Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad

5 from 5 votes

A fresh summer side dish that highlights ripe tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and zesty red onion in a simple basil vinaigrette. Stirs together in 10 minutes and only gets better as it sits.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword cucumber and tomato salad with vinegar, cucumber onion tomato salad, cucumber tomato onion salad, tomato cucumber onion salad, tomato onion cucumber salad

Prep Time 10

Resting Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 194kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

4 medium ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded, and sliced into wedges
2 English seedless cucumbers, peeled (if desired) and sliced into half-circles
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and basil.
In a separate small bowl or jar, whisk or shake together the olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Pour about half the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add more dressing only if needed.
Let the salad marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature, or in the fridge if you prefer a cold salad.

Video

Notes

For the best flavor, use ripe, in-season tomatoes (late spring through early fall). The salad is only as good as the produce.
Dressing alternatives. Substitute apple cider vinegar, champagne vinegar, or balsamic vinegar for the red wine vinegar. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice in place of some of the vinegar adds bright citrus flavor. Skip white vinegar, which is too harsh for this dish.
Cucumber options. English cucumbers are my first pick (thin skin, small seeds). Persian cucumbers also work well. For regular cucumbers, peel and seed them first.
Make it a meal. Bulk up the salad with a can of drained, rinsed chickpeas for extra protein and fiber, or stir in crumbled feta cheese, diced fresh mozzarella, or small mozzarella balls for a Mediterranean-style version.
Add avocado. Stir in a pitted, diced avocado for a creamy texture. If you're not serving the salad within 30 minutes, wait to add the avocado until just before serving so it doesn't turn brown.
Shortcut dressing. Swap the homemade vinaigrette for about ½ cup of a good store-bought Italian dressing.
Storage. Leftover salad keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, but it's best within the first 24 hours.

Nutrition