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This Cucumber and Tomato Salad is one of those recipes I keep coming back to all summer long. It’s fresh, light, and comes together in 15 minutes with ingredients you probably already have on hand. No cooking, no fuss, made with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and a simple balsamic dressing that ties it all together. Perfect as a side dish and pairs well with just about anything.
Honestly, this salad has saved me on so many busy weeknights. I throw it together in minutes and it goes with pretty much whatever I’m already making for dinner. My kids can be picky but this one they actually ask for, which says a lot. Once you make it the first time, it just becomes one of those staples you always come back to. I love pairing this salad with either my Chicken Kafta recipe or my Beef Kafta.
A couple of other salad recipes that are similar and I think you will also like are my Avocado Tomato Salad and my simple Cucumber Onion Salad.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients Needed
For the Salad:
- Cucumbers: Any cucumber is fine. Use either one large English cucumber or 6 smaller Persian cucumbers.
- Tomatoes: I love using cherry or grape tomatoes. They tend to be sweet and crunchy.
- Onion: Purple works out great because the flavor isn’t as intense as white cooking onions. White sweet onions will be fine.
How to make the salad dressing
- Ingredients for the dressing: Olive or avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, lemon, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. (You may also add 1 teaspoon of honey or agave)
- Add all the above ingredients into a bowl, mix until they are combined, and set aside.
How To Make Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Prepare veggies: Cut up the veggies according to the size you like.
- Add the veggies to a large bowl
- Make the dressing: Add the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and mix well.
- Toss the dressing into the large bowl of tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. Then mix and serve.
Ways to Mix It Up
This salad is really easy to make. Here are some of my favorite variations you can do to make it your own:
- Greek style: Add crumbled feta cheese and a handful of kalamata olives. Swap the balsamic for red wine vinegar and toss in some fresh oregano.
- Creamy version: Mix a couple tablespoons of sour cream or Greek yogurt into the dressing for a creamy cucumber tomato salad.
- Mediterranean with chickpeas: Add a can of drained chickpeas to bulk it up and make it more filling. This is a great option if you want to serve it as a light lunch instead of just a side.
- Add avocado: Toss in some diced avocado right before serving. It adds a creamy richness that works really well with the acidity of the tomatoes and dressing. Just add it last so it doesn’t get mushy.
Fresh Herbs to Try
I usually make this with Italian seasoning because it’s what I always have on hand, but fresh herbs take it to another level if you have them. Here are a few that work really well:
- Fresh basil: This is my personal favorite. Tear it up right before serving so it doesn’t bruise.
- Dill: Gives it a lighter, more summery feel.
- Parsley: Adds a little color and a clean, mild flavor.
- Mint: Works really well with cucumber.
You don’t need to use all of them. Even just one fresh herb makes a difference. If you have a little herb garden at home, this salad is a great way to use whatever you have on hand.
Tips for the Best Salad
A few things I’ve learned from making this salad over and over:
- Don’t dress it too early: If you toss everything together and then let it sit for hours, the cucumbers and tomatoes release water and the whole thing gets soggy. Either dress it right before serving, or store the dressing separately if you’re making it ahead.
- Use the best tomatoes you can find: I love using cherry tomatoes and they are great year-round because they tend to be sweeter and hold their texture better than larger tomatoes.
- Taste and adjust before serving: Every batch is a little different depending on how sweet or acidic your tomatoes are. Give it a quick taste before you put it on the table and adjust the salt, vinegar, or lemon as needed.
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Common Questions
The skin of a cucumber is edible and isn’t harmful. It comes down to personal choice. The skin of large cucumbers may be a bit tough and bitter so it would be beneficial to peel the cucumber. I find the skin of smaller cucumbers thin and perfectly fine to eat.
My first choice would be cherry or grape tomatoes. They are sweet, tangy, and crunchy, and a great choice to use in salads and many other recipes. Heirloom tomatoes are just as great to use in salads and come in so many different pretty colors. My next option would be to use vine-ripe tomatoes. They are all full of flavor.
If you have leftovers, place them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It does not freeze well.
More salad recipes
- Taco Pasta Salad
- Carne Asada Steak Bowl
- Easy Healthy Egg Salad
- Keto Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps
- Pomegranate Chicken Salad Recipe
- Healthy Avocado Tuna Salad
What to pair it with
- Pan-Seared Mushroom Steak Bites
- Sun-dried Tomato Stuffed Salmon
- Honey Lime Glazed Salmon
- Air fried Chicken Parmesan
- Oven-fried Chicken Tenders
- Lemon Garlic Marinated Chicken
If you try a recipe and you like it, leave me some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it.
Simple Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 Small Cucumbers, diced (or one large English cucumber)
- 1- pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half or quartered
- 1/2 Purple/Red Onion, thinly sliced
Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil, or Avocado oil
- 2 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Instructions
- Add the cut-up 1- pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, 6 Small Cucumbers (diced), and 1/2 Purple/Red Onion (sliced) into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, add all of the dressing ingredients (2 Tablespoon Olive Oil, 2 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar, 1 Lemon, 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, and 1 garlic clove), mix and pour over the bowl of veggies.
- Mix until combined and serve. Enjoy.
Notes
- Tomatoes: Use any small cherry tomatoes, or your next option will be vine-ripe tomatoes
- Onions: Red onion works best, but you can also use sweet white onions
- Oil: Avocado or olive oil. Grapeseed oil is also ok
- Vinegar: I love balsamic, but you can also use red wine vinegar.
- Seasoning: if you don’t have any Italian seasoning handy, use these other herbs to make some: dried parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Super wow
Hi! There are two typos you might want to fix in the “how to make the salad dressing” section.
“Ingredients for the salad [dressing]”
And
“Ass [mix, I’m guessing, lol] up the salad dressing”
Lol. So sorry. Fixing it now!
There is garlic in the photo but I don’t see any mention of it in the recipe.
Hi Darlene. I am so sorry I missed the garlic. It goes with the dressing. I just fixed it
Love this salad! Excellent recipe with beautiful pictures as well. Thank you!
It’s my favorite too! Thanks for the feedback and glad you liked it
Made this today for Easter sunday lunch and it was so good. We paired it with hummus, Naan bread, feta cheese, and Kalamata olives. Easy to make for a quick snack, lunch, or dinner.
Perfect!
Amazing! Fresh and tasty!
Thank you!
Wow just super great
Thank you
Awesome post. Thanks for sharing this wonderful post with us!