This Easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad is super simple, naturally delicious, and needs no extra seasonings or dressings.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
We love a good salad, especially when it’s as easy and tasty as this Cucumber and Tomato Salad. Here’s what we love about this recipe:
- Simple Ingredients: The recipe uses simple, fresh ingredients that are easy to find at any local market or in your backyard garden.
- Easy to Prepare: With just a few simple steps, this salad is easy for anyone to prepare, making it a great choice for family meals or backyard barbecues.
- Versatile: It’s a great way to load up veggies. It pairs perfectly with just about any main dish, from grilled chicken to our Flavor-loaded Steak.
- Flavor: The combination of garden-fresh cucumbers, sweet cherry tomatoes, and aromatic garlic and dill creates a salad that’s bursting with flavor.
- Nutritiously Delicious: This salad is not only incredibly delicious, it's also packed with nutrients, making it a healthy addition to any meal.
Key Ingredients
- Garden Cucumbers – These are the star of our salad, providing a crisp and refreshing crunch. We recommend using garden cucumbers or the long English variety for their fresh, slightly sweet flavor and minimal seeds.
- Cherry Tomatoes – We love the burst of sweetness and acidity these tomatoes add to the salad. Look for organic cherry tomatoes for the best flavor and texture.
- Garlic – Using fresh garlic cloves from your garden provides a pungently delicious kick that elevates the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Chopped Dill – The dill not only adds a beautiful, fresh, and herby flavor to the salad but also compliments the cucumbers and tomatoes perfectly.
Substitutions and Variations
This refreshing and simple cucumber and tomato salad is a summer staple. Here are a few of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Add Red Onion: Try adding thinly sliced red onion for a pop of color and flavor. It’s a classic addition that goes so well with the crisp cucumbers and sweet tomatoes.
- Use Different Herbs: If dill isn't your favorite herb, you can easily substitute it with fresh parsley or even mint. This Herbed Potato Salad recipe uses a mix of herbs like tarragon and chives, and we think they would work beautifully in this cucumber and tomato salad as well.
- Add Feta: For a creamy and tangy addition, sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese on top. It pairs so well with the fresh veggies and the herby dressing.
- Try Different Veggies: This salad is so versatile, it can accommodate all kinds of additional veggies. Bell peppers, avocado, or even some leafy greens would all work great.
How to Make Easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Step 1
Rinse all veggies and herbs, and pat dry. Cut the cucumber into thin, long pieces and the cherry tomatoes into wedges. Place them in a large salad bowl.
Step 2
Add pressed or finely diced garlic, chopped dill, salt, and pepper to the bowl of vegetables. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and shake it to mix the ingredients. Let the salad sit for 15 minutes before serving.
I prefer to serve this salad with mashed potatoes and steak, yum!
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
- I prefer to serve this salad with a juicy steak. The flavors of the salad and the steak complement each other perfectly.
- A big chunk of homemade French bread is great for soaking up the delicious juices at the bottom of the salad bowl.
- This salad is also a great side dish for a BBQ or potluck. It's light and refreshing, making it the perfect complement to heavier dishes.
- If you're making this salad for a crowd, it's easy to double or triple the recipe. It's a great option for weddings, big parties, or church feast gatherings.
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend using garden cucumbers or long English cucumbers for this recipe. You can also use Persian cucumbers if you prefer a milder flavor and fewer seeds.
For this salad, there's no need to peel the cucumbers, especially if you're using organic ones. The skin adds a nice texture and retains some of the nutrients. Simply make sure to wash them thoroughly before slicing.
While we specifically call for organic cherry tomatoes in this recipe, you can certainly use other types of tomatoes if you prefer. You can use regular tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or even heirloom tomatoes. Just make sure to cut them into bite-sized pieces for easy eating.
How to Store Leftovers
- Storing: Store the salad in the bowl covered with a lid for 48 hours. Any longer than that and the cucumbers will lose their crispiness and become limp. The salad tastes even better the next day in my opinion after soaking up all the flavors.
- Freezing: I don't recommend freezing this salad since the cucumbers and tomatoes have a high water content. Freezing and thawing can change their texture, leaving you with a soggy salad.
If you make this Easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad, please share a picture with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag with #valyastasteofhome. I’d love to see your creations!
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See all SALAD recipes.
Recipe
Recipe Card
Easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 – 8 garden cucumbers (or 1 long English cucumber)
- 1 lb. organic cherry tomatoes
- 4 garlic gloves (I used homegrown garlic)
- ¼ cup chopped dill
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse all the veggies, dill, and pat dry using a paper towel.
- Cut the cucumber in half. Than take that half and cut it into three thin, long pieces. Cut each piece in half.
- Place whole cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumbers into wedges into a large salad bowl.
- Add pressed or finely diced (my preference) garlic, chopped dill, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
- Cover with a plastic food wrap and shake to mix lightly. Let the salad stand and juice for 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve this salad with mashed potatoes and steak, yum!
Notes
- Always use fresh, crisp cucumbers and ripe, juicy cherry tomatoes for the best flavor and texture.
- Patting the veggies and herbs dry before chopping and adding to the salad will help the dressing stick better and prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- Cut the cucumbers into thin, long pieces to maximize their surface area, allowing the dressing to penetrate and infuse the salad with flavor.
- We love using homegrown garlic for its fresh, pungently sweet flavor, but store-bought garlic works just as well.
- Allow the salad to stand for 15 minutes after adding the dressing. This will allow the flavors to meld and the veggies to release their juices, making the salad even more delicious. Serve with our mashed potatoes and steak.
This recipe was originally posted on July 25, 2014, (original picture below). New look but the same great taste! This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
Taya says
Great looking salad. Love your presentation of it.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you very much! 🙂
Tatyana says
Thanks for sharing this easy recipe. God bless you and your family!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Your very welcome Tatyana! Thank you! God's blessing to you too! 🙂