Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad
Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad is bright, fresh and so easy to make. This simple tomato cucumber salad is tossed with a homemade lemon dressing and packed with flavor. A great use for summer produce, this Mediterranean cucumber tomato onion salad pairs well with so many flavors and would be great for cookouts or parties.
If you love this healthy Mediterranean salad, you should try my Greek Salad with Kalamata Dressing or Mediterranean Chopped Salad.
Why you will love this recipe
- Simple ingredients – this Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad is made with traditional Mediterranean vegetables and a simple, but flavorful lemon vinaigrette. This salad is herby and so flavorful but only has a few simple ingredients.
- Perfect everyday salad – since this salad is made with such simple ingredients and doesn’t take very long to put together, it’s the perfect everyday salad. It’s great because there is no lettuce and this salad really goes well with so many dishes.
- Customizable – change up this salad based on what you have on hand and what you need the salad to be. You can add protein from beans, chicken, salmon, shrimp to make the salad or add quinoa, rice or pasta to make it more filling. Add different vegetables based on what you have on hand.
Ingredients
Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Cucumber – using a thin-skinned cucumber is best for this salad, since those are typically a little sweeter and don’t have large seeds or thick skin that needs to be peeled. Using thin-skinned cucumber makes prep work much easier.
- Tomato – use any tomatoes you have on hand. I like to use cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes) because I find those are easy to slice in half and are bite sized without much work. You could also use roma tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes.
- Red onion – red onion adds a bite to the salad and also adds such pretty visual contrast to the cucumbers and tomatoes. You could also use shallots or green onion if you don’t have red onion on hand. White or yellow onions have a different flavor that may be overpowering for the salad.
- Kalamata olives (optional) – I really love the salty, briny flavor from the olives, but this is optional. If you don’t love olives or don’t have them on hand, simply omit from the recipe.
- Flat leaf parsley – flat leaf parsley adds so much fresh, herby flavor to the salad. I personally prefer flat leaf parsley to curly parsley because of the texture and taste.
Lemon vinaigrette
- Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice is best for this recipe. I used the juice from a large lemon, 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice. You could also make this with lime juice, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil is a very traditional Mediterranean ingredient and helps to create a simple, delicious dressing for the cucumber and tomatoes. Be sure to use a quality olive oil (with just one source) for the best flavor.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, herbs de provence (or italian seasoning) – these simple seasonings create a yummy dressing to flavor the veggies.
How to make Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad
Start by cutting the cucumber into 1/2 inch pieces (cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut those halves in half for 4 long pieces of cucumber. Chop those into 1/2 inch pieces.
Cut the cherry or grape tomatoes in half (or cut a larger tomato into about ½ inch pieces).
Finely chop the red onion, kalamata olives (optional) and flat leaf parsley.
Add all the vegetables to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, and spices. Pour this dressing over the veggies and stir well until well coated.
Move to the fridge to allow the flavors to meld together for at least 15 minutes (I prefer an hour if possible).
Top tips
- If you are not using an thin-skinned cucumber, be sure to peel away some or all of the thick cucumber skin and remove the large seeds inside the cucumber before chopping.
- Cut the cucumbers a little thicker (about 1/2 inch), especially if you plan on there being leftovers, this way the cucumbers can stay firm even when soaking in the dressing.
- Flat leaf parsley is really best for this recipe. It is so bright and fresh and has a better flavor and texture compared to curly parsley.
- If you don’t love the bite from red onion, soak it in 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the salad. Drain off the vinegar and add the onions, The onions will be much sweeter.
- The flavors of this salad are even better after it has had time to rest together. Make this salad about an hour in advance for the best flavor.
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter salad dressing, add a little sweetness to the dressing, add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or honey.
Other additions
- Capers
- Fresh herbs: Mint, basil, green onion, chives
- Feta (regular or dairy free)
- Avocado (cubed) – add this right before serving for the best color
- Roasted red pepper, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm
- Splash red wine vinegar – I really love the change of flavor when adding a little red wine vinegar as well (add about 2 tablespoons and an additional tablespoon of olive oil as well).
- Chickpeas, white beans, lentils
- Cooked quinoa, rice or pasta (add some extra lemon juice, salt and olive oil as well)
- Protein – air fryer chicken bites, air fryer salmon bites, shredded chicken, Italian chicken, air fryer frozen shrimp, canned tuna or canned salmon
What to serve with mediterranean tomato cucumber onion salad
- Serve it along side Vegan Lentil Shawarma or Chicken and Rice Shawarma
- Serve as a light meal alongside of dishes like hummus, Mediterranean eggplant dip, spinach artichoke dip and crackers, oat tortillas or veggies
- Serve with air fryer greek chicken and moroccan cauliflower or greek salmon and rice
- Make falafel wraps or falafel bowls by adding this Mediterranean cucumber tomato onion salad with falafel and hummus.
Common questions
How long does cucumber tomato salad keep in the fridge?
Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad will keep for 2 or 3 days in the fridge, depending on how thick you cut the cucumbers. The cucumbers will start to lose their texture when soaking in the dressing, so it’s best to enjoy this within 1-2 days of making for the best texture and taste.
What are the best cucumbers for salad
The best cucumbers to use in salads, especially salads where the cucumber is the star are thin skinned cucumbers. They tend to have less seeds and are a little sweeter than traditional cucumbers. The great thing about using cucumbers with thinner skin is that you don’t have to peel them or scrape out the seeds before enjoying.
Some great options are:
- English cucumbers – these are sold in most grocery stores and sometimes called hot house cucumbers. They are much longer than usual cucumbers with the plastic wrapped around them.
- Persian cucumbers – these are smaller cucumbers with thin skin. They are typically thinner than regular cucumbers and sold in a bag of 6 or so cucumbers.
Can you use regular cucumbers?
Regular cucumbers (at least here in the US) tend to have large seeds and thick skin. If you want to use these (because perhaps you have them growing in your garden or find them on sale), you can certainly use them in this salad. However, I would recommend peeling at least half the skin off (if not all of it) and taking a spoon and scraping out the seeds.
Can you make this tomato cucumber salad in advance?
Yes! This salad would be great made a few hours in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to serve. The flavors really have a chance to meld together but the veggies will still be crunchy and delicious.
Storing leftovers
Fridge – Store leftover tomato cucumber salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The longer the cucumbers soak in the dressing, the softer they will get.
I do not recommend freezing this salad as cucumbers don’t do well when frozen then defrosted.
Substitutions
- Cucumbers – cucumbers add crunch and a light yet refreshing flavor to the salad. While not an ideal substitute, you could use canned artichoke hearts (about 2 cans) drained and cut into cubes.
- Tomatoes – if you don’t love tomatoes, replace the tomatoes with red bell pepper or roasted red pepper.
- Red onion – use shallots or green onion in place of red onion. If you don’t have those on hand, omit the onion.
- Flat leaf parsley – you could also use cilantro, basil, mint, dill or chives to add a fresh herby flavor to the salad if you don’ have parsley.
- Lemon juice – you could also use lime juice, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar in place of the lemon juice. You will need 3-4 tablespoons.
- Olive oil – you could also use avocado oil if you don’t have olive oil on hand.
- Spices – If you don’t have garlic powder, you could use onion powder or even fresh garlic (although this can be overpowering). Herbs de Provence and be replaced with italian seasoning or you can use equal parts dried basil, dried parsley and dried oregano to replace the herbs de Provence.
If you love this recipe, you should try
- Italian Green Bean Salad
- Greek White Bean Salad
- Hummus Pasta Salad
- Zucchini Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 medium red oinoin
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives (pitted)
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley
Lemon Dressing
- 1 large lemon, juiced - 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Cut the cucumber into 1/2 inch pieces. Cut the cucumber in half length wise then those halves in half again (making 4 long pieces). Cut those into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Cut the tomatoes in half (or if using a larger tomato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces).
- Finely chop the red onion, finely chop the parsley and chop the olives.
- Add all the veggies to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, add all the ingredients for the lemon dressing. Stir well.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, toss well to combine. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes (an hour is great in the fridge) to let the flavors come together.
Notes
- If you are not using an thin-skinned cucumber, be sure to peel away some or all of the thick cucumber skin and remove the large seeds inside the cucumber before chopping.
- Cut the cucumbers a little thicker (about ½ inch), especially if you plan on there being leftovers, this way the cucumbers can stay firm even when soaking in the dressing.
- Flat leaf parsley is really best for this recipe. It is so bright and fresh and has a better flavor and texture compared to curly parsley.
- If you don’t love the bite from red onion, soak it in 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the salad. Drain off the vinegar and add the onions, The onions will be much sweeter.
- The flavors of this salad are even better after it has had time to rest together. Make this salad about an hour in advance for the best flavor.
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter salad dressing, add a little sweetness to the dressing, add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or honey.
- Fridge: Store leftover tomato cucumber salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The longer the cucumbers soak in the dressing, the softer they will get.
- I do not recommend freezing this salad as cucumbers don’t do well when frozen then defrosted.
Really good. Refrigerated leftovers held up well the next day.