Cucumber Tomato Salad

Popping in with a PSA that the recipe for Cucumber Tomato Salad exists and you should be making it as often as possible from now until Labor Day.

The more you know!

This fresh, and healthy side dish featuring garden-fresh herbs and vegetables drizzled in the most luscious homemade Italian Vinaigrette pairs perfectly with any summer dinner.

Made in minutes, and incredibly refreshing — it’ll instantly become a new summer staple!

Italian Cucumber Salad

My Mom served this easy Cucumber Tomato Salad recipe with dinner at least three times a week each summer growing up. This was a change from the iceberg lettuce salad she served at the same frequency during the colder months of the year. (Tell me you grew up in the 80s and 90s without telling me…)

It probably goes without saying that fresh summer tomatoes paired with crispy cucumbers and a handful of fragrant basil, drizzled with tangy Italian Vinaigrette, is a solid upgrade from a ho-hum lettuce salad!

This fresh combo is delicious enough to eat all on its own, especially on steamy summer nights when you’re craving something light and refreshing, but pairs perfectly with grilled or BBQ dinners too.

Ingredients Needed

Raid your garden or Farmer’s Market for the main ingredients in this fresh side salad. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Cucumbers: I grew up eating regular ol’ garden cucumbers in this salad, which we’d peel then seed before chopping. Nowadays, English cucumbers and Persian cucumbers (aka mini cucumbers) are readily available and fine to use instead. No need to peel English or Persian cukes before tossing into the salad.
• Tomatoes: My best advice is to use whatever tomato variety looks and smells the best when plucking or shopping for this salad. I love chopping then seeding Vine-Ripened tomatoes for this salad, though Roma tomatoes, Heirloom tomatoes, or even cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are great too!
• Basil: a handful of torn or chopped fresh basil leaves adds an irresistible and nostalgic aroma and flavor to this fresh summer salad.

Easy Homemade Dressing

You can of course use any store-bought dressing for Cucumber Tomato Salad — I recommend Zesty Italian Vinaigrette or Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing — though nothing compares to homemade for a salad made with fresh, simple ingredients.

Feel free to make this vinaigrette up to 5 days ahead of time. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Neutral-tasting oil: like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. The flavor of extra virgin olive oil overpowers the other ingredients, imo.
• White wine vinegar or Red wine vinegar: provides a puckery tang to the vinaigrette.
• Apple cider vinegar: is a little more mild than red wine vinegar and adds a light, tangy flavor.
• Dijon mustard: helps emulsify the vinaigrette.
• Minced shallot: adds a mild onion flavor to the dressing. I use dried onion flakes in a pinch.
• Fresh garlic: adds SO much flavor. You only need a little bit!
• Honey: helps balance all the flavors. Use pure maple syrup or granulated sugar to keep this dressing vegan.
• Dried herbs and seasonings: salt, pepper, dried oregano, and dried marjoram add lots of craveable flavor.

Switch It Up

We make this salad in such high frequency each summer because all the ingredients are bursting out of our garden. That said, make this easy side salad work with what YOU have on hand! Here are some ideas:

• Herbs: use minced chives, chopped parsley, or chopped fresh dill instead of, or in addition to, fresh basil.
• Onions: add thinly sliced red onion or shallots.
• Veggies: add shredded carrot or diced peppers.
• Tomatoes: I normally use vine-ripened tomatoes, though roma, cherry, grape, or heirloom tomatoes are all delicious. De-seed larger tomatoes before adding to the salad.
• Cucumbers: use English or Persian cucumbers, which don’t need to be peeled nor seeded prior to eating, instead of regular garden-variety cucumbers.
• Cheese: add mini mozzarella balls (also called “pearls”) or crumbled feta cheese.
• Avocado: add a diced avocado for creaminess.
• Olives: give the salad a Mediterranean spin by adding chopped or sliced kalamata olives, or Spanish or Italian green olives.

Fresh Side Dish for Dinner

I try not to overcomplicate dinner in the summer, so often times this salad will be the star of an otherwise simple meal of grilled burgers, dogs, or brats. Here are some other meals this fresh salad pairs well with!

• Crispy Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets
• Cheeseburger Bombs
• Simple Grilled Chicken Thighs
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Perfect Grilled Steak
• Easy Baked Ribs
• Grilled Pesto Chicken
• Smoked Chicken Wings
• Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
• Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
• Sweet Chili Coconut-Lime Chicken

Serve with Grilled Pork Tenderloin

How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad

Step 1: Make the Homemade Italian Vinaigrette.

Trust me when I tell you that this stuff is better than anything you’ll find at the store! To a mason jar or small bowl add the dressing ingredients — oil, vinegars, Dijon mustard, minced shallot and garlic, honey, and dried herbs and seasonings — then shake or whisk to combine.

I like to make the vinaigrette at least a couple of hours before dressing the salad so the flavors have time to meld, though it will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Step 2: Chop the fresh vegetables and herbs.

Chop then seed the tomatoes and cucumber then add to a large bowl. Tear, chop, or thinly slice (aka chiffonade) fresh basil leaves then add to the bowl.

How to chiffonade fresh basil leaves:

1. Nest basil leaves into each other to form a “boat”.
2. Roll the leaves into a cigar shape.
3. Thinly slice.

Step 3: Dress then serve the salad.

Last step is to pour the Italian Vinaigrette over the Cucumber Tomato Salad, season with a little more salt and pepper to taste, then scoop, serve, and devour.

If you find yourself spooning up every last drop of the homemade vinaigrette after the last piece of cucumber and tomato have been speared — you’re in good company. ;)

More Fresh Side Dish Recipes

• Healthy Chickpea Salad
• Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
• Air Fryer Green Beans
• Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
• Italian Quinoa Salad
• Fruit Salad Recipe for a Crowd
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad
• Air Fryer Asparagus
• Green Beans with Bacon
• Napa Sweet Corn Salad
• Marinated Vegetable Salad

Photos by Ashley McLaughlin

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