This cucumber tomato salad is the perfect addition to any meal! Packed with fresh flavor, it makes a perfect side dish or last-minute vegetarian potluck dish.
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If you’re in a hurry to add some veggies to a carb-heavy meal or you need a quick salad for a picnic or summer gathering, this is an easy recipe you’ll wish you’d found sooner.
Not only is this salad packed with flavor, but its colorful ingredients make it pretty enough to serve guests too!
This simple salad goes great with pasta or pairs perfectly with these vegan crab cakes.
Fresh cucumbers are one of my favorite summer treats. I love them in salads, cocktails, and even sorbet!
This cucumber tomato salad recipe is…
- vegan
- vegetarian
- plant-based
- gluten-free
- ready in 15 minutes
- an easy, tasty side dish
- perfect for a potluck!
How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Add sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions to a sserving bowl.
- Sprinkle with garlic salt and seasoned pepper.
- Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and sugar until sugar dissolves.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until it’s time to eat.
Scroll down for detailed instructions and measurements.
Scroll down for the full recipe with measurements and detailed instructions.
Tips, Tricks, & Variations
Use a Vegetable Slicer
If you don’t want to spend all that time slicing veggies, grab yourself a vegetable slicer. It's one of my fave cheap kitchen gadgets, because it can save loads of time.
There a number of slicers to choose from, but I suggest one with interchangeable blades for different types of slicing - like this one.
Add Some Bell Pepper
Want a little more crunch in your cucumber-tomato salad? Add some bell pepper!
They come in green, red, orange, and yellow, and each has a slightly different flavor. Mix it up and see what you like.
Make it a Greek Cucumber Salad
Switch out the Italian seasoning with some Greek seasoning for a taste of the Mediterranean. I like this Greek spice blend, or you can try making your own.
And for a fresh burst of flavor, add some chopped up mint and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Bulk it Up
If you want to transform your cucumber salad into a main dish, just add some grains to make it a little more hearty.
Try adding couscous, quinoa, or even lentils to make this salad a complete, balanced meal.
Switch up the Vinegar
I’m a big fan of balsamic vinegar, but if it’s a little too strong for you, try a nice red or white wine vinegar.
FAQs About Cucumber Tomato Salad
Should you peel cucumbers for a salad?
Sometimes cucumber skin can be a little bitter, but with a baby cucumber you’ll run into less of that.
The skin on the baby cucumbers will give your salad a crunchy goodness, so I say leave it on!
What are the best tomatoes for salads?
Ripe ones. But if you have your pick, then go with cherry tomatoes.
They’re perectly bite-sized and come in a variety of colors (red, yellow, orange, and even purple). Let us know which one is your favorite!
How do you cut cherry tomatoes in half?
You can go at it the old fashioned way and cut each cherry tomato individually. Or, you can use this trick for cutting them all at once:
Take a flat surface (like a cutting board), and lay it on top of the cherry tomatoes. Hold it down firmly, and then with the other hand, you’ll take a sharp knife and slice horizontally through all the tomatoes.
Need a visual? Here's a video example. If you use this method, just make sure you have a really sharp knife!
How do you cut onion rings for salad?
Peel the outside layers off your onion until you reach the fleshy part.
Then cut off the top and bottom of the onion so that it can sit flat on the cutting board.
Turn the onion on its side and hold it steady while you slice it.
Then just separate the rings. Watch here if you need to see it in action.
Recipe
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb baby cucumbers washed and sliced
- 1 lb cherry tomatoes rinsed and halved
- 1 onion small, thinly sliced
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup sugar
- garlic salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Special Equipment
- paper towel
- serving bowl
- mixing bowl
Instructions
- Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion to a serving bowl.
- Sprinkle with garlic salt and seasoned pepper, to taste.
- In another small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and sugar. Do this until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until it’s time to eat.
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