This fresh-tasting cucumber tomato salad is the perfect summer side dish and a lifesaver during those months when turning the oven on is unthinkable.
This salad is so simple, yet so good. Ready in about fifteen minutes, it takes advantage of beautiful ripe summer tomatoes and firm, seedless English cucumbers. It pairs well with almost any main course you can think of. Much like Caprese salad, it's one of those dishes that are so basic and simple that you'll want to select the best and freshest ingredients. If you do, I think you'll agree with me that this is one of the best side dishes one can have, especially in summer.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- English cucumber: These cucumbers are long, thin, and elongated. They are firm and seedless. Their texture is perfect in a salad because they're not as mushy or watery as other cucumber varieties. They're also more flavorful because of their lower water content.
- Cherry tomatoes: Try to pick tomatoes that are red and ripe yet firm.
- Red onions: Just ¼ cup and thinly sliced, to add sharpness to the salad without overwhelming it. I don't recommend using yellow or white onions. They are too sharp.
- Cilantro: While parsley is an acceptable alternative, cilantro is more flavorful.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic granules (or powder), and dried oregano.
- Olive oil: It's important to use high-quality olive oil. Pick extra-virgin olive oil packaged in a dark glass bottle, and read the ingredients list to make sure it's pure olive oil and wasn't mixed with another oil.
- Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best, freshest flavor.
Variations
- Add ¼ cup of crumbled feta cheese.
- Add ¼ cup of pitted kalamata olives.
- You can use parsley instead of cilantro, although cilantro greatly elevates this salad in terms of its flavor.
- You can use dried thyme instead of dried oregano.
- One minced garlic clove can replace the garlic granules.
- Scallions are a good substitute for red onions.
- You can use red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, although I prefer the fresh flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Turn it into a complete meal by adding a cooked protein such as baked salmon, grilled chicken breast, or poached eggs.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Place the cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro in a large bowl. Sprinkle the vegetables with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic granules, and dried oregano.
Drizzle the salad with olive oil and lemon juice. Gently toss to combine.
Serve immediately, or let the salad rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Toss again before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Don't skimp on the olive oil! It's what makes the salad so flavorful. I've seen recipes that add 1 or 2 tablespoons of it. I highly recommend using the full three tablespoons. It will make a big difference. And definitely use good olive oil in this recipe.
- If your cherry tomatoes are small, like the ones I use, there's no need to slice them. If they're larger, you should cut them in half since the larger ones have a tendency to slide off one's fork when one tries to eat them. If you use regular tomatoes, you should cut them into bite-sized wedges.
- Make sure to slice the onions very thinly. No one wants to bite into a big chunk of sharp onion in their salad.
- When you sprinkle the spices on the salad, it might seem like a lot, but I recommend using all of them. They make the salad very flavorful.
- Storage tips: This is not a good recipe to make ahead of time. It's best enjoyed when freshly assembled or after a short rest to allow the flavors to meld. But if you find yourself with leftovers, they'll keep alright in the fridge, in an airtight container, until the next day. I wouldn't try to keep them beyond that.
Serving Suggestions
I serve this salad as an easy side dish. It goes well with many main courses, but it goes especially well with Mediterranean-style dishes and simple grilled meats and seafood. Here are a few examples:
- Grilled chicken skewers
- Beef kabobs
- Grilled salmon
- Broiled salmon
- Oven chicken kabobs
- Grilled shrimp
- Grilled chicken breast
- Skirt steak
I also like to serve it when I make a meatless main course like cauliflower steak or crustless broccoli quiche.
Recipe Card
15-Minute Cucumber Tomato Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber - sliced; 2 cups
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved if large
- ¼ cup red onion - thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules - or powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Place the cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle the vegetables with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic granules, and dried oregano.
- Drizzle the salad with olive oil and lemon juice. Gently toss to combine.
- Serve immediately, or let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Gently toss again before serving.
Notes
- Don't skimp on the olive oil! It's what makes the salad so flavorful. I've seen recipes that add 1 or 2 tablespoons of it. I highly recommend using the full three tablespoons. It will make a big difference.
- Definitely use good olive oil in this recipe. Pick extra-virgin olive oil packaged in a dark glass bottle, and read the ingredients list to make sure it's pure olive oil and wasn't mixed with another oil.
- Make sure to slice the onions very thinly. No one wants to bite into a big chunk of sharp onion in their salad.
- When you sprinkle the spices over the salad, it might seem like a lot, but I recommend using all of them. They make the salad very flavorful.
- This is not a good recipe to make ahead of time. It's best enjoyed when freshly assembled or after a short rest to allow the flavors to meld. But if you find yourself with leftovers, they'll keep alright in the fridge, in an airtight container, until the next day. I wouldn't try to keep them beyond that.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Sharon Miller says
Just wondering what you call good olive oil? There's a lot of different brands of olive oil out there.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Sharon,
I use extra-virgin olive oil packaged in a dark glass bottle.
And I read the ingredients list to make sure it's pure olive oil, as some are mixed with other oils.
Thank you for this question. I'll go ahead and add this info to the recipe.
Marianne Fine says
Can I just use olive oil without the lemon juice or vinegar?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yes, you can!