Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe and Tips

A cucumber tomato salad is a semi-composed salad featuring two popular summertime veggies: cucumber and tomato. This summer salad is an integral side dish throughout the Mediterranean, particularly in Greek and Italian cuisine.

Common variations include cucumber tomato onion salad, which adds sliced or diced red or white onion to the mix. In Indian cuisine, diced tomatoes and cucumbers often appear together in a family of relishes known as kachumber. In this tomato cucumber salad recipe by Madhur Jaffrey, they get tossed with fresh lemon juice and ground cumin and topped with a tadka—a technique of cooking a mixture of spices in fat to release their essential oils—of mustard seeds and curry leaves.

This easy salad comes together in just a few minutes. Here’s how to make the most of fresh tomatoes and crisp summer cucumbers:

1. 1. Add cheese: Like pasta salad, the fresh crunch of the dressed vegetables can benefit from a bite or two of rich, creamy cheese. Add pieces of salty, crumbly feta or bite-sized balls of marinated mozzarella. Try this smoky marinated feta recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi.
2. 2. Build the salad dressing: Greek- and Italian-style salads usually feature a simple combination of red wine vinegar and lemon juice. If you like, you can finish the salad with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.
3. 3. Make it ahead: To prepare cucumber tomato salad ahead of time, combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion with the dressing and store, covered, in the fridge. Add the cheese and any other toppings just before serving.
4. 4. Transform the leftovers: Cucumber tomato salad is best the day you make it, but if you have any leftovers, add a quarter cup of cooked chickpeas for a little extra protein and dietary fiber, or cooked couscous or bulgur for a quick and flavorful tabbouleh-style dish.
5. 5. Use fresh herbs: Herbs are a welcome sight in anything come summertime, and cucumber tomato salad is one of the best vehicles for them. Roughly chop fresh basil, fresh cilantro, fresh dill, or fresh parsley (or a combination), and add to the salad as a final step before serving.