This cucumber and tomato salad is my go-to salad during the summer. Add some onions, feta cheese, and a fresh herb/vinegar dressing, and this is a fantastic side dish to any meal. If you had to use two words to describe this salad, it would be “cool & refreshing”. This, along with corn on the cob from the garden, and a freshly picked watermelon has been supper many times around here on those hot summer nights when everyone has been working outside and doesn’t want a huge meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need for a Cucumber & Tomato Salad
- Cucumbers
- Plum Cherry Tomatoes
- White or Red Onion
- Feta Cheese
- Fresh Herbs (my favorite is both oregano and mint, but you can also use basil or thyme)
- Olive Oil
- White Vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
Tips for making the best cucumber and tomato salad:
If you have super big cucumbers- like the ones you pulled out from the bottom of the cucumber vine- I would recommend peeling them. The last thing you want is bitter-tasting skin. . . which is common in the summer with big cucumbers if you are growing them. When it’s hot and dry, most varieties will go bitter once they reach a certain size. If you want to keep the skin on the cucumbers, pick them young! I usually grow a few varieties for different purposes and finally discovered one that I grow specifically for these salads. The China Jade cucumber grows to be super long and thin, and it’s one I would 100% recommend growing!
For the cherry tomatoes- the plum variety is what I like best because they have the least amount of juice in them. You can slice up big tomatoes but the salad will have quite a bit of liquid in it. Again, plum cherries are something I grow each summer for this salad and a few other recipes. Interested in other ways to use up tomatoes? Check out my Canning Whole Tomatoes recipe!
The Dressing
This is such a simple one to make. Olive oil, white vinegar, fresh chopped herbs, and salt & pepper. Use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand! My go-to combo is oregano & mint. Also, you can replace the white vinegar with wine or rice vinegar, but I find that white vinegar holds its “punch” longer than any other kind.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
This refreshing salad will become a summer favorite!
- 3 cups sliced cucumbers
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¾ cup finely chopped white or red onion
- ½-¾ cup feta cheese
The Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped herbs (I use the combo of oregano & mint)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Slice cucumbers into bite-size pieces, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Chop up the onion finely. Combine in a large bowl. If you are making this salad ahead of time, at this point you would throw it in the fridge and add the cheese and dressing when you're ready to serve.
Add feta cheese
The Dressing
Combine all dressing ingredients into a measuring cup and whisk well. Pour over the salad and its ready to be served. Enjoy!
Did you enjoy this recipe? If you did, I’d be thrilled if you left a review!
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