Cucumber and Tomato Salad is a simple side dish with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese and more! Try this cucumber tomato feta salad for an easy summer salad or side dish requiring only 15 minutes of prep work.
Every summer our garden is bursting with tomatoes and cucumbers. This cucumber and tomato salad is the perfect way to use cucumbers and tomatoes that you picked from your garden or purchased at the farmers market. It is a fresh, easy and great dish for a summer BBQ or afternoon picnic. With only only 15 minutes of hands on prep time, this salad is quick and easy. Prep it in advance to make dinner time easier. Also try our tortellini pasta salad if you’re looking for a tomato and cucumber salad with tortellini pasta!
Cucumber tomato salad recipe
To make cucumber and tomato salad, combine quartered cherry tomatoes, salt and sugar in a medium bowl; toss to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, transfer the mixture to a salad spinner and spin until the seed and excess liquid have been removed during the spinning as needed. Return the tomatoes to the bowl and set aside. If you don’t have a salad spinner, you can put the tomatoes in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and shake the bowl to remove the excess seeds and liquid.
Strain the tomato liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.
Combine up to 1/2 of a cup of the tomato liquid with the garlic, oregano, shallot and vinegar in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Reduce the mixture by simmering on the stove for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Whisk in oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Add cucumber, feta, dressing and parsley to the bowl with the tomatoes. Toss gently and serve.
We eat salad as a main dish or side dish for every single dinner during the summer. Try this cucumber tomato and feta salad for dinner or try one of our other favorite summer salad recipes below.
Summer salads
- Watermelon Berry Salad is a delicious fruit salad packed with fresh watermelon, berries, cherries and more.
- Tortellini Pasta Salad is a simple pasta salad with fresh tomatoes, onion, cucumber and tortellini pasta.
- Strawberry Spinach and Asparagus Salad is an easy and beautiful spinach salad made in less than 20 minutes!
- Grilled Zucchini Corn Salad is made with a simple lemon basil vinaigrette and is packed with summer flavor.
- Chicken and Berry Pesto Pasta Salad has all of the flavors of caprese salad but uses berries instead of tomatoes.
- Easy Chopped Tabbouleh Salad is a traditional tabbouleh salad that is great any time of the year.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pints ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 4 cups)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ground black pepper
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced into ½-inch chunks
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Instructions
- Combine the tomatoes, salt and sugar in a medium bowl; toss to combine. Let stand for 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a salad spinner and spin until the seeds and excess liquid have been removed, about 1 minute. Stir to redistribute the tomatoes during spinning as needed. Return the tomatoes to the bowl and set aside. (If you don’t have a salad spinner, you can put the tomatoes in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and gently shake the bowl to remove the excess seeds and liquid.) Strain the tomato liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a liquid measuring cup, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Combine no more than ½ cup of the tomato liquid with the garlic, oregano, shallot and vinegar in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Simmer until the mixture is reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Whisk in the oil, and season with pepper to taste.
- Add the cucumber, feta, dressing and parsley to the bowl with the tomatoes. Toss gently and serve.
Notes
- You can substitute cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes.
- You can omit the sugar, if desired.
- If you don't have a salad spinner, follow alternative directions above.
- Don't be too concerned if you don't have very much tomato liquid. Even after spinning the tomatoes, sometimes you may get even less than 1/4 of a cup. Combine whatever liquid you have, up to 1/2 cup, with the other ingredients and decrease the amount of time to simmer on the stove.
- Store this salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I had never added oregano to my tomato cucumber salad before, it was fantastic. Also, I love that your recipe is a different color, made it so much easier to find on the page!
Thank you for the timely summer salad recipe. Even though it is not summer, a lots of cherry tomato is growing in my backyard. I am going to make this salad with those tomatoes. Thank you 😀