Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

Packed full of fresh flavors, this Mediterranean cucumber salad makes a quick, easy and delicious side for any table. Juicy tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, and fresh herbs are all topped with a tangy dressing that can be on the table fast!

 

Why We Love Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

• Fresh Flavor– This dish makes a great side dish or a full meal with some added protein and some warm, toasted pita any time. It is especially in the summertime when tomatoes are at their most flavorful, and fresh herbs are packed full of bright flavor.
• Quick And Easy– This delicious cucumber tomato salad recipe makes a really simple salad and delicious side dish. Perfect for lunch or dinner, and makes a great easy side salad at a BBQ.
• Flexible– I love to add feta cheese to this salad, but it’s not needed. See some of my swap ideas below to change up this salad all summer long.

Ingredients For Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

For The Salad

• 1 large English cucumber – sliced
• ½ medium red onion – sliced thin
• 1 pint grape tomatoes – halved
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh chopped, optional
• 2 tablespoons basil fresh chopped, optional
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese optional

For The Dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon salt

How To Make Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad

For The Salad

1. Slice the cucumber longways down the middle and then slice each half into moon-shaped pieces that are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Slice the onions into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick pieces. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

2. Add the cucumbers, onions and tomatoes to a large bowl and mix.
3. Chop the parsley and basil and add them to the bowl mixing with the tomatoes, onions and tomatoes.
4. Pour the half the crumbled feta cheese into the bowl as well. Set aside.

For The Dressing

1. In a small bowl add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, honey, salt, and black pepper. Mix together with a small whisk or fork until well combined.

2. Pour the dressing over the cucumber tomato salad and gently toss to coat. Place the remaining feta on top of the salad to garnish. Then serve and enjoy!

Variation Ideas And Swaps

Here are a few of my favorite ways to change up this salad, it’s incredibly flexible!

Variation Ideas For The Salad

• Add Chickpeas– Adding about 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas or one 15 ounce can of chickpeas to this salad is a really delicious addition. Before adding the chickpeas, rinse them well if canned and then dry well with paper towels so the salad doesn’t become watery.
• Try Avocado– Avocado adds a delicious creaminess to this salad. I try to add an avocado that’s not super ripe so that when I slice it, it comes apart in nice pieces into the salad.
• Toss In Olives- Kalamata olives are particularly delicious in this salad, but other varieties are tasty also if you have another variety on hand. As with the chickpeas, make sure to drain and dry olives well if in water. If the olives are marinated in oil you can just add them to the salad as is.
• Swap Tomatoes– The fresher and riper the tomatoes, the more delicious your salad will be! Grape, cherry or a plum-style tomato like Roma tomatoes are all great options for a fresh tomato. These tomatoes will have a delicious flavor when ripe, and won’t become too watery in the salad. If you have another variety of tomato (almost all juicy summer tomatoes are delicious in this salad!) you can remove the seeds with a spoon before chopping to help keep the salad from being too watery.
• Add Roasted Red Peppers– Diced roasted red peppers have delicious flavor in this salad for a little extra flavor.

Variation Ideas For The Dressing

• Switch Fresh Herbs- I’ve used fresh parsley and basil because they are our favorite herbs, but don’t hesitate to add your favorite fresh herbs. I’ve used fresh sage, dill, and oregano, as well as two varieties of parsley, and fresh mint. All the different fresh herbs were delicious.
• Switch the Vinegar– Red wine vinegar is my favorite vinegar paired with cucumbers, but you can try other varieties too! Balsamic, apple cider and rice vinegar are all delicious, as well as white vinegar. Taste the dressing and if the vinegar flavor is too strong with the vinegar you have, just add a little more honey for balance. Fresh lemon juice or even lime juice can also be swapped for vinegar with delicious results.

Can I Use Other Types of Cucumbers Besides English Cucumbers?

Long English cucumbers are usually the best choice because they are not as liquidy as other cucumbers which can make the salad watery.

Persian cucumbers, the small short cucumbers that are thin, are also a great choice because they are a crisp cucumber that isn’t extremely watery.

If using other types of regular cucumbers (especially hothouse cucumbers!) use a spoon to scoop of the seeds to keep the salad from becoming watery.

Another way to make a cool refreshing salad is to make a Italian Zucchini Salad. Zucchini has a similar flavor to cucumber but can be less watery.

Can I Make Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad Ahead Of Time?

This salad tastes best if you eat it as fresh as possible.

This salad is made primarily of cucumbers and tomatoes which are full of lots of water. It’s really easy to leave this salad a little too long in the fridge and for it to become watery.

While the salad tastes great when chilled for about 30 minutes if you chill it for more than an hour OR have particularly juicy vegetables it will quickly become too watery.

I don’t recommend making this salad ahead of time. You can chop the vegetables ahead of time and mix the dressing ahead of time. Then when it’s time to eat you just add the dressing and serve.

Note About Serving This Salad For Kids

My kid didn’t start out loving this salad, veggies can be tough for some kids. In the beginning, I would chop a few extra tomatoes and cucumbers in a bowl as I was prepping the salad for everyone and serve her just tomatoes and cucumbers.

Over time I would add just a little drizzle of the dressing to her bowl, just enough that she could start to taste it. Now she will (mostly, haha!) just enjoy a spoonful from the same serving bowl as everyone else.