This incredibly flavorful and fresh-tasting cucumber tomato salad is the perfect summer side dish and a lifesaver during those months when turning the oven on is unthinkable.
Ready in about fifteen minutes, it takes advantage of beautiful ripe summer tomatoes and firm, seedless English cucumbers.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this cucumber tomato salad. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
English cucumber: These are the elongated cucumbers that are tightly wrapped in plastic.
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.
Cilantro: While parsley is an acceptable alternative, cilantro is much more flavorful.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic granules, and dried oregano.
Olive oil: It's really important to use high-quality olive oil in this recipe.
Lemon juice: Make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best, freshest flavor.
Instructions
This cucumber tomato salad is so easy to make and it's ready in about 10 minutes. The detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
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.
Expert 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.
- 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 do recommend using all of them. They make the salad very flavorful.
Frequently asked questions
English cucumbers are long, thin, and elongated. They are firm and seedless. Their texture is perfect in a salad because they're not as mushy as other cucumber varieties. They're also more flavorful because of their lower water content.
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 those larger ones have a tendency to slide right off one's fork when one tries to eat them.
If you use regular tomatoes, you should cut them into bite-size wedges.
You could, but they are sharper than red onions, so make sure to slice them very thinly and use a little less of them. Red onions are better and they also look prettier in the salad.
Variations
Here are a few ways for you to vary this recipe:
- Add ¼ cup of crumbled feta cheese.
- Add ¼ cup of pitted kalamata olives.
- You can use parsley instead of cilantro, although I feel that cilantro really 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 really like the fresh flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice in this salad.
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 with simple grilled meats and seafood. Here are a few examples:
Storing leftovers
This is not a good recipe to make ahead of time. It's best enjoyed when freshly assembled or after a short rest for allowing the flavors to meld.
But if you find yourself with some 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.
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Recipe card
Cucumber Tomato Salad
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 sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
- 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.
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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. And definitely use good olive oil in this recipe.
- 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 do recommend using all of them. They make the salad very flavorful.
ADD YOUR OWN NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 