This cucumber tomato onion salad is full of fresh sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and red onion, all tossed in a red wine vinaigrette and sprinkled with feta cheese. The perfect light and refreshing side dish for any summer meal!
Cucumber tomato salads are a classic side for cookouts, picnics and other summer gatherings. These salads are budget-friendly, easy to make and so refreshing on a hot day. My version is a mixture of cucumber, tomato, red onion and feta cheese for a delicious combination of flavors and textures.
Summer salads like this one are my favorite. Not only are they quick and easy to make, but they’re so light and fresh they won’t leave you feeling weighed down!
Whether you’re cooking for yourself, your family, or need a dish for a summer get-together, this colorful, delicious salad will do the trick!
Ingredients needed for cucumber tomato onion salad:
For this gorgeous summer salad, I chose seasonal ingredients that I crave this time of year!
Here’s what’s in this cucumber tomato salad:
- Cucumbers – Light and refreshing with the perfect crunch.
- Cherry tomatoes – Tomatoes are especially delicious in the summertime! Depending on the size, cut these in half or quarter them. You can also use chopped Roma tomatoes.
- Red onion – Red onions are great for salads because they have a beautiful color and a more mild, sweet flavor than other onion varieties.
- Dressing – This salad is tossed in a tasty homemade red wine vinaigrette. It’s a simple mix of olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt & pepper.
- Feta cheese – The creamy, salty flavor feta gives to the salad is absolutely fabulous. You can also use goat cheese for a little more tang, or even gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles.
How to make cucumber tomato salad:
There’s nothing complicated about tossing this salad together! The only thing that takes a bit of time is cutting up all the vegetables.
Step 1: Chop all your veggies. This should only take about 5-10 minutes.
Step 2: Place the veggies in a large bowl.
Step 3: Make your dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to combine.
Step 4: Sprinkle feta cheese over the salad. Enjoy immediately or place in the fridge and eat later!
Tips for salad success:
- Make ahead! This salad can be made several hours before you plan to serve it.
- The vinaigrette for this salad can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store it in the fridge until you’re ready to make your salad.
- I prefer to buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it myself. I find that the block feta has more flavor than the tubs of pre-crumbled cheese.
- If you are making this for a party, I highly recommend doubling the salad recipe. It will be everyone’s favorite!
Customize this salad:
This salad is delicious as-is, but you can absolutely add other ingredients to the mix to use what you have available and customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein. Make it a meal by serving this salad alongside cooked chicken, fish, shrimp or burgers.
- Plant-based protein. Add in a can of drained chickpeas or a cup of cooked quinoa for a little more heartiness and plant-based protein.
- Veggies. Feel free to add other vegetables such as marinated artichoke hearts, grilled zucchini or corn.
- Healthy fats. Toss in a chopped avocado for additional nutrition and healthy fats.
- Dressing. The homemade vinaigrette is super easy to mix up and adds the perfect tang, but feel free to swap it out with about 1/2 cup of your favorite bottled vinaigrette.
- Vegan salad. This salad can easily be made dairy-free and vegan by omitting the feta cheese.
Ways to serve this tomato cucumber salad recipe:
- Straight out of the bowl. Add some chickpeas and this salad is plenty filling for a light meal. You could also add diced grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken for a little more staying power.
- With fresh greens. For even more veggie goodness, toss this tomato cucumber salad with fresh greens, then drizzle on a bit of extra vinaigrette to create a fresh green salad.
- As a side dish. The way I usually serve this salad is as a side dish to grilled meats, burgers or sandwiches.
Make Ahead + Storage Recommendations:
- Make ahead. This salad is great to make several hours in advance of serving it because it gets tastier over time. You can also mix the vinaigrette together up to 3 days in advance, and store it in the refrigerator.
- Storing leftovers. Store the leftover salad in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Before serving again, give it a good stir and taste + season again as needed.
More healthy salads you’ll love:
If you make this tomato cucumber onion salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment and ★ rating below letting me know how it turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).
Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers 6 cups chopped
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/4 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbled into hearty pieces
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine chopped cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl (I like using a glass measuring cup for this) combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk everything together.
- Pour dressing over the veggies and toss until well combined. Finish by gently tossing in feta cheese. Enjoy!
- Makes 6 cups (4 servings).
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