There are so many things to love about summer, and this salad would be right at the top.
Fresh tomatoes and fresh cucumbers just work beautifully together. Especially when they are fresh from the garden or your local farmer’s market. The dressing is vibrant and the fresh herbs are an amazing addition. The salad comes together in less than 30 minutes and is the perfect side dish for your summer feast.
How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad
As mentioned, this cucumber and tomato salad could not be easier to prepare.
Though you can make it in advance, we think it’s best when it’s completely fresh.
But again, it only takes about 20 to 30 (tops) minutes of prep work, and then you mix it all together. Yum!
Watch Us Make It!
There are many types of tomatoes available, especially during peak season.
For this cucumber tomato salad recipe, we love to go with juicy beefsteak or luscious heirloom tomatoes.
EXPERT TIP: Cutting up the tomatoes is a snap. Simply use a paring knife to cut away the top portion with the stem. Cut down the middle. Slice into a few wedges, and then cut into bite-sized pieces. If you wish, you can remove the seeds with your fingers, but we don’t really think that’s necessary, and saves a lot of time.
How To Cut Up a Cucumber
Now, it’s time to bring on the cukes!
Cutting them up is easy. We love to peel strips of the skin from the cucumber to create a pretty pattern.
Cut the ends off, cut the cucumber in half, and then quarter each half. Now, simply cut into bite-sized pieces.
EXPERT TIP: It’s nice to keep the tomato pieces then cucumber pieces relatively close in size. Nice large bite-sized pieces make a beautiful presentation but are also easy to consume with each bite.
You may be wondering: “How many calories in a salad with tomatoes and cucumbers”. For our version, one serving (or ¾ cup) has approx. ?? calories. Cucumbers are actually loaded with wonderful nutrients. Learn more here.
The Perfect Summer Dressing
After adding a little chopped red onion, it’s time to bring the salad together with fresh herbs and a vibrant dressing.
In a small jar, simply add a couple of tablespoons each of apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar. Throw in a couple more tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then. shake until emulsified.
EXPERT TIP: The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just before adding to the salad, give the jar with the lid firmly in place and vigorously shake until fully combined.
Before mixing in the dressing, we need to cut up fresh herbs.
The combination of fresh mint, chives, and parsley is the perfect match for the dressing and brings the cucumbers and tomatoes together in a wonderful way.
EXPERT TIP: For this salad, we have to say that fresh is best. However, if you do go with dried herbs, then only use 1 tablespoon of mint, chives, and 2 tablespoons of parsley. Other great herbs to use are: basil, oregano, rosemary, and tarragon is fantastic, too.
We save a little of the chopped parsley to garnish the top of the salad just before serving.
How To Serve Cucumber Tomato Salad
This salad is perfect for an outdoor BBQ. We love serving it with our Marinated Grilled Chicken alongside our Zesty Black Bean and Corn Salad.
As mentioned, the salad is really best served soon after putting it together.
If desired, you can prep all the components up to 12 hours in advance, and then assemble them the next morning. Keep everything covered and refrigerated until ready to assemble.
EXPERT TIP: If too much liquid has accumulated, then tilt the salad to the side and spoon some of the liquid out. As the salad rests, the tomatoes and cucumbers will release some liquid. Even with the extra liquid, the salad is still amazing.
This salad is always a huge hit every time we serve it.
It is so simple yet literally exploding with fresh summer tastes.
And it’s so gorgeous when you set it out on the table. Be prepared…you’ll get lots of requests for the recipe!
Ready to make the best side dish salad in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 large cucumbers peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 large tomatoes beefsteaks or heirlooms, stemmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ red onion chopped
- ¼ cup mint fresh, chopped
- ¼ cup chives finely chopped
- ½ cup parsley fresh, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tsp Kosher salt or more, to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, mint, chives, and parsley in a large bowl.
- Make the dressing by adding the apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar with a lid. With the lid on, vigorously shake for about 1 minute, until fully combined and emulsified.
- Pour the dressing over the salad. Use two large spoons, or your hands, to mix the salad until all components are coated with the dressing.
- If desired, transfer to a serving platter, garnish with extra chopped parsley and serve at once. Or, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour.
