When it’s blazing hot outside, this cucumber tomato salad is exactly what I want to eat. This recipe is crisp and refreshing, light yet satisfying. It’s the perfect side dish to make with a surplus of cucumbers and tomatoes from your garden or farmers’ market.
This simple veggie salad features fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, not-too-much red onion, fresh herbs and optional feta cheese. Once tossed in zippy Greek dressing, this basic combination is further proof that summertime produce doesn’t need much help to taste spectacular.
Cucumber Tomato Salad Ingredients
Cucumber
Use one English cucumber or two Persian cucumbers. I prefer these varieties to standard garden cucumbers because their skin isn’t bitter and they are extra crisp. You can use a regular cucumber if that’s what you have—taste it first, and peel off half or all of the skin if it tastes bitter.
Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are perfect for this salad because they’re small, flavorful, and more fleshy than watery. Cut them in half if they’re small-to-medium in size, and quarter any larger tomatoes.
Red Onion
Red onion can be overpowering, so we’ll tame its intensity by soaking it in ice water before using. Simply slice the onion and place it in a bowl of ice water while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Soaking also makes the onion extra crisp, which is lovely.
Optional Feta Cheese
You’ll enjoy this salad either way. Feta offers little bursts of creamy, salty flavor. Without it, this salad tastes extra light and refreshing, like a spa salad!
Fresh Basil or Dill
This salad is not complete without fresh herbs. Use a combination of the two or all basil, whichever you prefer.
Greek Dressing
Finally, we’ll bring this salad to life when we toss it with Greek salad dressing, which is simply the best dressing for cucumber tomato salad! It’s made with extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh garlic, honey, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
Sometimes salads of this nature are swimming in oil, but not this one. This dressing is bold, so you can get by with less.
You can cut the salad dressing ingredients in half for the perfect amount for this salad, or better yet, make the full batch to enjoy on green salads throughout the week.
Watch How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad
Serving Suggestions
Bring this tomato and cucumber salad recipe to your next cookout, or serve it at home as a simple side salad. It keeps well for several days in the refrigerator.
I love this salad with sandwiches—it would be perfect with my Caprese Sandwich, Vegetarian “BLT” Sandwich or Favorite Veggie Burgers.
It would be great with summery pizzas, too. Try my Margherita Pizza, Grilled Pizza or Greek Pizza.
Lastly, its crisp texture and tangy flavors make it the perfect accompaniment to classic barbecue dishes like Grilled Corn and Herbed Potato Salad.
More Summer Salads to Enjoy
These refreshing salads feature summer’s finest tomatoes and cucumbers:
Please let me know how your salad turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Cucumber Tomato Salad with Greek Dressing
This cucumber tomato salad recipe is light, refreshing and perfect for summer! It features cucumber, cherry tomatoes and optional feta tossed in Greek dressing. Recipe yields 6 side servings.
- Place the onion in a small bowl of ice water and let it soak for at least 5 minutes to tame the flavor.
- In the meantime, combine the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, optional feta, and herbs in a medium serving bowl. Once the onions are drained, add them to the bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- For best flavor, let the salad rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Notes
*Dressing note: You’ll need about half of the full salad dressing recipe. Either divide the ingredients in half to make just what you need, or better yet, make the full batch for future salads! It will keep in the fridge for about 1 week.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta cheese.
Nutrition
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