Servings: 4–6
Prep time: 15–20 minutes
Marinating time: 30 minutes–2 hours
Total: about 45 minutes to 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Best served: Chilled
Ingredients
Salad
2 large English cucumbers, sliced into ½-inch rounds
3–4 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
½ medium red onion, very thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill or mint, chopped
1–2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Dressing
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 tbsp apple-cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp sugar or honey, optional
¼ tsp red-pepper flakes, optional
The basic oil-and-vinegar combination is consistent with established cucumber-tomato salad recipes; some versions use only red-wine vinegar and olive oil, while others add cider vinegar, garlic, or herbs.
D
Diabetes Food Hub
+1
Detailed method
1. Prepare the cucumber
Wash and dry the cucumbers. Leave the skin on for the appearance shown in your photo.
Slice into moderately thick rounds. Very thin cucumber slices become soft quickly, whereas thicker slices remain crunchy.
Tip: If the cucumbers are particularly watery, sprinkle them with a little salt and let them sit for 10–15 minutes. Drain and gently pat dry.
2. Prepare the tomatoes
Cut tomatoes into bite-size chunks.
For a less watery salad, remove some of the seeds and excess liquid before cutting.
3. Prepare the onion
Slice the red onion very thinly.
For a milder onion flavor, put the slices in ice water for 5–10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
4. Make the dressing
Add to a small bowl or jar:
olive oil
red-wine vinegar
apple-cider vinegar
lemon juice
garlic
oregano
salt
black pepper
optional sugar/honey
optional chili flakes
Whisk vigorously until combined.
5. Combine
Put cucumber, tomato, red onion, parsley and dill into a large bowl.
Pour over approximately ¾ of the dressing.
Toss gently so the tomatoes don’t break apart.
Taste and add the remaining dressing as needed.
6. Chill
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
For a stronger, more developed flavor, refrigerate for 1–2 hours. Similar recipes recommend chilling or marinating the salad before serving.
N
Nutrition for ME
+1
Give it another gentle toss immediately before serving.
How to make it taste like the photo
The salad in the image looks particularly well-seasoned. I’d use:
2 cucumbers + 4 tomatoes + ½ red onion + 3 tbsp olive oil + 3 tbsp total vinegar + garlic + oregano + black pepper.
For an especially flavorful version, add:
Pour over approximately ¾ of the dressing.
½ tsp dried oregano
1–2 minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
a squeeze of lemon
a small pinch of chili flakes
If you want a Greek-style version, add about ½ cup crumbled feta and a few Kalamata olives.
Nut information / allergy information
This recipe is naturally nut-free as written.
It contains:
No peanuts
No tree nuts
No sesame
No dairy
No eggs
No gluten-containing ingredients
However, check packaged vinegar, seasonings, and other prepared ingredients for cross-contact warnings if cooking for someone with a serious allergy.
If you meant nutrition information by “nut info,” see below.
Approximate nutrition
For a version using 2 cucumbers, 4 tomatoes, ½ onion and 3 tbsp olive oil, divided into 6 servings, a reasonable estimate is approximately:
Nutrient Per serving
Calories 80–100 kcal
Protein 1–2 g
Carbohydrates 7–9 g
Fiber 2 g
Total fat 5–7 g
Saturated fat <1 g
Sugar 4–5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Exact nutrition changes substantially with the amount of olive oil and dressing used. For comparison, published cucumber-tomato salad recipes range from about 60 kcal to 110 kcal per serving, depending largely on dressing and portion size.
N
Nutrition for ME
+1
It’s also a good source of vegetables and provides vitamin C, potassium and vitamin K; USDA/MyPlate’s comparable version lists vitamin C and potassium among its notable nutrients.
M
MyPlate.food
Recipe Q&A
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make it several hours ahead for better flavor. For best texture, however, I wouldn’t leave the dressed salad for more than about 24 hours. Cucumbers and tomatoes gradually release water. Similar recipes recommend refrigerating leftovers for up to several days, although texture is best earlier.
K
Kitchn
Why is my salad watery?
Tomatoes and cucumbers naturally release water, especially after salt is added.
Fix: Salt cucumbers separately, drain them, and add the dressing shortly before serving.
Can I use regular cucumbers?
Yes. English cucumbers are convenient because they have relatively thin skin and fewer seeds, but regular cucumbers work perfectly.
Can I use white vinegar?
Yes, but it is sharper. Start with 1 tbsp white vinegar and adjust to taste.
Can I use balsamic vinegar?
Yes. It gives the salad a sweeter, darker flavor. Red-wine vinegar produces a flavor closer to the fresh salad shown.
Can I add feta?
Definitely. Add ½ cup crumbled feta for a Greek-style salad.
Can I add olives?
Yes. Kalamata olives are particularly good.
Can I make it spicy?
Add ¼–½ tsp red-pepper flakes or a finely chopped fresh chili.
Is it suitable for weight loss?
It can be a very light side dish, particularly if you control the olive oil. The vegetables provide volume and fiber while the oil supplies most of the added calories.
Is it keto-friendly?
Generally yes, when prepared without sugar. Cucumbers, tomatoes and onion contain carbohydrates, but a normal serving is relatively low in net carbohydrates.
What should I serve it with?
It’s excellent alongside:
grilled chicken
grilled fish
kebabs
steak
burgers
roasted chicken
rice dishes
pita and hummus
grilled vegetables
Can I turn it into a complete meal?
Yes. Add chickpeas, feta, grilled chicken, tuna, boiled eggs, or beans. For a vegetarian meal, chickpeas + feta make a particularly satisfying combination.
How do I get the exact appearance in the photo?
Use thick cucumber rounds, chunky tomato pieces and very thin curved strips of red onion. Don’t finely chop everything. Toss gently rather than aggressively mixing, and finish with freshly cracked black pepper and dried oregano on top.
Best version: Chill the vegetables first, make the dressing separately, combine about 30–60 minutes before eating, and add fresh herbs immediately before serving. This gives you the crisp, colorful appearance shown in the photograph.