Cucumber Tomato Salad

Name: Cucumber Tomato Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 3 cups English cucumbers, sliced; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half; 1/2 cup red onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced; 3 tablespoons fresh curly parsley; 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian herbs; Pinch red pepper flakes; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup light olive oil; Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

by Deborah on Mar 16, 2024 (updated Sep 30, 2024) 0 comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

This Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad recipe is made with English cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and red onion all tossed in a light and delicious red wine vinaigrette. Tomato cucumber salad a refreshing and light dish to make for backyard barbecues, potlucks and weekday meals.

The recipe for this easy tomato cucumber salad is a quick and easy one to make! Once you try it, you’ll be making it all summer long!

This easy cucumber tomato onion salad is a recipe my mom used to whip up to serve with grilled chicken during the warm summer months. It’s fast and easy, crispy and cooling and it makes a perfect summer salad to feed a small crowd.

Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe

You will only need a few basic ingredients to make this Mediterranean tomato cucumber salad.

Cucumber. We use unpeeled English cucumber for this recipe because they’re light tasting and crispy and they have few seeds and a delicate skin. If you use garden cucumbers, you’ll need to peel deseed them.
Tomatoes. We used cherry tomatoes (sliced in half) for this recipe, but you can also use Roma tomatoes cut in quarters.
Onions. We use red onions for this salad which adds a lot of flavor to the mix.
Parsley. Fresh parsley adds a refreshing pop of flavor to this simple salad. Sometimes I’ll also toss in some fresh basil if I have it on hand.
Dressing. The dressing for this cucumber tomato salad is a delicious homemade red wine vinaigrette that’s quick and easy to make.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

Variations

I like to use a mix of English and Persian cucumbers for this salad. The different sizes of cucumber slices makes the salad look pretty. Like English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers don’t need to be peeled or seeded.
Use Feta cheese instead of Parmesan cheese
Toss in kalamata olives
Add whole pepperoncinis
Sprinkle in chopped fresh basil

How To Make Cucumber Tomato Salad

This easy tomato cucumber salad comes together in a pinch. You’ll want to refrigerate the salad though for about 30 minutes before serving so it’s nice and cold (so refreshing)!

Make Dressing. Add the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Prep ingredients. Rinse unpeeled cucumber under cold water. Take a fork and lightly run it lengthwise along the cucumber skin to lightly score it. This will help the cucumber to absorb more of the delicious dressing. After you’ve scored the cucumber, cut into thin slices either using a knife or a mandoline. Add slices to a small mixing bowl. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, and peel and slice the red onion into thin slices, and toss in the bowl with the cucumber and tomatoes.
Toss. Pour vinaigrette over the ingredients and toss. Sprinkle in the finely grated Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley and toss again. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Refrigerate. Chill salad in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving so it’s nice and cold.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

This red wine vinaigrette is quick and easy to make and it makes this cucumber tomato onion salad taste amazing. Add the ingredients to a blender and blend for about 20-30 seconds. You can also whisk the ingredients together in a bowl or add ingredients to a mason jar, seal the lid and shake vigorously to blend well. Leftover vinaigrette will keep in the tightly sealed mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. You may need to let the mason jar sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using because the olive oil can solidify a bit in the refrigerator.

Red Wine Vinegar
Light Olive Oil
Mustard
Garlic
Seasoning

What Are The Best Cucumbers For Salads?

When choosing the best cucumbers to use for cucumber salads, you want to look for firm English cucumbers that are free of soft spots, cracks or withered and shriveled ends, and the skin should be a rich green rather than a pale green. Always remove the plastic that the cucumbers are wrapped in and then rinse well under cold water to remove any dirt and debris before slicing. If using garden cucumbers, you’ll need to peel and deseed them before slicing them because the skins are a little thick and bitter tasting and the seeds are bitter tasting as well. English cucumbers are crispier and they have a light refreshing taste making them the best choice to use for salads.

Should You Peel Cucumbers Before Adding Them To Salads?

There is no need to peel English or Persian cucumbers because their skins are thin and crispy. Garden (American) cucumbers need to be peeled and deseeded before adding them to salads since the skin is thick and bitter tasting and the seeds are bitter tasting as well.

Types Of Cucumbers

There are many varieties of cucumbers. Cucumbers that you eat fresh are typically classified as slicing cucumbers. English cucumbers are usually a little more expensive than garden cucumbers, but with English cucumbers you can consume the peel and tiny seeds and enjoy all the fiber and nutrients they provide.

American – The typical cucumbers found in the grocery stores are American cucumbers (also called slicing cucumber and garden cucumber). They have a thicker and darker green skin which is bitter tasting. They have a softer texture flesh with many large seeds that can give the flesh a slightly bitter taste. It’s best to peel them and scrape away the seeds before consuming.
English – English cucumbers are also called hothouse, greenhouse, seedless, burpless and European cucumbers. They are long with dark green skins that have distinct ridges running lengthwise. They have tiny seeds so the flesh (and skin) don’t taste bitter like the garden cucumber does. Cucumbers are a member of the cucurbitaceae family (gourd family), which includes zucchini, squash, melons and pumpkins. Botanically speaking, cucurbits are actually a fruit. Most cucurbits are herbaceous tendril-bearing vines that are commonly grown in warmer climates.
Persian – Persian cucumbers are similar to English hothouse cucumbers in taste and texture, but they’re about half the size. Both of them are crunchy, have thin skins, few seeds and they are mild tasting. Neither of them need to be peeled before consuming.

Looking For More Summer Salad Recipes?

Yield: 6 servings