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Tomato Cucumber Salad is a refreshing dish that packs a punch of fresh flavor. It’s simple to make with a bright dressing full of herbs. This is one delightful salad that’s like a burst of summer on your plate!
Serve this salad with Crock Pot Chicken Thighs and Air Fryer Baked Potatoes for an easy, delicious family meal.
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When I’m craving food that’s fresh, this salad is one of the few things guaranteed to satisfy my taste buds. It’s bright, crisp, and full of garden-grown goodness. I’ve had homegrown veggies on my mind the past few weeks since it seems like it’s been an exceptionally long winter.
Maybe I should state that differently. It’s been cold, rainy, snowy, and on some days, dreadful. That’s why I had to come up with a few recipes that would cheer me up and put a little pep in my step. For me, summer salads are the way to do just that.
What People Say About This Recipe
This is my favorite cucumber salad and I have tried plenty! I went exactly by the recipe 2 times and my husband, grandson, and I love it! Thank you! ~ Ruth
This is SO delicious! We had an abundance of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes in our garden this year and not only is this salad excellent, but it’s also a great way to use my giant pile of veggies! Taking this to a family bbq today. I know everyone’s going to love it! ~Shelly
Ingredients For This Fresh Salad Recipe
- Grape Tomatoes – Roma or cherry tomatoes are also great to use.
- English Cucumber
- Red Onion
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar – red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar can be substituted.
- Lemon Juice – apple cider vinegar can also be used.
- Dried Italian Seasoning
- Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Scroll down for measurements and instructions
How To Make The Best Tomato Cucumber Salad
- The key to making this salad is picking out the best tomatoes and cucumbers in the grocery store. I’ve found that grape tomatoes have a sweet flavor and a meatier texture, making them excellent in salads.
- For the cucumbers, I use “English” cukes for a couple of reasons. They are tender, crunchy, and are seedless. I also add in some onion because, in my book, you just have to have it.
- When it comes time to pull this salad together, the dressing is key. I don’t care for salads that are overdressed with a thick, gloppy dressing that hides all the beautiful, fresh ingredients.
- I use good olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, dried herbs, a pinch of sugar, and just the right amount of salt and pepper to combine all the flavors.
Delicious Additions
This tomato cucumber salad recipe lends itself to all kinds of yummy ingredient additions.
- Vegetables – avocado, red or green bell pepper, celery, grilled corn, or green beans.
- Cheese – Feta cheese, mozzarella balls, or shredded Parmesan cheese.
- Dried or Fresh Herbs – fresh dill, parsley, basil, or dried oregano and thyme are all great choices.
- Proteins – grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon are all delicious in this salad.
Can This Salad Be Made Ahead Of Time?
Yes, it sure can. Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, then pour over about ¼ to ½ of the dressing and toss everything together. Store in an airtight container. When ready to serve, toss and add more dressing as needed.
Tips For Taking To A Potluck
- If you’re bringing a salad to a potluck, covered dish, supper, or party, make sure to keep them chilled and covered until serving time. You can do that by keeping your salad fresh and crisp in a chilled container or cooler.
- To avoid a soggy salad, pack your salad dressing separately and dress the salad just before serving.
What To Serve With Cucumber Tomato Salad
This versatile salad goes with so many lunch or dinner menus. I love serving it for lunch with Southern Ham Salad or classic Egg Salad.
It’s so good for dinner with Roasted Pork Tenderloin, London Broil or Sheet Pan Hamburger Steaks.
This cucumber tomato salad recipe is excellent with Roast Beef and Cheese Sandwiches or Jam Ham Sandwiches for picnics, and anytime you’re dining outdoors.
Frequently Asked Question With Answers
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I do think the dressing makes this dressing extra special, but if you are in a pinch, you can use store-bought vinaigrette dressing,
More Fresh Easy Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- Waldorf Salad
- Fruit Salad For A Crowd
- Simple Caprese Pasta Salad
- Spinach Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 pint grape tomatoes – sliced in half
- 1 English cucumber – sliced
- ½ medium red onion – thinly sliced
Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
Instructions
- Place tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a large bowl, set aside.
- In a mixing cup or small bowl, add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. Using a whisk, blend until well mixed. Pour dressing over tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. Toss salad.
Video
Notes
- Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, then pour over about ¼ to ½ of the dressing and toss everything together. Store in an airtight container. When ready to serve, toss and add more dressing as needed.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Need More Salad Inspiration?
This collection of 15 Fresh Salads To Brighten Up Any Meal is my go-to for easy-to-make recipes. They are terrific served as a side dish, snack, and are great to turn into a main meal. With these simple, delicious recipes, you can enjoy the fresh flavors of summer all year long!
How To Make Salad Dressing At Home
For the best flavors at a fraction of the cost, make your own salad dressing at home and skip the bottled stuff! These 5 dressings are my go-to recipes when I want to bring out the BEST in any salad.
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Ideas, recipes, and strategies to make easy meals loaded with flavor. Each of these recipes is affordable and simple to prepare using common ingredients.
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How many people does this recipe serve?
8 – per the info in the recipe card.
what kind if vinegar besides balsamic can I use
Any that you like.
~Donya
Love this! Me and my son have made this five times this summer already. Brought me back to my childhood and now I’m sharing it with him. : ) I only had red wine vinegar and it’s still fantastic. Almost done with the bottle and can’t wait to try it with balsamic. Thanks!
Made this for my daughter’s engagement party and it was fabulous!
Deb, you’ve made my day! Thank you so much for sharing this sweet event with me. ❤️
~Donya
Was Very Good! Thank you!
I love this salad. I just added an avocado and a little more salt but it was delicious. Thank you!
Made it exactly as written! Great recipe!
Thank you, Alexandra!
I love this recipe, especially in summer which fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from our garden.
Even in winter, I had some nice ripe Campari tomatoes, a seedless cucumber and red onion and made this super fresh delicious salad. I like a little more sweetness to the dressing, so I added about a teaspoon or so of honey.
Yummo!
My family and I LOVE this sald. I added a bit more lemon juice for my personal taste but will be making it over and over
I love the vinaigrette.
Did you really use balsamic in this recipe? The picture does not look like you used balsamic. I followed the recipe exactly, & my cukes are practically black. Did you use white balsamic, perhaps? I was hoping for something lighter & brighter in flavor,
Hey there Jan!
I am so happy to hear you’re giving this recipe another try, I think you’re really going to like it once you find the right vinegar for you. I always say, the most important part of cooking is fine-tuning recipes to fit your own tastes and needs. I like to use balsamic vinegar in my dressing, either white balsamic or regular, it doesn’t normally leave color on my cucumbers. But, if you’re not a fan of the regular balsamic, you can try substituting white balsamic or red wine vinegar. If you’re going for ‘lighter and brighter’ flavors then I would recommend giving the red wine vinegar a try next time you make this recipe. Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe and your support, I hope this is helpful!
~Donya
This recipe has all my husbands favorite vegetables! Can’t wait to hear his raves!
Hey there Suzi!
Thank you for your interest in this recipe! I completely agree with your husband, tomatoes and cucumbers make the PERFECT salad, I’m sure that he will love this salad! If you like this recipe, you should try my Creamy Tomato Cucumber Pasta Salad, it’s similar to this recipe but it has a different dressing, I think y’all would really like it. Thank you for your support, if you ever have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
~Donya
This is so delicious. The dressing is the best part- I will be using it on all my salads. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Hey there Dean!
Wow, thank you so very much for you kind words and this incredible rating! I am smiling right now reading this, so glad to hear you enjoy this salad, and I agree that the dressing is definitely the best part! Thank you so much for your support, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please feel free to ask!
Best,
~Donya
Fantastic recipe! Simple recipe using always on hand ingredients made this a winner! Tasted fresh and light and the salad dressing is a keeper to use with any fresh vegetables- thanks for a great recipe I will use again and again.
Hey there Bridget!
My goodness you’re too kind! Thank you so much for your sweet words and your terrific rating! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe, it’s one of those quick and easy recipes that are just dependable. Let me know if you ever have any questions about other recipes, thank you so much for your support! Have a great rest of your day!
~Donya
I made this today and since I don’t use oil I subbed it with veggie broth and I added some parsley. It’s wonderful ❤️.
Hey there Estee!
Thank you so much for your phenomenal rating and your sweet comment! It sounds like you made some delicious changes, it’s always best to make it exactly how’d you want to eat it. I really appreciate your support, thank you!
~Donya
Greetings from a fellow southern soul in Texas! I’ve made a lot of cucumber and tomato salads and this is one of my favorites now. Next time I’ll add just 1/2 tsp sugar as I thought 1 tsp was a bit too much – just a personal preference. This dressing would work well on a number of fresh vegetables like zucchini and yellow squash, or even on a green salad. Love it!
Hey there Carol!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment, I always love hearing from a fellow southern soul! I really appreciate your sweet words and your fantastic rating! I’m thrilled to hear you’ve been enjoying this salad, I completely agree that this dressing could go on anything. Thank you so much for your support, hope you’re having a wondering summer!
~Donya
p.s. Donya, I forgot to mention it’s even better the next day! Delish!
Hey there!
Oh my goodness you’re so sweet, I completely agree, I love it the next day. Thank you so much for your fantastic rating, I appreciate your support!
~Donya
Absolutely love this! And apparently so did everyone else. Was looking forward to leftovers the next day but there weren’t any. This recipe is a keeper!
WOW! Thank you, Deborah. Not just for your sweet words but also for the great rating. This recipe has become a classic, I think, and I’m thrilled you found it and me!
Have a great day,
~Donya
Perfect dish for summer!
This was delicious! I didn’t have grape tomatoes so I used regular sized ones. I also omitted the pepper. I made this dish for myself so I didn’t make 8 servings. I think I made about 4. I didn’t need all the dressing but was happy to have extra for next time.
Thanks, Deborah!
Yes, the recipe does make extra dressing and like you, I like to have the extra on hand.
I so appreciate your 5 star rating!!
Have a wonderful day.
~Donya
I usually just make this salad with dill, and I did add just a pinch, but I love the Italian seasoning! Might be my new favorite!
This is my favorite cucumber salad and I have tried plenty! I went exactly by the recipe 2 times and my husband, grandson, and I love it! Thank you!
Ruth,
You have made my day! I am so glad you like the salad recipe.
Have a great day,
~Donya
Does it matter if it’s fresh lemon juice or concentrated lemon juice?
Fresh is always best but just use what you have.
Enjoy!
Used avocado oil instead of olive oil, was extremely tasty
You talked about lemon juice, but it’s not in the list of ingredients???
Hey Julianne. Sorry for the confusion. I updated the information.
Have a great day!
Hey Donna,
I made the same salad but use Dryed Sun Tomato Dressing by Kraft. It is so good. I enjoy your receipts so much. Thanks so much for sharing.
I added some Feta and extra garlic. Yum!
This salad reminds me of my childhood! Delicious! I made 4 hours before dinner to allow the flavors to blend nicely. Have bookmarked for future use. Thanks!!
I love this recipe! I added two yellow peppers and some mozzarella bites as well. It’s absolutely delicious.
Thanks, Deb!
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Sounds like you made it your own with the additional ingredients. I love it.
Have a great day,
~Donya
This is SO delicious! We had an abundance of cucumbers and cherry tomatoes in our garden this year and not only is this salad excellent, but it’s also a great way to use my giant pile of veggies! Taking this to a family bbq today. I know everyone’s going to love it!