Cucumber Tomato Salad

This salad is very refreshing and tasty. Used my cucumbers from the garden and tomatoes. I also had feta crumbles and it was delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

— Jane

If you grow your own cucumbers and tomatoes, this cucumber tomato salad is a wonderful way enjoy them. If you don’t garden, I highly recommend visiting the farmer’s market in the summer to stock up on fresh produce because it always tastes best!

Whether you want a crunchy, healthy side dish with your sandwich or you’re looking for something fresh to serve at your next gathering, this is a simple, light recipe you can enjoy all summer long!

Why you will love this recipe

• Simple and quick. All you need is a handful of vegetables to make this vibrant, easy cucumber salad. It takes just about 15 minutes to chop the vegetables and toss in with your homemade dressing.
• Healthy. This salad is perfectly healthy, low in carbs, and gluten-free. If you are on a keto-diet, this cucumber tomato feta salad is perfect for you.
• So flavorful. The flavors of this will blow you away. So delicious and refreshing!

ingredients needed

For this beautiful summer salad, I chose seasonal ingredients that are so flavorful this time of year! Here’s what’s you’ll need:

• Cucumbers. Light and refreshing with the perfect crunch. I recommend English cucumbers because they have less seeds and a thinner skin.
• Tomatoes. Tomatoes are especially delicious in the summertime! Feel free to use grape or cherry tomatoes instead of Roma.
• Red onion. Red onions are great for salads because they have a beautiful color and a more mild, sweet flavor than other onion varieties.
• Fresh dill. Dill is one of my favorite herbs and it works so well in this salad. If you don’t have dill available, try using fresh parsley or fresh basil leaves.
• Dressing. This salad is tossed in a tasty homemade red wine vinaigrette dressing. It’s a simple mix of avocado or olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
• Feta cheese. The creamy, salty flavor of feta is perfect in this fresh salad. You can also use mozzarella balls or goat cheese for a little more tang, or even gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles.

how to make this recipe

There’s nothing complicated about tossing this salad together! The only thing that takes a bit of time is cutting up all the vegetables. Here’s the easy process:

1. Chop all your veggies. This should only take about 5-10 minutes.
2. Place the veggies in a large bowl.
3. Make your dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to combine. Alternatively, you can shake a mason jar filled with the ingredients.
4. Sprinkle feta cheese over the salad and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy immediately or place in the fridge to eat later!

Pro tip: If you find the onion is too intense tasting, soak in water for 30 minutes to help take the bite out of the onion.

dressing ingredients

The dressing for this salad is really simple, which is perfect because we want to let the fresh flavors of the cucumbers, tomatoes and onions come through. Here’s what you’ll need to make the vinaigrette:

• 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (Feel free to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar. It will change the flavor slightly, but it will still be delicious!)
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• dash of  black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)

tips for recipe success

• After slicing, but before chopping, I like to use a spoon to scrape out all of the seeds from the cucumber. The seeds hold water, removing them will keep this salad from getting soggy.
• Make ahead of time! This salad can be made several hours before you plan to serve it.
• The vinaigrette for this salad can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to make your salad.
• I prefer to buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it myself. I find that the block feta has more flavor than the tubs of pre-crumbled cheese.
• If you are making this for a party, I highly recommend doubling the salad recipe. It will be everyone’s favorite!
• This salad can easily be made dairy-free and vegan by omitting the feta cheese.

Frequently asked questions

Should you peel cucumbers for salad?

The skin of a cucumber is edible and isn’t harmful. It comes down to personal choice. The skin of large regular cucumbers may be a bit tough and bitter, so you may prefer to peel them. We find the skin of smaller cucumbers, like Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers thin and perfectly fine to eat. Some may even argue that the skin is packed with nutrients.

What are the best tomatoes for salad?

Our first choice is garden tomatoes, as they are usually juicy and full of flavor. Next up, I would choose Roma tomatoes. They typically have a tangy, garden-fresh tomato taste. Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes make a great choice too. They are sweet, tangy, crunchy, and a great choice to use in salads and many other recipes.

Is a cucumber tomato salad good for you?

Yes! This is a fresh salad that is low in calories and incredibly healthy for you with loads of nutrients. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. Vitamin A helps vision and promotes healthy skin and bones. Vitamin C helps to strengthen the immunity and heal the body. They are high in fiber and contain lots of water, both which aids to support the digestive system. They also contain lycopene which is an essential antioxidant.

Cucumbers are high in fiber and contain lots of water which promotes hydration. Fiber and water helps to flush out toxins, support the digestive tract and alleviates swelling. They also contain antioxidants and help to regulate blood sugar.

customize this recipe

This salad is delicious as-is, but you can absolutely change things up to use what you have available and customize the flavors to your tastes.

• Protein. Cucumber tomato salad pairs well with almost any protein. We love it served alongside grilled chicken, fish, shrimp or burgers.
• Plant-based protein. Add in a can of drained chickpeas or a cup of cooked quinoa for a little more heartiness and plant-based protein.
• Veggies. Feel free to add other vegetables such as marinated artichoke hearts, grilled zucchini, corn, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, or pepperoncini peppers.
• Healthy fats. Toss in a chopped avocado for additional nutrition and healthy fats.
• Dressing. The homemade vinaigrette is super easy to mix up and adds the perfect tang, but feel free to swap it out with about 3-4 tablespoons of your favorite bottled Greek vinaigrette or another favorite dressing.

serving suggestions

• Straight out of the bowl. Add some chickpeas and this is plenty filling for a light meal. You could also add diced grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken for a little more staying power.
• With fresh greens. For even more veggie goodness, toss this tomato salad with fresh greens, then drizzle on a bit of extra vinaigrette to create a fresh green salad.
• As a side dish. The way I usually serve this recipe is as a side dish to grilled meats, steak, burgers or sandwiches.

make ahead + storage recommendations

• Make ahead. This cucumber tomato salad recipe is great to make several hours in advance of serving it because it gets tastier over time. You can also mix the vinaigrette together up to 3 days in advance, and store it in the refrigerator.
• Storing leftovers. Store the leftover salad in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Before serving again, give it a good stir and taste + season again as needed.

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.