What is it about the combination of tomatoes, cucumber and onions that is so dang good?! Am I right? It’s like the summer salad trifecta! This is the best tomato cucumber salad recipe ever!
It seems like every year we head off to some BBQ and someone that claims to hate cooking shows up with the most perfectly delicious recipe out of the whole neighborhood. And 9/10 it seems to be a tomato cucumber salad. SO! I’ve changed our neighbor’s recipe slightly and am here to beg you to pin it, especially those who say that they can’t cook because you DEFINITELY can cook this!!
It is so light and refreshing and perfect to cool down on a hot summer day! The dressing is tangy and flavorful without weighing the salad down. There are few things worse than a salad that is drowning in dressing! And this easy salad is healthy!
Ingredients for Tomato Cucumber Salad
Made with all fresh ingredients, here is your shopping list for this salad recipe:
Salad
- Vine Cocktail Tomatoes (cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes also work great)
- English Cucumber
- Brown Sugar
- Red Onion
- Parsley (fresh)
- Cilantro (fresh)
- Salt
- Pepper
Dressing
- Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar (white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar make good substitutes)
- Lemon Juice
- Black Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic
- Brown Sugar
- Fresh Basil (dried can also be used, but fresh herbs makes all the difference)
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. You can save or print the recipe there as well.
How to Make Tomato Cucumber Salad
Salads are simple and this recipe is great for making ahead of time. You are basically going to chop up all the ingredients, pour the dressing over and then let it sit until ready to serve.
- Cut the tomatoes into wedges and then halve the wedges and place them in a large bowl.
- Cut the cucumber into bite size pieces and add them to the bowl with the tomatoes.
- Add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss everything together.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a glass measuring cup. Pour over the tomato salad.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature until ready to serve.
All of these instructions in greater detail can be found below in the recipe card.
English Cucumber vs Cucumber
“Regular” cucumbers have a thicker and more waxy skin and are cheaper. They also have lots of seeds that should be removed for salads like this one.
English cucumbers have a thinner skin and are seedless. They are more expensive but are less work. No peeling or seeding needed. You can use either for this salad, but I prefer the taste of the English cucumber. You can find them in the same area as the regular cucumbers. They are longer and skinnier and are usually wrapped in plastic.
Possible Add-Ins
If you want to add more ingredients to this salad, here are a few possibilities:
- Avocado
- Peas
- Feta Cheese
- Mozzarella Balls
Feel free to make it your own and add the ingredients that you love.
Can I Make This Salad Ahead?
This cucumber tomato onion salad recipe can be made up to a day ahead of time. For the best flavor, the ideal time for it to sit before eating is 1-6 hours. If you need to make it earlier than that, store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it. I do prefer it at room temperature.
How Long Does Tomato Cucumber Salad Keep?
Store this salad in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. It will keep longer if you store the tomatoes separately. Tomatoes start to breakdown earlier than the cucumber and onions.
What to Eat with Tomato Cucumber Salad?
I always make this salad as a side dish for something grilled or smoked. It just seems right. Here are a few of our favorite main dishes to eat with this salad:
If none of those are what you are after, you can find all our grilled recipes and smoked recipes here on the blog. It also makes a great picnic side.
You don’t need to be a chef to make this tomato cucumber salad, but all your friends are going to think you are! I guarantee it will be the hit of your next backyard BBQ!
More Fabulous Salad Recipes:
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Cut each tomato in 6-8 wedges and then halve them.
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Trim the ends off of the cucumber and then slice in half lengthwise, creating two pieces. Slice in 1/4″ pieces.
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Toss tomatoes with the brown sugar, onion, and herbs with salt and pepper.
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In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the tomato salad.
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Cover in plastic for 1-6 hours on the counter or refrigerate if longer. This is best served the day of and is delicious served with grilled or toasted crostini bread!
Calories: 192kcal
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