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This tomato cucumber salad is zesty, fresh, and vibrant! Juicy tomatoes, crispy cucumbers, and savory red onions are all tossed with a herbaceous and tangy vinaigrette. Serve it when the weather is warm at backyard barbecues, potlucks, and more!
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick & easy: A tomato cucumber salad will only set you back a few minutes to prepare. Just chop the veggies, mix the dressing, and that’s it!
- Healthy: Fresh veggies and homemade dressing make for a healthy dish packed with vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy fats.
- Affordable: With the rising cost of groceries, this cucumber and tomato salad is an affordable option since these vegetables are often locally grown (or can easily be grown in a personal garden).
- Customizable: Make it your own by using different vegetables, changing the dressing, or adding ingredients like tofu or tempeh for more protein.
If you love tomato cucumber salad, you should really check out our vegan pasta salad, couscous salad, vegan chickpea salad, and sweet potato salad.
🍅 Easy tomato cucumber salad
This tomato cucumber salad recipe features the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean. It’s simple, but it showcases how just a few fresh and affordable ingredients can be transformed into a dish full of complexity.
Juicy tomatoes are paired with crunchy cucumbers, and the red onions offer a slight bite with a beautiful purple hue that makes the salad pop! Our favorite way to dress it is with a tangy homemade vinaigrette infused with lemon, garlic, Dijon, and Italian herbs.
You can serve your cucumber and tomato salad as a side dish to any main course, but it works particularly well for a summer BBQ. It can also become a standalone meal by adding a protein source like tofu and a grain like quinoa. Whatever the case, you’ll love how simple and delicious it is!
🥒 Do cucumbers need to be peeled?
Depending on the variety of cucumber you use, you may want to peel them. Persian (mini) and English cucumbers have a fairly thin, neutral-tasting skin, so it isn’t necessary to peel them.
Regular field cucumbers have a thick, waxy, and often bitter-tasting peel. If you only have this type available near you, you can try roughly peeling them to remove some of the bitterness. If you don’t find the peel unpleasant, leave it on! It adds extra fiber.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Tomatoes: Roma, cherry, or grape tomatoes are usually our go-to. This salad is a great way to make use of extra tomatoes from your garden or a farmer’s market!
- Persian cucumbers: For the crispiest texture, we highly recommend Persian (mini) cucumbers. If they’re not available, English cucumbers are the next best option. Just try to stay away from field cucumbers since they have a bitter, waxy skin.
- Red onion: Adds a necessary bite to the salad. Red onion is best, but shallots or white onions work as well.
- Fresh herbs: If we have fresh herbs on hand, we like to throw in a handful of parsley, cilantro, basil, mint, or oregano. This is an optional addition though.
- Olive oil: For this recipe, it’s important to opt for good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil will work in a pinch, but it doesn’t provide as rich of a flavor.
- Acid: Use any vinegar or citrus fruit you like for the acid component. We prefer a mixture of red wine vinegar and lemon juice for a tangy, slightly sweet element. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar are great options too.
- Dijon mustard: You just need a touch of Dijon mustard to help emulsify the oil and vinegar and provide a tangy kick.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds a punch of savory flavors to the dressing. Don’t skimp on the garlic!
- Seasonings: To keep things simple, season the dressing with Italian mix, sea salt, and cracked black pepper. Try making your own Italian seasoning or use store-bought for convenience.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make a tomato cucumber salad
Step 1: Mix the vegetables
Chop the tomatoes and cucumbers to about the same size. Cut the onion half into quarters then thinly slice each quarter. Add all the veggies to a large mixing bowl. If you are adding fresh parsley or other herbs, you can add them at this point as well!
Step 2: Make the dressing
Combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. You can shake it in a mason jar with a lid, whisk it in a container, or mix it in a personal blender. We prefer to use a blender as it emulsifies it the best.
Step 3: Toss the salad
Once the salad and dressing are ready, toss them together in the mixing bowl. You can enjoy your tomato cucumber salad immediately, or chill the salad and the dressing separately in the fridge. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this cucumber and tomato salad recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🥗 What to serve with tomato cucumber salad
Serve this tomato cucumber salad on its own for a simple dish, or bulk it up with garnishes and sides like these:
- Cheese: Add crumbled vegan cotija cheese, queso fresco, or feta.
- Avocado: Who doesn’t love the creamy, buttery textures and flavors of cubed avo?
- Dried fruit: For a sweet addition, try topping it with a handful of dried cranberries, sun-dried tomatoes, dried figs, or raisins.
- Olives: Add Kalamata olives, green olives, or black olives for a salty element.
- Nuts: Toast some slivered almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds to mix in for an extra crunch.
- Protein: Serve your tomato cucumber salad with a side of grilled tofu or vegan chicken. Or, mix some cooked chickpeas right in!
- Bread: Cucumber tomato onion salad pairs incredibly well a slice of pita bread, vegan garlic bread, dairy-free bread, or sourdough to scoop up each bite.
🌡️ Storage
If you have leftover tomato cucumber salad, just follow these storage tips:
- Fridge: Keep the salad in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. If you’re making it ahead of time, try to keep the dressing in a separate container to avoid any sogginess.
- Freezer: Due to the nature of the veggies, we don’t recommend freezing this recipe. The texture will become too mushy once it thaws.
- Prep ahead: Wash and cut the veggies, then store them in separate containers in the fridge. Mix and store the dressing separately in an airtight container, then add it to the cucumber and tomato salad just before serving it.
♻️ Variations
- Greek: For a more Greek-style cucumber and tomato salad, add bell peppers, sliced Kalamata olives, and vegan feta cheese.
- Caprese: Swap out cucumbers for dairy-free mozzarella, then top everything off with fresh basil leaves for a Caprese twist.
- Watermelon: Add fresh cubes of watermelon and vegan feta for an incredibly juicy, refreshing, and summery option.
- Spicy: If you want to add a kick, throw in some slices of jalapeños or red pepper flakes before mixing the dressing.
- Grains: Make this tomato cucumber salad recipe heartier by adding a grain like quinoa or couscous.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Use fresh ingredients: Since this recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients, try to source your veggies and herbs from a farmer’s market or home garden whenever possible. It makes such a difference in overall taste and texture.
- Cut the veggies evenly: Cut all the veggies into even bite-sized pieces so they’re easier to eat.
- Slice the onion thinly: To prevent a harsh onion taste, make sure to thinly (and evenly) slice that bad boy! It also helps disperse the flavor throughout the salad.
- Mince the garlic: If you’re using fresh garlic, mince it very finely so you don’t accidentally bite into a huge chunk!
- Blend the sauce: While you can definitely whisk the sauce, we find it emulsifies better if you throw it in the blender for 30-45 seconds.
- Toss before serving: Toss the vegetables in the dressing just before serving to prevent them from turning soggy.
- Add herbs: We suggest adding parsley for a pop of freshness and color. However, feel free to use any of your favorite herbs like basil, mint, or cilantro.
- Use chilled ingredients: Chill the vegetables and sauce for about 30 minutes prior to serving. This will give the flavors some time to develop.
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can use cherry tomatoes instead of Roma tomatoes in this recipe. You just may need to adjust the quantity of tomatoes to achieve the perfect ratio.
Yes, you can use any type of vinegar you prefer for this tomato cucumber salad. Some options include white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. However, it’s always important to check your individual ingredients to ensure cross-contamination hasn’t occurred in the packaging process.
🍴 More side dishes
If you enjoyed this tomato cucumber salad recipe, take a peek at some more side dishes like these:
- Kale Caesar Salad: Healthy salad recipe with chickpea croutons and tempeh.
- Cactus Salad: A simple nopales salad that’s vegan and gluten-free.
- Vegan Potato Salad: Simple egg and dairy-free side dish for summer BBQs.
- Vegan Macaroni Salad: Macaroni salad that comes together in 30 minutes or less.
Easy Tomato Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 5 Roma tomatoes (quartered)
- 4 Persian cucumbers (sliced)
- ½ red onion (sliced)
- 3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley (chopped)
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 large clove garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Add the chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions to a large mixing bowl. If you are adding fresh parsley, add it as well. Stir to combine.
- In a glass jar or personal blender, add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake the jar, or blend the dressing until emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss together. Enjoy immediately, or chill the salad and the dressing separately in the fridge until you’re ready. Serve with an extra crack of black pepper, a squeeze of lemon, or more herbs. Happy eating!
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients: Since this recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients, try to source your veggies and herbs from a farmer’s market or home garden whenever possible. It makes such a difference in overall taste and texture.
- Cut the veggies evenly: Cut all the veggies into even bite-sized pieces so they’re easier to eat.
- Slice the onion thinly: To prevent a harsh onion taste, make sure to thinly (and evenly) slice that bad boy! It also helps disperse the flavor throughout the salad.
- Mince the garlic: If you’re using fresh garlic, mince it very finely so you don’t accidentally bite into a huge chunk!
Blend the sauce: While you can definitely whisk the sauce, we find it emulsifies better if you throw it in the blender for 30-45 seconds. - Toss before serving: Toss the vegetables in the dressing just before serving to prevent them from turning soggy.
Add herbs: We suggest adding parsley for a pop of freshness and color. However, feel free to use any of your favorite herbs like basil, mint, or cilantro. - Use chilled ingredients: Chill the vegetables and sauce for about 30 minutes prior to serving. This will give the flavors some time to develop.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
