Mediterranean Cucumber Salad with Tomatoes

This Mediterranean Cucumber Salad is the perfect easy side dish for a warm day. Cool and refreshing, this salad is full of bright flavors and textures!

When the weather is hot outside, I always want something cool and refreshing to eat. There is nothing worse than eating something hot on a hot day. This Mediterranean Cucumber Salad is the perfect Summer side dish. This salad is cool and refreshing and full of delicious Summer vegetables. I was able to get most of the ingredients straight from my garden! This salad pairs great with any main BBQ dish or even on its own as a light and refreshing meal. You won't want to miss out!

For some other great Summer side dishes, check out this Vegan Watermelon and Basil Salad with Jalapeños, or this Ancient Grain Bowl with Roasted Vegetables!

Jump to:

• What Makes This Side Dish So Great?
• Ingredient Notes
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• FAQ's
• Equipment
• Storage
• Top tips
• Other Great Side Dish Ideas
• Mediterranean Cucumber Salad with Tomatoes
• Food safety

What Makes This Side Dish So Great?

• This Mediterranean Cucumber Salad is full of bold flavor!
• This recipe only takes about 15 minutes to make. 
• The crisp cucumber, fresh tomatoes, and refreshing mint make this the perfect side dish on a warm day!
• This Mediterranean Cucumber Salad is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. 

Ingredient Notes

• Cucumber- The base of this salad is cucumbers. I used English Cucumbers because that is what I had growing in my garden, however, feel free to use whatever cucumber you have on hand. I like to use English or Persian Cucumbers because they are nearly seedless and much thinner-skinned.
• Red Onion-To give this salad a nice bite, we threw in some red onion. Red onion is the best onion to use because it is sharper and spicier than other types of onions.
• Mint- The fresh mint complements the sharpness of the onion and the acidity of the cherry tomatoes. It balances the salad and gives it a delicious herbal punch.
• Cherry Tomatoes-The cherry tomatoes are perfect for this salad because they are sweet and delicious. However, if you don't have cherry tomatoes on hand, you can use whatever tomatoes that you have.

See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

• Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh mint together in a bowl until the dressing is smooth; season with salt and black pepper.
• Dice the cucumbers, onion, and tomatoes into small cubes.
• Add the diced veggies to a large salad bowl and pour over the olive oil dressing.
• Mix together and let the Mediterranean salad sit for 10-15 minutes before serving at room temperature or lightly chilled. Enjoy!

Hint: If the red onion is too sharp for you, you can soak it for 10 minutes in water before dicing.

Substitutions

• Cucumbers - If you use a cucumber with thicker skin such as pole cucumbers, I would peel the skin off before dicing.
• Tomatoes - I love interchanging cherry tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes. The best part about this salad is you can use what is in season!
• Fresh Mint - You can swap the fresh mint for cilantro for a fun substitution!

Variations

• Add some olives - I love throwing some kalamata olives into this salad from time to time. The kalamata olives give it that extra bite of acidity that is just so delicious!
• Add Vegan Feta Cheese - If you want to add an extra tang to the salad, feel free to top with some vegan feta cheese right before serving!
• Bulk up with extra vegetables - Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to this salad. This is the perfect salad to use what you have in the garden. I love throwing in bell peppers, spinach and even some summer squash!

FAQ's

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.

• Chef Knife
• Cutting Board
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring Spoons

Storage

Store this Mediterranean Cucumber Salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The dressing will soften the vegetables the longer it sits so they will loose their crisp bite and texture, however it will still taste delicious!

I do not recommend freezing this salad as a lot of the vegetables have high water contents which will affect texture while frozen.

Other Great Side Dish Ideas

• Amish Broccoli Salad
• Air-Fryer Fingerling Potatoes
• Amish Potato Salad
• Easy Creamy Whole30 Coleslaw
• Warm Basil Pesto Potato Salad

Food safety

• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.