Cucumber Tomato Salad – Finances Bytes

The aroma from this Cucumber Tomato Salad is essentially the most deliciously contemporary scent of cucumbers, parsley, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy inexperienced peppers, and it’s past pleasant. The one factor higher than the aroma is the flavour. This straightforward facet salad is chilly, crunchy, juicy, budget-friendly, and tossed with a easy purple wine-oregano French dressing that makes each chunk style brilliant and contemporary. Briefly, this cucumber tomato salad is one massive bowl of chilly, crunchy, juicy loveliness.

Pin this recipe for later!

All recipes are rigorously examined in our Nashville Check Kitchen to make sure they’re straightforward, inexpensive, and scrumptious.

“I make this salad virtually each week. Generally I modify it a little bit based mostly upon what I’ve (further pepper, no onion, and so forth). I like to put it on a pita with some hummus and falafel. Yum!”

Krista

A Deliciously Contemporary Cucumber Tomato Facet

Cucumber and tomato salads aren’t precisely new (undoubtedly take a look at my creamy cucumber salad, too!), however generally the only classics are those I come again to most. This one is contemporary, mild, low-calorie, and filled with greens, but it surely nonetheless has loads of taste because of the tangy oregano French dressing and pops of creamy, salty feta. I like slicing the cucumbers into hearty chunks in order that they maintain their crunch higher after dressing, and the French dressing provides brightness with out weighing the whole lot down. It’s a straightforward, budget-friendly facet salad that brings freshness, texture, and shade to a meal with out including a lot prep time or value.

I additionally love how versatile this cucumber tomato salad is. Serve it as a fast facet dish, or bulk it up with canned tuna and white beans to show it into one thing nearer to my Mediterranean tuna salad, which is the PERFECT protein and veggie-packed meal prep salad (in case you ask me!)

1. Select crisp cucumbers. I take advantage of common contemporary cucumbers right here as a result of they’re budget-friendly and simple to seek out. They have an inclination to have more durable pores and skin, so I wish to peel a few of it off in stripes earlier than chopping. English cucumbers or Persian (mini) cucumbers additionally work properly in case you want a thinner pores and skin, fewer seeds, and additional crunch!
2. Slice and soak the purple onion. Minimize the purple onion very thinly, about 1/8-inch thick, in order that they add a fragile crunch as an alternative of an overwhelming, sharp chunk. I additionally wish to soak the sliced onion in ice water for 5-10 minutes. I used to skip this step, but it surely actually helps mellow that harsh uncooked onion taste.
3. Maintain it from getting soggy. Cucumbers and tomatoes naturally launch water as soon as they’re reduce and salted, so maintain the items chunky and toss the salad with the dressing simply earlier than serving for the freshest crunch. For further insurance coverage, select agency tomatoes and salt your cucumbers to attract out extra water. Place the chopped cucumbers in a colander, toss with ½ tsp salt, and drain for 15-Half-hour, then pat dry earlier than utilizing. Regulate the salt within the dressing to style.
4. Stir earlier than serving. The French dressing and vegetable juices can settle on the backside of the bowl because the salad sits, so give it a delicate stir earlier than serving.
5. Make it your personal. Cucumber tomato salads can go in just a few totally different instructions relying on the dressing and add-ins. Skip the feta for a easy dairy-free model, add 1½ cups couscous (cooked till tender and cooled) for a tomato and cucumber couscous salad, or make it extra filling with a drained and rinsed can of black beans, like in my cucumber and black bean salad!

Serving Solutions

I consider this cucumber tomato salad because the contemporary, crunchy a part of the plate. The juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, bell pepper, feta, and oregano French dressing add coolness and acidity, so it’s particularly good with heat and hearty mains. Grilled rooster is certainly one of my go-to dinners to serve with this salad, particularly in the summertime. I’ll chop the greens and blend the dressing whereas the rooster is brining, then toss the whole lot collectively as soon as the rooster goes on the grill so the salad is prepared when it comes off. It’s additionally nice with selfmade hamburgers as a result of the chilly greens and tangy French dressing loosen up the plate and add a pleasant distinction subsequent to the gentle bun and wealthy beef.

For a meatless meal, I feel this salad is scrumptious with falafel in bowls, wraps, or pita plates. The contemporary veggies pair rather well with the nice and cozy spices within the falafel, particularly with a sauce or hummus on the facet! It additionally works properly with air fryer pork chops as a result of the tangy dressing balances the recent, savory pork chops with out including a lot further prep!

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Price $6.62 recipe / $1.10 serving

This Cucumber Tomato Salad is a chilly, crunchy, juicy mixture of cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, purple onion, parsley, and feta tossed in a easy purple wine oregano French dressing.

Salad

• ▢ 2 cucumbers (peeled and chopped, (about 1.25 lb., 566g, 4 cups) $1.52*)
• ▢ 4 Roma tomatoes (chopped, (about 1 lb., 453g, 2 cups) $1.27)
• ▢ ½ small purple onion (sliced skinny, (150g, 1 cup) $0.51)
• ▢ 1 inexperienced bell pepper (chopped, (180g, 1 cup) $0.86**)
• ▢ ¼ bunch contemporary parsley (chopped, (55g, ½ cup) $0.24***)
• ▢ 2 oz. feta (crumbled, $1.15****)

• Collect and put together all elements.

• Put together the French dressing first to let the flavors mix as you put together the remainder of the salad. In a small bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, purple wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and a few freshly cracked pepper. Set the dressing apart.

• Peel the cucumbers if desired. Cube the cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell pepper.

• Thinly slice the purple onion and soak them in a bowl of ice water for 5-10 minutes, then drain the water. This helps to take away the tough chunk of the purple onions.

• Pull the parsley leaves from their stems, then give them a tough chop. Crumble the feta cheese if it is not already crumbled.

• Place the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, purple onion, parsley, and feta in a big bowl. If you happen to’re including the olives and roasted purple peppers, embrace them right here (non-obligatory). Pour the dressing over prime, and toss to mix. Serve instantly or refrigerate till able to eat. This salad holds up properly over just a few days within the fridge. You should definitely stir briefly to redistribute the flavors earlier than serving.

See how we calculate recipe prices right here.

---

*Common slicing cucumbers have a barely extra pronounced cucumber taste, however their thicker pores and skin can generally be a little bit bitter. Peeling alternating strips retains a few of that contemporary taste and shade whereas eradicating sufficient pores and skin for a extra nice chunk. If you happen to want a milder, sweeter cucumber with very tender pores and skin, English or Persian cucumbers are glorious substitutes and don’t must be peeled!
**Inexperienced bell peppers are normally essentially the most budget-friendly possibility on the subject of bell peppers! Their crisp texture and barely bitter taste additionally stability the candy tomatoes and tangy French dressing on this salad. It’s also possible to use different peppers if most popular. Crimson peppers make the salad sweeter and juicier, whereas orange and yellow peppers supply a milder sweetness if that’s what you favor.
***Contemporary parsley provides a clear, herby taste that lets the greens and French dressing shine, however you possibly can swap it for contemporary dill, basil, mint, oregano, chives, or cilantro. Every herb takes the salad in a barely totally different path, so select one which matches the remainder of your meal.
****I take advantage of pre-crumbled feta right here as a result of it’s extra inexpensive and simple to seek out. Nevertheless, block feta packed in brine gives you the creamiest texture and tangiest taste as a result of it stays moist till you’re able to crumble it. The feta additionally provides this salad a nod to a traditional Greek cucumber tomato salad, which historically combines chunky cucumbers, tomatoes, inexperienced bell pepper, purple onion, olives, a slab of feta, and a easy olive oil dressing with none lettuce.
Optionally available add-ins: Kalamata olives and roasted purple peppers add much more Mediterranean-style taste to this salad. The olives carry a salty, briny chunk, and the roasted peppers add a little bit pure sweetness. See the Variations⁠ part beneath for less difficult methods to vary up this cucumber tomato salad.
Adjusting the yield: This recipe is simple to scale as a result of there’s no cooking concerned. Merely enhance or lower the greens and French dressing in the identical proportions. For just one or two servings, I feel it’s simpler to whisk the dressing proper within the serving bowl. For bigger gatherings, make a double batch of the salad and dressing, and costume the salad simply earlier than serving so the whole lot stays as crisp as attainable.

Serving: 1serving (1⅓ cups every, with out non-obligatory add-ins)Energy: 135kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 7g (2%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fats: 11g (17%)Sodium: 309mg (13%)Fiber: 2g (8%)

The vitamin information is robotically calculated utilizing all elements listed on the recipe card, together with any listed as non-obligatory. Percentages are of each day worth.

Learn how to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad Step-by-Step Pictures

Collect the dressing elements: You’ll want ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp purple wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.

Collect the salad elements: You’ll want 2 cucumbers, 4 Roma tomatoes, ½ small purple onion, 1 inexperienced bell pepper, ¼ bunch contemporary parsley, and a pair of oz. feta. Additionally, if utilizing, some kalamata olives and roasted purple pepper (each non-obligatory).

Make the French dressing: Begin with the French dressing so the dried oregano has a couple of minutes to hydrate and the flavors can mingle when you chop the greens. In a small bowl, whisk collectively ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp purple wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper.

The French dressing will look shiny and frivolously speckled with oregano and pepper. It might not keep absolutely mixed as a result of oil and vinegar naturally separate, so simply give it one other fast whisk earlier than pouring it over the salad.

Prep the cucumbers: That is how I prep my cucumbers. A chunky cube is good for this salad as a result of it helps them maintain up a little bit higher within the fridge. Peeling stripes into the pores and skin first removes among the waxy pores and skin and offers them a cool visible impact as soon as chopped. Then reduce the cucumbers into about 1/2-inch huge rounds, and reduce every spherical into quarters. That offers me good chunky items of cucumber.

Prep the onion: Very thinly slice ½ small purple onion. Very skinny means about ⅛-inch thick or thinner, so the onion bends simply and doesn’t take over each chunk. Soak the sliced purple onion in a bowl of ice water for five–10 minutes, then drain properly. This helps tame the sharp chunk whereas retaining the onion crisp and crunchy.

Prep the opposite salad elements: Chop 4 Roma tomatoes into similar-sized items, eradicating any robust cores as wanted. Roma tomatoes are good right here as a result of they’re meaty and maintain their form properly. Chop 1 inexperienced bell pepper into bite-sized items as properly. Additionally pull the parsley leaves from the stems, then roughly chop ¼ bunch contemporary parsley. Crumble 2 oz. feta cheese, if it isn’t already crumbled.

Assemble the salad: Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, inexperienced bell pepper, drained purple onion, parsley, and feta to a big bowl. If utilizing kalamata olives or roasted purple peppers, add them now. Give the French dressing one other fast whisk, then pour it over the salad. Toss gently till the greens are evenly coated and shiny, and also you see little flecks of oregano all through.

Serve instantly for the crispest texture, or refrigerate till able to eat. The greens will proceed to launch juices because the salad sits, so the dressing will turn out to be a little bit extra flavorful and barely extra diluted over time. Retailer the salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2-3 days. Stir gently earlier than serving to redistribute the French dressing, and use a slotted spoon if further liquid has gathered on the backside of the bowl.

Storage Directions

This cucumber tomato salad is finest served the day it’s made, when the cucumbers are crisp, and the tomatoes are at their juiciest. Leftovers could be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for 2-3 days, however the texture will soften because the greens sit within the French dressing. I really don’t thoughts it on day two as a result of it takes on a frivolously marinated taste, but it surely received’t be fairly as crunchy as when freshly tossed.

Make Forward

For the most effective make-ahead possibility, chop the greens and whisk the dressing individually, then retailer them in separate hermetic containers within the fridge. Toss the whole lot collectively simply earlier than serving so the salad stays as contemporary and crisp as attainable.

Strive These Summer season Salads Subsequent:

• Our model of Greek Salad provides romaine lettuce for further crunch and quantity, making it a budget-friendly facet that stretches superbly.
• I’m at all times right here for a Southern throwback, and Tomato Cracker Salad turns easy tomatoes, eggs, mayo, and saltines into one thing surprisingly scrumptious!
• This Summer season Lentil Salad is contemporary, filling, and loaded with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, spinach, feta, and a lemony French dressing.