Easy Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad
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This easy Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad is deliciously refreshing and crunchy! A simple red wine vinaigrette makes this light and tangy. In our house, this is our everyday salad on hot summer days.
This salad brings me back to when my father and grandfather had their backyard gardens, and tomatoes and cucumbers were always fresh and plentiful. They are both gone now, but I think of them every time I make it. Especially when I serve this with Chicken Spiedini.
I grew up eating this; thankfully, my family loves it as much as I do. Seriously, we eat this salad four or five times a week! It is simple to make, and it pairs well with almost anything.
I highly recommend having a loaf of bread to dip into the dressing at the bottom of the bowl. It is the best thing you will ever eat!
Nothing is quite as good as a nice ripe tomato, except when you pair it with a crunchy cucumber and dress it with a red wine vinaigrette. Every country around the Mediterranean has a version of this crisp salad. But they all have a few of things in common:
- It has 3 main ingredients: tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion,
- Fresh herbs
- A simple, light vinaigrette. There is no heavy salad dressing here.
Fresh Ingredients
Fresh Ripe tomatoes: You can use any tomato you like. Roma tomatoes are my favorite because they are what we grew in our garden, but heirloom tomatoes or cherry tomatoes are good substitutes.
Crisp Cucumbers: I love English cucumbers because their skin is tender enough to eat without peeling. You can also use regular cucumbers. I have also made this salad with mini cucumbers on many occasions.
Onion: You can use white or red onion in this salad.
Garlic: Fresh, finely diced, or thinly sliced.
Oregano: I use dried because I always have it in the house and the flavor is very robust.
Fresh Basil: This has to be fresh, so you get the basil’s lovely aromatics and wonderful flavor when combined with the tomatoes.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: You want to use a good quality EVOO. It is luxurious in this salad and has a richer flavor than regular olive oil. You will taste the difference!
Red Wine Vinegar: This gives the salad a little extra tang! If you need to make a substitution, you can use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice.
How to Make Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad
This really is the easiest salad you will ever make. The recipe card below provides measurements.
- Cut the tomatoes and cucumbers into bite-size pieces and throw them into a large bowl.
- Add the sliced onion, garlic, chopped basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, olive oil, and vinegar to the bowl. Toss well.
- Make any adjustments to suit your taste. Let the salad sit for about 15 minutes so all of the fresh flavors meld together.
Variations to this Simple Salad
This is a beautiful base salad that you can change to your liking.
- To add some Greek flavors you might want to toss in some feta cheese and kalamata olives.
- Include additional herbs such as fresh parsley or fresh mint.
- Garbanzo beans are a great way to add protein to this delicious salad.
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, I recommend letting the salad sit for a few minutes at room temperature before enjoying the leftover salad.
What to Serve with Mediterranean Tomato Cucumber Salad
One of my favorite weeknight dinners is Nonna’s Chicken Cutlets with easy salad. You will never have a complaint with this combination,
This delicious salad is a great side dish for Grilled Lemon Garlic Herb Chicken.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Lollipop Lamchops are great choices for a dinner filled with Mediterranean flavors.
Other Salads You Might Want to Try
Other delicious Mediterranean salads include my Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad and sweet Watermelon Tomato Salad with Feta and Balsamic.
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Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad Recipe
Easy Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad
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Ingredients
- 2 cups Tomatoes Cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 cups Cucumbers Cut into bite-size pieces
- ¼ Onion Sliced thin, red or white onions are fine
- 1 clove Garlic Minced
- ⅛ tsp. Black Pepper ground
- ½ tsp. Salt Kosher
- ¼ tsp. Oregano Dried, if using fresh use ½ tsp.
- 1 tbsp. Basil Fresh, sliced into ribbons or torn
- 3 tbsp. Extea Virgin Olive oil
- 1 tbsp. Red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss well. You may want to add additional salt or pepper to your taste. I also add an additional splash of red wine vinegar because I like the tang, but others like it a little less potent. Enjoy!
I love this salad because the traditional red wine vinegar really does make it!