato onion salad next to grilled or roasted meats or fish, such as marinated beef or chicken kabobs, grilled salmon, or pork tenderloin.
How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad
When the farmer’s markets start overflowing with juicy garden fresh veggies, I take my cue to make a big bowl of cucumber tomato salad.
- Combine all dressing ingredients (per recipe below).
- Slice all vegetables and toss with the dressing.
I love using a combination of fresh or dried oregano and basil in this salad to bring out its Mediterranean essence. Chopped fresh dill and-or parsley deliver equally excellent herbal notes.
English cucumber is ideal for this recipe. The peels are tender enough that there’s no need to remove them, and the seeds are virtually nonexistent. If you only have regular salad cukes on hand, those are perfectly suitable as well. Just peel them, and, if the seeds seem tough, scoop them out and then slice.
Dressing for Cucumber Tomato Salad
Honestly, this salad really doesn’t need much, a simple dressing allows the flavor of the veggies to shine and keeps the salad light and fresh.
A splash of vinegar and a bit of olive oil with salt & pepper. I most often use red wine vinegar but you can use your favorite (infused oils and vinegars are great here too).
Can I Make it Ahead?
This salad tastes great served cold and can be made ahead. Of course it’s best made the day you’re serving it but you can keep it for a couple of days and drain any juices. Whenever I’m planning this dish and need to get a jump on dinner, I partially prep the tomato-cucumber salad.
- In the same bowl you plan to make the salad, whisk together the wine vinegar, olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper.
- Peel and cut the onion into slivers and toss in the vinaigrette.
- Cover and refrigerate for up to a day in advance.
The onions will stay crunchy while helping the dressing mellow and develop flavor. To assemble the salad, all you have to do is slice the cucumbers and tomatoes, toss with the onion and vinaigrette mixture, and briefly refrigerate before serving.
More Fun Additions
You can have a lot of fun with this recipe, by treating it as a foundation. Go ahead and layer in other fresh and tasty ingredients like crumbled feta, mozzarella balls, avocado chunks or chopped fennel bulb. Got stale bread? Even better, turn this into a Panzanella Salad to make it a meal!
The options are limited only by your own creativity!
Salads with a Cucumber Crunch
- Creamy Cucumber Salad – summertime staple!
- Cucumber Onion Salad – light & refreshing
- Cucumber Avocado Salad – simple 3 ingredient dressing!
- Cucumber Dill Salad – made with a lemon vinaigrette
- Creamy Cucumber Pasta Salad – potluck favorite!
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 long English cucumber sliced
- 2-3 large tomatoes diced
- ½ red onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs parsley, basil and/or dill, optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well.
- Refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Salad
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What the hell? You state a 10 minute prep time yet you advise the reader to “slice the onions and toss in the vinegrette and refrigerator for a Day??? That’s alot longer than 10 minutes Brainic. This step is completely unnecessary and confusing for others who don’t know how to cook STUPID
Hi Robert, the prep time for this recipe is 10 minutes. We consider prep time to be the active hands on time for a recipe!
The section you are referring to in the write up the “How to Prepare Ahead of Time” for those looking to make the recipe in advance. You can prepare the onions and dressing a day ahead and then toss with the fresh veggies just before eating.
If you’re not prepping ahead, toss it all together and enjoy! I like to allow the flavors to blend for 20 minutes before serving, but you can certainly eat it immediately. I hope that helps.
Still makes no sense. You state prep time is “total hands on” Really ? Well the onions last time I checked are usually sliced with hands. Then you suggest putting them in the fridge for a day (how do they get in there. Magic? Last time I checked I used my hands. Your TOTAL PREP time is misleading for people who cannot t interpolate a recipe Your step is with the onions is a waste of time and does not effect the recipe one bit
The part you are looking at isn’t the recipe. :) it’s the “make ahead” directions for those who meal prep. The recipe is below and slicing the onions is included in the hands on prep time.
Rude! Reading is fundamental!
I want to make this for 4th of July BBQ. Could I use Roma tomatoes?
Absolutely, any ripe tomato will work.
I love this recipe but I used apple cider vinegar and 2-3 cloves of garlic. For the herbs I used dried basil and a pinch for chili flakes.
It is a delicious salad! I added feta cheese crumbles and balsamic vinegar it was yummy!
I don’t have any vinegar on hand. Can I whisk lemon juice and olive oil? Or what do you recommend as a substitute
It will change the flavor but will still be delicious Lyn. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
So quick to make, cost effective, healthy & perfect crunch.
I just made this tonight so good thank you I put a little white sugar in my dressing..
love the cucumber and tomato salad can it be kept for a while in a jar
This will keep for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I am so glad you love this recipe Sharon!
as a technically challenged cook, how do i substitute cherub tomatoes for the large ones. Also, how much cheese balls should i put in. I am anxious to try this. It sounds delicious
Hi Barbara! I would use approximately 20 cherub tomatoes and 1/2 cup of diced or sliced cheese. I can’t wait for you to try it!
Surprisingly good for such simple ingredients! The fresh herbs were wonderful and made for a delicious salad :) Thanks!!
Great Recipe! Thank u for being
Awesome️
Peace ☮️ Love Happiness
love, love, love this recipe! it makes me miss living in Germany. The fresh dill is a wonderful addition. I am preparing it for the third time now over the past six weeks. Thank you for sharing.
You’re very welcome Jarrod! Thank you for your comment, and I’m so happy to know how much you love the salad.
I love the combination of cucumber, onion, and tomato. Taste great
Great salad, I will make that more often. Especially at this time of year with all the fresh produce.
can I have broccoli to the salad would it change the taste much
Broccoli would change the flavor but would be delicious too! If you’re adding in addition to the other vegetables, you might need to add a bit of extra dressing. Let us know how it goes!
I peeled and took out the seeds of the cucumber and added some feta cheese.. Yummy!
This my husband favorite . I make this at least 3 times a week when our tomatoes are ripe. Yummy.
Thank you for the simple recipe. It came out terrific!
Parfait! J’ai fait avec du feta et mon copain (qui prétend ne pais aimer des concombres) l’adorée! MERCI! à refaire!!
Can u use apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar should work well in this recipe, Kathy! Enjoy!