Italian Cucumber, Onion, and Tomato Salad

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Italian Cucumber, Onion, and Tomato Salad is a toss of rustic seasonal ingredients marinated in a dash of tangy healthy dressing. Full of summer fresh produce, this side salad is simple and quick to prepare, and perfect for your next gathering.

Why This Recipe Works

Tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions all make their debut in the warm summer months and are best enjoyed fresh and simple. The homemade Italian dressing brings out the flavor of this healthy side salad.

Different from other tomato salads this one is first tossed in a simple seasoning and then marinated in a flavorful dressing.

When you’d rather be outdoors than inside this salad comes together in under 30 minutes and no cooking is required. The sliced vegetables also take on a bold and tangy flavor when marinated overnight.

This side salad is also light and filled with healthy ingredients such as English cucumbers, vine-ripe tomatoes, and crisp red onions all tossed with a dash of red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing.

Soak up the summer with this delicious salad and serve it alongside some other healthy options like this herbed potato salad or this Italian marinated vegetables. It also goes great with other traditional summer side dishes like this strawberry jello fluff salad.

What Goes in this Recipe

Cucumber, onion, and tomato salad ingredients on a wooden table.

Two kinds of tomatoes. This recipe calls for both Heirloom tomatoes and Roma tomatoes for a nice mix of juicy flavor from the Heirlooms paired with the firm Roma tomatoes.
Cucumbers. For this recipe, I like to use English cucumbers because they slice beautifully and look nice, but also because they’re not too watery.
Parsley and Cilantro. Use fresh parsley and cilantro in this recipe so you can achieve the bold flavor.
Brown Sugar. The brown sugar neutralizes the other flavors and tampers the tanginess. You can leave it out or swap it for a natural sweetner like honey or maple syrup.

Ingredient Swaps

Tomatoes. Use your favorite tomatoes or even mix them as I’ve done. Some other delicious options are green tomatoes or grape or cherry tomatoes.
Cucumbers. There is also a good variety of cucumbers and any of them will work.
Cilantro. Not everyone likes cilantro and you can leave this ingredient out if you’d like.

Dressing Variations

I like to change up recipes when I make them over and over and one way to do that is by changing the dressing. For example, this cucumber tomato salad can be made with a variety of dressings. Each recipe below is a slightly different variation from the other, but the small changes really help alter the flavor.

Red Wine Vinaigrette: Olive Oil, Red Wine Vinegar, Brown Sugar
Balsamic Vinaigrette: Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Dijon Mustard Honey
Cider Vinaigrette: Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Brown Sugar

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cucumber, onion, and tomato salad process steps 1 and 2.

Prep the ingredients. Core the tomatoes and cut them into wedges and slice the onion and cucumber. Place them into a large bowl.
Season. Add the parsley, cilantro, brown sugar, salt and pepper and toss to mix and coat the ingredients.

Cucumber, onion, and tomato salad process steps 3 and 4.

Make the dressing. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad. Toss to coat.
Marinate. Place the salad into the fridge to chill and marinate for 20 minutes before you plan on servingit.

Recipe Notes and Expert Tips

Choose high-quality olive oil for the dressing. Heat, light, and age all affect the polyphenol content of olive oil. You can rule out plenty of bottles in the store if they are not dark green or black in color. The green shade is a protectant of harmful light exposure. Extra virgin olive oil is the best you can purchase.
Don’t slice your produce too small. This salad works best when you slice the produce into larger chunks.
Let the salad marinate overnight. I recommend making this salad the night before you plan on serving it so the vegetables can marinate in the dressing.

Tomato Salad Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the best tomatoes for tomato salad?

As with any food when it comes to taste most suggestions are purely opinion-based. For instance, the tomato suggestions for this recipe are purely my own. I prefer to use a combination of Roma tomatoes and tomatoes on the vine.

Depending on the options available at my local farmers market or grocer I may on occasion add some heirloom tomatoes. Beefsteak tomatoes tend to be a tad too juicy so I wouldn’t use them. Also, when purchasing your tomatoes choose ones that are slightly firm to touch.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes, and I recommend that you do so there is plenty of time for the vegetables to marinate. This recipe can be made 2 days in advance of when you plan on serving it.

Can I peel the cucumbers?

Sure! This is a personal preference and the salad will work either way.

If you made this recipe I want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars so I can see your beautiful work. Enjoy!