The simple perfection of summer-ripening tomatoes and crunchy, garden-fresh cucumbers come together in this easy Tomato Cucumber Salad. The cucumber and tomato combo needs little more than a little garlic, chopped basil, vinegar, olive oil, and spices to bring out its fresh flavor.
We love this Tomato Cucumber Salad recipe
Here we are again – it’s summer and we’re full of seasonal products! That means we’re on the right track here at Healthy Seasonal Recipes! We are happy to develop simple recipe solutions for all your seasonal products. We love our veggies here and this time of year is our favorite.
Tomatoes and cucumbers are at the top of our summer vegetable list. These two mid-summer veggies pair with so many delicious classic dishes, from gazpacho to Greek salads. That’s because they’re in season at the same time, and their sweet, juicy flavors are a match made in heaven. Combine this with some garlic, fresh basil and nothing more than a dash of vinegar, oil and spices and you have a winning combination!
Serve this cucumber and tomato salad for your next backyard barbecue, a picnic with friends, or as an easy seasonal side for a weeknight meal.
Ingredient Notes
- tomatoes: You can use either large sliced tomatoes, old tomatoes, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. Better yet, try a combination of several tomato varieties. You will need a total of 24 ounces or 4 1/2 cups. This is about 4 medium or 3 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into wedges. Note that yellow and green tomatoes are very delicate and can fall apart when added to the salad. Stir carefully so they don’t get mushy.
- cucumbers: For the salad you will also need a large European cucumber. You can use two regular cucumbers instead. Wash cucumber, then peel and chop.
- Basil: You will need some chopped fresh basil. If you don’t have fresh, you can omit it. Do not substitute for dried basil.
- Olive oil: For the dressing, choose your best extra virgin olive oil. Since this recipe is all about getting the most out of a few simple ingredients, choosing a quality, fruity-tasting olive oil makes all the difference.
- red wine vinegar: Our favorite vinegar for this salad is red wine vinegar for its strong acidity and neutral flavor. Lemon juice is our recommended alternative if you don’t have one. Balsamic vinegar is another option, but it has a strong flavor and a mild sweetness that’s more noticeable.
- Spices: Fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and dried oregano are the additional spices needed for the dressing.
How to make cucumber and tomato salad
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add tomatoes, cucumber and basil and mix. Serve immediately.
Expert tips and FAQs
This salad has 9 total grams of carbs per 1-cup serving and 2 grams of fiber for a total of 7 grams net carbs, which is within the carb limit of most keto diets. Some people on the ketogenic diet avoid tomatoes because of their naturally occurring sugar content. Read more here and check with your doctor or nutritionist to see if this salad is right for your carb budget.
Cucumber peels are fully edible and don’t need to be removed if you don’t mind the texture. The skin is thick and if you don’t like the texture you can peel it with a vegetable peeler. European cucumbers (or English cucumbers) have a thin skin and taste very good with the skin intact.
Rinse the tomatoes well. If it has stickers on it, remove the sticker. Remove the stem by gently twisting and pulling up and away. Using a sharp knife, cut out the core in an inverted cone shape. Cut into wedges for the salad. Cherry tomatoes can be halved. Medium-sized tomatoes (e.g. Campari tomatoes) can be cut into quarters.
This salad has 124 calories per 1 cup serving.
Cucurbitacin is a naturally occurring compound found in some cucumbers that causes a bitter taste. Cucumber vines that are stressed due to very hot conditions tend to produce bitter cucumbers. If you grow your own cucumbers, be sure to water them regularly and be sure to taste them before adding them to the salad.
Red Wine Vinegar Salad Dressing is the best choice for tomato and cucumber salads because it’s not overly sweet and has a bright, tart acidity that pairs well with the fresh flavors of the tomatoes and cucumbers. Our blend includes garlic, olive oil and dried oregano. Alternatives to the dressing described below are our Lemon Juice Dressing or this Red Wine Vinaigrette. For fans of balsamic dressing, our walnut balsamic dressing is another option—and it’s not too sweet.
storage and further processing
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, here’s what you can do:
- Slice the cucumbers and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Mix the dressing in a jar and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring the jar to room temperature by placing it in a bowl of warm water.
- Finely chop the tomatoes and basil before tossing them with the cucumbers and dressing.
Both cucumbers and tomatoes release moisture once mixed into the salad (with dressing). We therefore recommend not mixing this beforehand.
Substitutions and variations to try
Instead of basil: Use fresh dill, parsley or chives. Finely chopped rocket also tastes wonderful. If you grow it in your garden, fresh oregano makes a great substitute for dried oregano (double the amount) and also if you have Epazote in your garden, try adding a little! It is wonderful!
Additional vegetables and the like: Add thinly sliced red onions or chunks of avocado. We’d also like this with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and olives. Capers are another great choice!
canned beans: We like to add a can of chickpeas to this salad to make it heartier. Simply drain and rinse the chickpeas, then stir them in with the cucumber and tomatoes. White beans also go well with this combination. If necessary, you can adjust the dressing a bit.
Cheese: The last time I made this I added crumbled feta and everyone loved it. Goat cheese, fresh mozzarella or burrata would also be obvious. Start with 1/4 cup feta or goat cheese or 8 ounces (drained) freshly diced or pearlescent mozzarella or burrata, torn into bite-sized pieces.
pairing suggestions
Easier summer salads
More salads with cucumbers and tomatoes
While cucumber and tomato are in season, be sure to try these other cucumber and tomato salads
Thank you for reading! If you’re new here, you might want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes straight to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and Leave a star rating and review. I’d love to hear what you think!
Have fun cooking! ~Katie
Press
Description
The simple perfection of summer-ripening tomatoes and crunchy, garden-fresh cucumbers come together in this easy Tomato Cucumber Salad. The cucumber and tomato combo needs little more than a little garlic, chopped basil, vinegar, olive oil, and spices to bring out its fresh flavor.
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 medium or 3 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into wedges
- 1 large European cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add tomatoes, cucumber and basil and mix. Serve immediately.
Remarks
To move forward
Slice the cucumbers and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Mix the dressing in a jar and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring the jar to room temperature by placing it in a bowl of warm water.
Finely chop the tomatoes and basil before tossing them with the cucumber and dressing.
- Preparation time: 10 mins
- Cooking time: n / A
- Category: salad
- Method: No chef
- Kitchen: American
Nourishment
- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories: 124
- Sugar: 5g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
Keywords: cucumber tomato salad recipe, cucumber tomato salad recipe, cucumber tomato salad recipe, cucumber tomato salad recipe, cucumber tomato salad recipe, tomato cucumber salad recipe, recipe for tomato-cucumber-salad
About the author
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001, when she first worked in the test kitchen for EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications. Her cookbook Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. In 2009 she launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow lab dogs. In her free time, she can be found at the gym cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.