This Cucumber Tomato Salad is a refreshing side dish that’s quick and easy to prepare. Crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, red onion, fresh dill, and basil are tossed with a tangy and slightly sweet vinaigrette dressing that boasts fresh, vibrant flavors.
My family and I have enjoyed this delicious salad for several years. I love it because it’s simple, easy, and always a hit.
It’s a perfect side dish for spring and summer picnics and cookouts (although I love it year-round!). This salad is delicious served alongside just about any main course, especially beef, pork, and grilled chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
- Quick and easy: This side dish comes together in 15 minutes and uses simple ingredients that are easy to find.
- Customizable: This recipe can be easily adapted to suit your personal taste.
- Healthy and nutritious: This salad is packed with wholesome ingredients!
- Light and refreshing: This salad is especially satisfying during hot summer months and is a side dish that won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
Ingredients Needed
- Cucumbers – I prefer to use English cucumbers in this recipe, but any type will work.
- Tomatoes – I typically use Roma tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes are also delicious.
- Red onion
- Fresh basil
- Fresh dill
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Red wine vinegar
- Granulated white sugar
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make It
- Combine the vegetables: Toss cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, dill, and basil in a large bowl.
- Prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or large measuring cup.
- Dress the salad: Drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette dressing and toss to coat.
Helpful Tips
- Choose fresh and ripe produce. Look for firm cucumbers without any soft spots or bruises and tomatoes that are plump and vibrant red in color.
- Slice the vegetables uniformly in size for an even distribution of flavors.
- Adjust seasonings to taste. Taste the vinaigrette before drizzling over the salad and adjust to your personal taste.
Flavor Variations
- Add avocado for a creamy texture and added richness.
- Add feta cheese. Crumble feta cheese over the salad for a salty and tangy flavor addition.
- Add pitted black or kalamata olives for a Mediterranean twist.
- Add chopped bell pepper for added sweetness and crunchy texture.
- Add heat by sprinkling with crushed red pepper flakes.
Common Questions
Yes, you can prepare cucumber tomato salad ahead of time, but it’s best to drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving to prevent the veggies from becoming soggy.
Although it’s not necessary to peel the cucumbers, they can be peeled in this recipe.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
More Cucumber Deliciousness
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3 cups sliced cucumbers 1 ½ to 2 English cucumbers (peeled or unpeeled)
- 3 Roma tomatoes chopped (about 2 ½ cups chopped)
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup julienned or chopped fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Place cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, basil, and dill in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Whisk dressing ingredients in a large measuring cup or small bowl.Â
- Drizzle vinaigrette dressing over the salad and toss to coat as evenly as possible.
Video
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 5 cups.
- This salad is best when served within a few hours of preparing, but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
If provided, nutritional info is a courtesy, is not guaranteed and should only be considered as a guideline.
Originally published March 2012. Updated with new photos, new text and recipe slightly revised March 2023.
Leslie
Loved it!! Flavors were so good together and it’s different than others.
Ayme
Discovered this recipe last summer and we’ve made it again and again. Everyone loves it. I omit the sugar.
NORMA
I added spiral pasta and shrimp. Delicious!
Monique
This is now one of my family fav recipes. Everyone loves it!
Marissa Sorensen
I have made this salad, but put bacon in it, and suggest you don’t do that as I did. It tasted awesome, but by the second day, the bacon left chunks of grease from mixing with the oil for the dressing. So unless you can find a way out of that happening which would be great, I don’t see it possible. But it tasted fantastic.
Momof4
Have you tried using store bought bacon bits? My grandmother used to serve this in her restaurant and sometimes she would use bacon bits in it and was very good.
Dorothy
This is a wonderful salad, everybody commented on how good it was. Thank you so much for a keeper recipe to going back to.
mama j
Do you have the nutrition and calorie breakdown by chance?
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Mama J, The nutrition facts are at the bottom of the recipe. Please keep in mind it’s a general guideline/estimate and can vary depending on many factors, such as different brands of products. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Jean Edwards
Loved the salad. It works just as good with white wine vinegar instead of red
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks so much, Jean! 🙂
Raju
great tomato onion cucumbers USA combination .
We Indian make with white and red salt,black peppercorn,cuminseed roasted,lime juice drips,little bitof sugar. And coriander or parsley leaves.
Try next time and post video ,
I want to know how you cut these veggies.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
That sounds delicious, Raju! 🙂
Christine @ myblissfulmess
This simple salad was the perfect side dish to serve with some grilled chicken. My husband and I love the flavors in this salad. It’s so easy to put together, and the perfect no fuss summer salad.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks so much, Christine… it’s one of my favorite summer salads. So happy to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂
Amanda
How much would I multiply this recipe by if I need to make it for a crowd of 50 people?
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hi Amanda, this recipe yields approximately 6 servings, so 50/6 is 8.3. When serving a crowd, I always try to make more (I’d rather have too much than not enough), so I would multiply this recipe by 10 just to be on the safe side. Hope everyone enjoys it! 🙂
Amy
We make this salad frequently in the spring and summer. We have never used basil so I’ll have to try that sometime. We do add banana peppers on a regular basis though! Yum!!!
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Ohhhhh banana peppers sounds like a great addition! I love it with fresh basil and hope you do, too! 🙂
Sarina
Correction everyone I meant to spell out cucumber
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Hey Sarina, congratulations on losing the weight and feeling so much better… so glad you are enjoying the salad! But I could tell you had cake on your mind, too (LOL!). 🙂
Sarina
Hi I eat this cake and tomato salad almost everyday and it is delicious especially less than 110 calories and it helped me lose a whopping 10 whole pounds and I feel awesome and look amazing also if I must say so
John
it’s way better with a drizzle of lemon juice, but this salad is perfect for spring and very refreshing !
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks, John! Will have to try adding a drizzle of lemon juice next time I make it! 🙂
Dave Sabatelli
Hi Amy first I have to say what a beautiful garden! Cumber and tomatoes salad is a staple at our family summer get-together. Also my wife and I make this for a quick dinner salad. We do change up the dressing, sometimes using balsamic vinaigrette. If we don’t have good tomatoes we just use cumber, onion and apple cider vinegar with a little h2o.
Amy @ The Blond Cook
Thanks so much, Dave! My mom has always had a beautiful garden and I’ve always enjoyed her fresh veggies. I love this salad too and change it up depending on what I have on-hand. You just can’t go wrong with it. Hope you and your family have a great weekend! 🙂