Cucumber Tomato Salad with a quick and easy dill vinaigrette in just 10 minutes is the perfect side salad full of fresh summer vegetables.
With grilling season coming we love easy side dishes like Coleslaw, Easy Macaroni Salad and Texas Caviar for side dishes to our favorite grilled meats (I’m looking at you Easy Carne Asada!).
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Cucumber Tomato Salad is a refreshing summer salad recipe (that is naturally gluten-free and high in vitamin c) you can enjoy while tomatoes are ripe and in season (and also much less expensive than normal!). With the weather warming up tomatoes are becoming sweeter and sweeter and we’re finding tomatoes are already getting ripe enough for this recipe.
What’s great about this salad is you can make it ahead of time and it won’t wilt because it doesn’t contain any lettuce. The tomatoes, cucumbers and onions will soften just a bit as they sit but only to become more tender as you eat them. And if you have an aversion to raw red onion flavors you can soak your red onion slices in ice water for ten minutes before adding them to the salad to mute the raw onion flavor.
How to make a Vinaigrette:
The vinaigrette in this recipe is a classic red wine vinaigrette with a healthy handful of fresh chopped dill mixed in. A classic vinaigrette has a ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. You can use your favorite salad oil for this and your favorite vinegar, but in this recipe and with dill as a flavor I chose to use red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Since we are not using an emulsifier like mayonnaise or mustard you’re going to have to whisk the dressing right before tossing with the salad.
What are the best tomatoes to use?
I use vine tomatoes in this salad recipe but you can use cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes or any other ripe tomatoes. If you use cherry tomatoes make sure you slice them in half to allow the tomato juice and the dill vinaigrette to mix with the cut tomatoes.
More Ingredients to add:
- Cheese: Feta Cheese for a fun Greek twist, you can add this in fresh or baked (if baking, brush with extra-virgin olive oil and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes). Fresh Mozzarella for an Italian version, add some fresh basil too.
- Protein: Grilled Chicken or Grilled Shrimp
- Vegetables: Carrots, Kidney Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Red Bell Peppers, Avocados
- Fruit: Strawberries, Watermelon
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Tips for Tomato Salad:
- If you add more ingredients to this tomato cucumber salad recipe be sure to increase the amount of dressing you make.
- You can also add lemon juice in place of or in addition to the red wine vinegar. You can swap out the red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar too.
- Be careful when tossing the tomatoes with the dressing so you don’t lose the tomato juice from them.
- This is an easy salad you can make ahead of time and it can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.
- Do not refrigerate your tomatoes before serving, this makes tomatoes mealy.
More Summer Friendly Easy Recipes:
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh dill , chopped
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 4 cups english cucumbers , cut in half lengthwise and sliced
- 4 vine tomatoes , chopped
- 1/2 red onion , thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dill, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Toss dressing and vegetables together gently.
Nutrition
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Was good. Quick and easy. . Made recipe as is except added dry dill as I didn’t have fresh.
Great salad, will make it again!
Sabrina your recipes never disappoint. This was easy and delicious! The family loved it.
Love this salad!
Can I use dried dill instead of fresh?
Hi Breanna! Yes you absolutely can but fresh dill is preferred. Thank you
Just tried it with the dried dill!! It was a little gritty at first but the dill softened up pretty fast. Thank you!! Definitely making this again.
Hopefully next time I will be able to find fresh dill, but it is good to know I can make it without it
Breanna,
How much dried dill did you use? And how long did it take for the gritty to soften?
Thanks
Hi Sabrina,
I’m eyeing this recipe as a side for a Memorial Day picnic. It sounds delicious! Question: if using dried dill, is the amount still the same (1/4 cup), or should that be adjusted? Thank you so much!
One of our favourite salads!! Sometimes I add cooked couscous or small cooked pasta shells to make it a more wholesome meal in one.
Is this recipe enough for 6 people or should I double it?
I ma having a dinner party for 6 people. Will the cucumber tomato salad recipe be enough for 6 adults?
Brought this to Easter dinner! Put the dressing on at my sister-in-law’s house and tossed it there. It was a hit. And she even wanted some of the leftovers. I think I am going to make this for future events from now on.
Yay! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it.
How much is a serving?
I have about a cup as a serving.
One of our favorite salads, I add a bit of garlic oregano to the dressing plus olives and feta. Also a little dijon to help it emulsify
Thanks for the suggestions, Rocky.
Love this!! I’ve made it 3 times! Can I refrigerate leftovers? Would love to make ahead for work!
I’m so glad you love it so much! Keeping this salad in the fridge in an airtight container is key. It will last a week in the fridge.
I loved the freshness and the dill, but need to cut back on the salt by half. Otherwise, very tasty.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe has all of my favorite flavors! Love the sound of it and can’t wait to give it a try! YUM!
Enjoy!
Love this fresh salad, I make it often at home as I grow tomatoes and cucumbers in my garden. Your photography is lovely, now I need a bite of this salad.
So glad you enjoy it! Having your own garden is such a blessing to pick from.
Oh, I grow up eating something similar to this, but we never add dill before. I’m curious how this will taste. 🙂
I’d love to know what you think after trying!
What a colorful, healthy and tasty dish! Makes a great lunch option; I’m going to try this tomorrow!
Enjoy!
Mmm tastes like summer in a bowl! Definitely making extra vinaigrette for later.
I hope you enjoy it!
We make something very similar, but with mint. It goes great with curry.
Sounds delicious!