This vibrant salad is ideal for serving as a side dish or enjoying as a refreshing light meal. Many of the vegetables can be prepared in advance, making it effortless to assemble this Mediterranean cucumber and tomato salad. I enjoy prepping this salad in the summer for quick lunches. For dinner, we toss in some grilled shrimp or chicken.
You Will Love the Versatility of this Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad
One of the great things about this Mediterranean salad is its versatility, allowing you to tailor it to your personal preferences or based on the ingredients available in your kitchen.
While Roma tomatoes are commonly used in salads for their low water content, you can also experiment with other flavorful tomato varieties such as on the vine tomatoes, heirloom, grape, or cherry tomatoes cut in half. Or you can leave the cherry tomatoes whole, as I did here in my photos.
To counter watery tomatoes, consider salting them generously after chopping and draining them in a strainer for 15-20 minutes to remove excess liquid.
When it comes to olives, feel free to use green, black, Kalamata, or other specialty marinated olives, as each type offers its own distinct flavor. You can even mix different types of olives in the salad, using either chopped or whole olives.
Similarly, you have the flexibility to choose any type of cucumber for the salad. English or Persian cucumbers are recommended for their lower seed and water content, but if using larger cucumbers, remove the seeds to prevent them from watering down the salad.
Freshest of Ingredients for a Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad
Many Mediterranean dishes, salads included, use garden-fresh veggies as the calling card. I think that is why every Mediterranean salad I see on the great internet makes me want to eat it right through the screen! The fresh vegetables just make every salad hard to resist!
While many variations exist, typical ingredients of a Mediterranean salad are:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Red onions (purple onion)
- Olives of all varieties
- Chickpeas
- Capers
- Feta cheese
- Fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, or basil
I like to top my tomato cucumber salad with a lemon olive juice dressing that comes together in around one minute!
Variations to this Mediterranean Salad with Cucumbers and Tomatoes
- Incorporate Protein – Although chickpeas are the traditional choice for adding protein to a Mediterranean salad, white beans also serve as a satisfying addition to this uncomplicated dish. Feel free to include any grilled or sautéed meat of your choice, whether it’s shrimp, chicken, or salmon.
- While some traditional Mediterranean salads do not include lettuce, other variations do. You can add your preferred lettuce—whether it’s arugula, iceberg, or mixed greens—as a base beneath this combination of Mediterranean vegetables.
- For a heartier meal, serve the salad on a bed of brown rice or white rice.
- You can elevate the Mediterranean bowl by adding a dollop of hummus.
Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
Mediterranean Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- 1 Cucumber large; sliced into half moons
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
- 1 Bell pepper red or orange; chopped
- ½ cup Olives green, Kalamata, black – sliced or whole
- ½ Red onion sliced
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Basil dried
- 1 tsp Oregano dried
- Fresh herbs basil, mint, or parsley
Lemon Olive Oil Dressing
- 2 Lemons juiced
- 2 tbsp Olive oil up to 3 tbsp
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Oregano dried
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add chopped cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives, and red onion. Gently toss.
- Generously season with salt, pepper, dried basil, and dried oregano.
- Divide salad mixture among serving bowls.
- Add dressing.
- Sprinkle each salad with fresh chopped herbs.
Nutrition
More Easy Salads and Side Dishes
Spicy Corn on the Cob Grilled in Foil
Elevated Jiffy Cornbread Muffins
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