It seems that by late July/early August, we are swimming in cucumbers and tomatoes here in the Midwest. Luckily, both of these summer garden staples are incredibly versatile ingredients that can be used in many ways.
My aunt started making this recipe with her excess summer tomato and cucumber harvests about 10 years ago. It is ridiculously simple and so refreshingly delicious. This tomato, cucumber and red onion salad is a great sharable side dish to bring to BBQs, and it’s an easy enough recipe to make quickly for those last-minute invites.
Exact measurements aren’t necessarily required for this recipe as there is no “wrong way” to make it. Just toss in as much as you have of each ingredient, stir it up and call it done. It will turn out delicious.
Yield: 2 to 4 servings (as a side dish)
Ingredients
- 1 cup of fresh tomatoes, chopped (about 1 large, 2 small, or a cup of halved cherry tomatoes)
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 1/3 cup red onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients together and enjoy. Seriously, it’s that simple. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.
Double or triple this recipe and adjust ingredients to suit your preference. This recipe is best eaten within two days.
Notes
Crumbled feta is an amazing addition to this tomato, cucumber and onion salad. We’ve also tweaked this recipe by adding fresh herbs, such as ribboned basil or chopped parsley.
If using cucumbers that have a tender skin, such as the English cucumber, you can skip the step of peeling the cucumber before slicing.
If you don’t have time to make this salad the day of and need to make it in advance, use cherry tomatoes instead of slicing tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes hold up better when stored overnight. Using a variety of colored cherry tomatoes makes this salad even prettier!
