Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

Finding a fresh, tasty side dish that actually comes together in minutes can feel nearly impossible, especially during those warm summer months when you want something light but satisfying. Sure, you could throw together whatever’s in the fridge, but there’s something about a well-balanced salad that makes any meal feel complete, and it gets even trickier when you’re trying to please different palates at the dinner table.

Luckily, this cucumber tomato salad checks all the boxes: it’s crisp and flavorful, takes less than 15 minutes to prepare, and works perfectly alongside grilled meats, sandwiches, or even as a light lunch on its own.

What Kind of Tomatoes Should I Use?

For this salad, you really want to use ripe, in-season tomatoes since they’re one of the stars of the dish. Beefsteak tomatoes are a solid choice because they’re meaty and hold up well when diced, but Roma tomatoes work great too if that’s what you have on hand. If it’s summer and you can get your hands on heirloom tomatoes from a farmers market, even better – they’ll add amazing flavor and color to your salad. Just make sure whatever tomatoes you pick are firm but give slightly when you press them, and avoid any that are mushy or have soft spots.

Options for Substitutions

This simple salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• English cucumber: Regular cucumbers work fine here – just peel them and scoop out the seeds with a spoon if they’re particularly watery or bitter.
• Ripe tomatoes: Any tomato variety works well. Try cherry or grape tomatoes (halved), roma tomatoes, or heirloom varieties depending on what looks good at the market.
• Red onion: You can use white onion, sweet onion, or even thinly sliced shallots. If raw onion is too strong for you, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or fresh lemon juice all make good substitutes and will give you that tangy kick.
• Fresh herbs: While fresh herbs add a nice touch, you can skip them entirely or use about 1 teaspoon of dried herbs instead. Just remember that dried herbs are more concentrated, so use less.
• Olive oil: Any neutral oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil works, though olive oil does add a nice flavor to this salad.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with cucumber tomato salad is adding salt too early, which draws out moisture from the vegetables and leaves you with a watery, diluted dressing at the bottom of the bowl – wait to season until just before serving for the best texture.

Another common error is skipping the step of removing excess seeds from the tomatoes, especially if they’re particularly juicy, as this extra liquid can make your salad soggy.

To get the most flavor, slice your red onion as thinly as possible and consider soaking the slices in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow out the sharp bite, then pat them dry before adding to the salad.

For an even better result, make sure your vegetables are completely dry after washing, since any extra water will dilute your simple dressing and prevent it from coating the vegetables properly.

What to Serve With Cucumber Tomato Salad?

This cucumber tomato salad is perfect alongside grilled chicken, steak, or fish since the fresh, crisp vegetables balance out any rich protein really nicely. I love serving it at summer cookouts with burgers and hot dogs, or as a side dish for Mediterranean-style meals like gyros, falafel, or grilled lamb. It also pairs great with pasta dishes, especially creamy ones like fettuccine alfredo or baked ziti, since the tangy vinegar dressing cuts through all that richness. You can even stuff it into pita bread with some hummus and grilled chicken for an easy lunch.

Storage Instructions

Store: This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just know that the cucumbers and tomatoes will release some water as they sit, so you might want to drain off the extra liquid before serving again.

Make Ahead: If you want to prep this ahead, I’d suggest slicing all your veggies and storing them separately from the dressing. Mix everything together right before you’re ready to eat so it stays crisp and fresh instead of getting watery.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 180-220
• Protein: 4-5 g
• Fat: 14-16 g
• Carbohydrates: 17-21 g

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber (thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds)
• 3 large tomatoes (cut into 1/2-inch wedges)
• 1/2 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Step 1: Prepare and Slice the Vegetables

• 1 large cucumber
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1/2 medium red onion

Thinly slice the cucumber into 1/8-inch rounds and cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch wedges, placing them in a large mixing bowl as you go.

Thinly slice the red onion and add it to the bowl.

This prep work ensures all vegetables are evenly sized for consistent texture and flavor throughout the salad.

Step 2: Make the Vinaigrette

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, granulated sugar, sea salt, and black pepper until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved and the dressing is well emulsified.

I like to taste the vinaigrette before adding it to the vegetables—this way you can adjust the seasoning to your preference without having to remix the whole salad.

Step 3: Combine and Chill

• Vegetables from Step 1
• Vinaigrette from Step 2
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Pour the vinaigrette from Step 2 over the prepared vegetables from Step 1 and gently toss to coat everything evenly.

Sprinkle the fresh parsley over the top and give it one final gentle toss.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes—this allows the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften slightly while keeping their crunch.

I find the salad tastes even better after 30-40 minutes, so if you have time, let it sit a bit longer.

Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

Delicious Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 large cucumber (thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds)
• 3 large tomatoes (cut into 1/2-inch wedges)
• 1/2 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Thinly slice the cucumber into 1/8-inch rounds and cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch wedges, placing them in a large mixing bowl as you go. Thinly slice the red onion and add it to the bowl. This prep work ensures all vegetables are evenly sized for consistent texture and flavor throughout the salad.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, granulated sugar, sea salt, and black pepper until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved and the dressing is well emulsified. I like to taste the vinaigrette before adding it to the vegetables—this way you can adjust the seasoning to your preference without having to remix the whole salad.
• Pour the vinaigrette from Step 2 over the prepared vegetables from Step 1 and gently toss to coat everything evenly. Sprinkle the fresh parsley over the top and give it one final gentle toss. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes—this allows the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften slightly while keeping their crunch. I find the salad tastes even better after 30-40 minutes, so if you have time, let it sit a bit longer.