This Mediterranean cucumber salad has become is summer staple in our house. After testing countless variations to find the perfect balance of flavors and textures, we’ve created a refreshing side dish that consistently earns rave reviews from family and friends. This fresh and delicious side work well for weeknight dinners as well as for family gatherings, picnics, and potlucks.
There’s nothing better than fresh, summer produce. Crisp cucumbers and juicy tomatoes are paired with briny kalamata olives and tangy feta cheese in this recipe to create a vegetable side with a lovely Mediterranean flavor profile that is just lovely. Like our popular kale and quinoa salad, crowd-pleasing green bean caprese salad, and old-fashioned cucumber vinegar salad recipes, this Mediterranean cucumber geta salad offers a delicious alternative to ordinary leafy green salads while delivering the nutritional benefits of fresh vegetables.
This versatile salad pairs beautifully with all kinds of proteins, like our homemade turkey burgers, but can easily transform into a complete meal with the additions detailed in my “Recipe Variations and Substitutions” section. So whether you’re looking for a light lunch on a hot summer day or a vibrant side for your next barbecue, this cucumber tomato feta salad brings together the best of seasonal produce in a dish that’s nourishing, flavorful, and satisfying.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Cucumber Salad (Mediterranean)
- Mediterranean Cucumber Salad Ingredients
- How to Make Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
- Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad Variations
- Serving Cucumber Mediterranean Salad
- Storing Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
- Mediterranean Tomato Cucumber Salad
Why You’ll Love This Cucumber Salad (Mediterranean)
Quick and easy recipe. This easy vegetable side dish is ready in about 20 minutes. Chopping up your veggies is the toughest part.
Simple ingredients. All of the ingredients needed for this recipe are easy to find in your local grocery store, Target, or Walmart. You may have a lot of them in your pantry already!
Light, fresh, and full of flavor! This delicious salad has just the best flavor! The lovely Mediterranean flavors along with the fresh ingredients compliment each other perfectly, making you crave this simple salad again and again!
Mediterranean Cucumber Salad Ingredients
- English Cucumber. English cucumbers have a thinner skin, fewer and smaller seeds (no deseeding needed!), and a slightly sweeter taste than regular cucumbers making them the perfect choice for this Mediterranean cucumber tomato salad. I like to use the mini cucumbers personally (it makes for easy chopping).
- Cherry Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes. Grab whichever variety looks best at your store or farmers market! Using these little ripe tomatoes keeps your chopping easy because all you need to do is slice them in half!
- Red Onion. Red onions deliver a milder flavor, and are enjoyed by many raw, making them great for salads.
- Kalamata Olives. Adds a briny, juicy, bitter-sweet pop to this salad. Kalamata olives are a staple in Mediterranean foods.
- Crumbled Feta Cheese. Adds a nice, salty, and creamy pop to this light and fresh salad recipe. Another staple in Mediterranean cooking.
- Fresh Parsley. You can use either flat leaf or curly leaf parsley in this salad recipe. Whichever you prefer, or have easy access to in your garden, market, or grocery store.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, White Wine Vinegar, Salt, and Pepper. Used to make a quick and easy homemade vinaigrette.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Best tomatoes for Mediterranean Salad
We recommend using cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes for this salad because in addition to being flavorful and juicy, they make chopping easy (simply slice them in half).You can also dice up larger tomatoes (removing the seeds if preferred) for this salad. I recommend a juicy and sturdy heirloom tomato.
How to Make Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Note: you can also shake all ingredients together in a small jar.
- Make the salad. Place chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, parsley, and feta into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour dressing over the vegetables and stir until all vegetables have been coated.
- Let salad marinate. Let the dressed salad sit for 10-15 minutes (either at room temperature or in the fridge, based on personal preference) to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Stir, serve and enjoy!
Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad Variations
Use red wine vinegar for your dressing. If you happen to have red wine vinegar in your pantry, you can swap it one-for-one with the white wine vinegar in the dressing. I’ve made the dressing using both, and they’re both great!
Use larger-sized tomatoes. If you happen to have larger tomatoes, you can definitely use them in this recipe! I love using heirloom tomatoes in this recipe when I can. Just be sure to cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces when preparing them for your salad.
Add chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). Adding in some plant-based protein is a great way to turn this side into a light lunch (like our curry roasted chickpea salad, this is one of my favorite summer lunches that’s veg-friendly!). Simply drain and rinse 1, 15 ounce can of chickpeas and mix them in!
Add lemon juice. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice onto your salad (either in the serving dish, or over individual servings) for a pop of freshness.
Try different fresh herbs. You can add additional herbs to this recipe, try different herbs, or create your own mix! Other herbs you could try include fresh basil, fresh mint, fresh dill, or fresh cilantro.
Skip the onion. Don’t love raw onion? No worries, just leave it out!
Add a grain. If you’d like to extend your tomato cucumber feta salad, try mixing in cooked and chilled grains. Pearl couscous, orzo pasta, or quinoa would all be good options.
Possible Dietary Restrictions?
This Mediterranean cucumber and tomato salad recipe is vegetarian and gluten free as written. One quick swap can make this into a vegan and dairy free salad too:
To make this salad vegan and dairy free, simply leave out the feta.
Serving Cucumber Mediterranean Salad
This cucumber and tomato salad is a great summer salad that pairs nicely with a wide variety of dishes. Great options for serving this salad include:
- Serve with grilled chicken or fish.
- As a side dish for BBQ chicken.
- Bring this Mediterranean cucumber salad along as a side dish for a picnic.
- Be the person who brings something light and fresh to your next tailgate or potluck party!
- Enjoy as a light lunch (see ‘Recipe Variations and Substitutions’ section for how you can add more protein and make this into a great vegetarian main dish).
Storing Mediterranean Cucumber Salad
This salad is best when eaten within 24 hours of making. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Adding salt to cucumber slices can help to draw out the extra moisture in the vegetable (through a process called osmosis).
To do this, simply toss your sliced cucumber with a pinch or two of salt. Place the salted cucumber slices in a colander or strainer for 20-30 minutes to release water. Most of the excess salt will flow off with the liquid, but if desired, rinse the cucumber with cold water before tossing into your salad. Adding salt to cucumber slices can help to draw out the extra moisture in the vegetable (through a process called osmosis).
To do this, simply toss your sliced cucumber with a pinch or two of salt. Place the salted cucumber slices in a colander or strainer for 20-30 minutes to release water. Most of the excess salt will flow off with the liquid, but if desired, rinse the cucumber with cold water before tossing into your salad.
There is no need to peel a cucumber for salad (just be sure to rinse them well). Leaving the peel on helps to maximize the nutrient content of the vegetable, helping you add fiber, vitamins, and minerals to your diet.There is no need to peel a cucumber for salad (just be sure to rinse them well). Leaving the peel on helps to maximize the nutrient content of the vegetable, helping you add fiber, vitamins, and minerals to your diet.
An English cucumber (also known as seedless cucumbers) has a thinner skin, fewer and smaller seeds, and a slightly sweeter taste than regular cucumbers. They are also long and straight in shape.
Standard cucumbers are generally shorter, have a thick and dark skin, and very large seeds.
Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
Mediterranean Tomato Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Chef's Knife or Pairing Knife
- Wooden Spoon or Serving Spoon
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 large English cucumber, washed and diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoon minced red onion (about ⅛ of a small red onion)
- ¼ C chopped parsley (curly leaf or flat leaf)
- ¼ C crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ C halved Kalamata olives
Dressing
- ¼ C olive oil
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing by stirring together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.*
- Make the salad by placing the chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, parsley, and feta into a large mixing bowl and stirring to combine.
- Pour dressing over the vegetables and stir until all vegetables have been coated.
- Let the dressed salad marinate for 10-15 minutes (either at room temperature or in the fridge, based on personal preference) to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Stir, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use larger-sized tomatoes. Just be sure to cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces when preparing them for your salad.
- Add chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). Simply drain and rinse 1, 15 ounce can of chickpeas and mix them in!
- Add lemon juice. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice onto your salad (either in the serving dish, or over individual servings) for a pop of freshness.
- Try different fresh herbs. Other herbs you could try include fresh basil, fresh mint, fresh dill, or fresh cilantro.
- Skip the onion. Don’t love raw onion? No worries, just leave it out!
- Add a grain. If you’d like to extend your tomato cucumber feta salad, try mixing in cooked and chilled grains. Pearl couscous, orzo pasta, or quinoa would all be good options.
- Use red wine vinegar for your dressing. Simply swap it one-for-one with the white wine vinegar in the dressing.
Marge says
Always a nice, light side dish!
Katie M says
Made this recipe for a Labor Day Weekend BBQ and it was a hit! Delicious!
Meredith says
so happy to hear it went over well Katie, thanks so much for making our recipe!
David says
I love this salad. Super fresh and light for a summer gathering, and the savory kick of the olives is great.
Meredith says
So happy to hear it! Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Victoria says
Since my garden is producing so many cucumbers this year, I have been trying different cucumber salad recipes and this one is a winner! I added a little more feta than the recipe called for, and also added the fresh squeezed lemon juice. I will make this again and again! Thank you!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed this cucumber salad Victoria! Extra feta is always good in my book 🙂
Constance says
Like
ourlovelanguageisfood says
so glad to hear you liked this recipe – thank you!