Cucumber tomato salad has fresh vegetables and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. Make this recipe for an easy side dish that goes with any meal!
This marinated vegetables salad is delicious at any time of year, but it’s the best as a refreshing side salad on a hot summer day.
It’s full of simple, fresh ingredients and it’s really easy to make!
All it takes is about 15 minutes to prep the ingredients and a couple of hours of marinating time.
Cucumber tomato onion salad is a great side dish for weeknight dinners, family barbecues, or neighborhood potlucks.
Types of Cucumbers
While there are dozens of different varieties, cucumbers are typically divided into three groups: slicing, pickling, and seedless.
- Slicing cucumbers are the ones typically found in produce bins. They have a tough, waxy skin and are firmer than other varieties, which makes them easy to slice.
- Pickling cucumbers are just how they sound – grown shorter and thicker to be used for pickling.
- Seedless cucumbers, also known as English, burpless, or hothouse, these cucumber varieties typically have smaller seeds and thinner skin. As a result, they are easier to digest. Also, the skin tends to be less bitter than other varieties.
Slicing or seedless varieties work best for this recipe. To reduce the bitter flavor of slicing cucumbers, remove some or all of the skin.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Salad:
- Cucumbers – any variety, but I usually use hothouse or English cucumbers
- Red onion
- Tomatoes – use your favorite variety
- Fresh parsley
For the Apple Cinder Vinaigrette:
- Apple cider vinegar – or red wine vinegar
- Water
- Sugar – regular granulated
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
You also might like this apple cider vinaigrette recipe!
How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad
STEP ONE: Prep the salad ingredients
- Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, then slice to create half-rounds. Slice the red onion very thinly, then cut into 1-inch strips.
- Chop the tomatoes into bite-sized chunks. For cherry or grape tomatoes, just slice them in half.
- Add the cucumber and red onion to a bowl. Place the tomatoes in a covered container and refrigerate for later.
STEP TWO: Make the apple cider vinaigrette
- Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl or large glass measuring cup until the sugar is completely dissolved.
TIP: Depending on your dietary needs, you can replace the sugar with any granulated sugar substitute. Honey or agave can be used as well, but start with half the amount listed for the sugar and adjust to taste.
STEP THREE: Add dressing to the vegetables
- Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber and red onion, stirring to coat all the pieces.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours so the vegetables can soak up all of the marinade.
- When you’re ready to serve, drain off most of the excess marinade. Then, mix in the tomatoes and fresh parsley and enjoy!
RECIPE NOTES
- Freeze the onions for 15 minutes or so before slicing. This reduces the enzyme that causes tears.
- Make the vinaigrette ahead of time. Then, store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Be sure to shake well before using.
- Use apple cider vinaigrette for other recipes like marinating meat, drizzling over grilled veggies, or as a dressing for a tossed green salad.
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Avocado chunks
- Sliced or cubed salami
- Mozzarella balls
- Greek olives
- Seasoned croutons
What to serve with cucumber tomato onion salad
This salad pairs well with just about anything. It’s a great side for chicken, steak, fish, and seafood.
Other Summer Salad Recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you do, please leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2-3 cucumbers any kind will work (I usually use 2 large hot house or English cucumbers), thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup red onion very thinly sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 medium tomatoes chopped (or 2-3 cups of any tomato you like)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Place the cucumbers and red onion in a bowl. Whisk together the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and oil until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour over the cucumbers and onions and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (and up to 6).
- Pour off all but a few tablespoons of the liquid. Add the tomatoes and herbs and toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This cucumber tomato salad recipe was originally published on 6/25/2015. The post was updated with new photos on 5/21/2020.
Why a cup of water?
The water helps the sugar/salt to dissolve. The vinegar isn’t enough liquid to allow those to dissolve. I hope that makes sense!
Hello…I just found your beautiful salad and I was so excited I placed it on my healthy page on Pinterest.. Right in the middle of making…than I realized I hadn’t asked you first. Is that ok? I am new at placing a picture from the internet on pinterest. That is really a good looking salad…and I find that I have extremely good taste. Oh,my name is del.
My Grandfather used to make a salad when I was little….about 65 yrs ago. This is so similar.. I did not add parsley. Instead I added 3 cloves of garlic sliced thinly and a medium sliced sweet onion. I also cut the sugar to 1/8 cup. Mixed it all together and let it refrigerate for 24 hrs. It was a winner at our house. It got better with each passing day. A keeper.
P Dagen
this was exactly what my mother used to make! love it!!!
I will try this Thank u for the recipe!
I love how fresh and flavorful this salad is. so simple to make it’s my go-to recipe for all our potlucks.