Fresh cucumber and tomato slices made up the bulk of this salad that is brought together by a simple but punchy mint dressing. This Cucumber Tomato Salad is the perfect light side dish to a curry, or even served up at a BBQ for something a little different.
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This salad is one of our favourite healthy easy side dishes and it's made weekly during the summer months. We could all do with some more easy side dishes, right?
We love a cucumber based salad, as not only is it a cheap ingredient to bulk out a salad with, but it is hydrating too. It's a really simple flavour, so it goes with pretty much everything.
For more cucumber recipes, try our easy Cucumber Sushi Boats, creamy Cucumber and Dill Salad or our refreshing Cucumber Water.
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Why You Will Love It
- An easy side salad
- Delicious served alongside a curry to lighten it up.
- A budget side dish
- Can be made in advance
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Tomatoes - The key to this salad is to use really fresh, ripe summer tomatoes. If you make this out of season, then chances are you are going to have hard and tasteless tomatoes that will pretty much ruin this salad.
- Cucumber - We used just your standard English cucumber to make this and we didn't remove the seeds or peel it, because there is just no need and the skin has all the fibre. You could make this with mini cucumbers and cherry tomatoes instead too.
- Red onion - This adds some colour and crunch to the dish. However, not everyone can tolerate raw red onion, so you could sauté is a little, or swap it for chopped shallots instead.
- Olive oil - Use the best quality that you can, as you really will taste the difference.
- Lemon juice
- Mint sauce - This gives it a really intense mint flavour, and helps add to the sauciness. Try to use the best quality one you can, otherwise it will be too liquidy and have a strong vinegar taste.
- Fresh mint - Although the mint sauce adds lots of mint flavour, you can't beat the flavour of fresh mint.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad - Step by Step
One: Put the cucumber, tomato and red onion in a bowl.
Two: Add the oil, lemon juice, mint sauce and fresh mint.
Three: Add salt and pepper and mix well.
How to Adapt
As with all our recipes, we try to make them easy to adapt, so you can put your own little spin on them and enjoy them a different way every time. We sometimes add olives, or mozzarella balls/feta, or if we want to make it into more of a main meal, then some slices of grilled chicken breast work well.
Salad Dressing
A dressing really makes a salad I think. This couldn't be easier, and we have just added some olive oil, lemon juice, mint sauce and fresh mint to the tomatoes and cucumber. You can even make this a creamy cucumber salad by adding a couple of tablespoons of Greek yogurt, crème fraîche or sour cream.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe was actually created as a side dish to a takeaway curry. We were craving a really indulgent curry, but wanted something light to go with it, so I made this. But, we have enjoyed it so many different ways since. It goes really well with something like grilled chicken or ribs, but we have also stuffed it into a pita bread with some falafel.
Here are some dishes that we have really enjoyed this salad with:
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Easy Salmon Curry
- Vegetable and Halloumi Kebabs
- Oven Baked Falafel
- Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
- Creamy Dill Salmon
- Paprika Chicken Skewers
- Three Bean Curry
- Perfect Roast Chicken
Extra Tips
- There are so many additions you can make to this salad. One of our favourites is to add some olives, or if you want to make it more of a main dish, then some slices are grilled chicken breast are good.
- You can make this a few hours ahead of serving it and then leave it in the fridge. The flavours will really intensify if it is left for a little while. Don't leave it too long though, as the tomatoes might go a bit soft from being cut.
- You could swap the mint for basil and take out the mint sauce and use balsamic vinegar instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make this a couple of hours in advance and store in a covered container in the fridge. I wouldn't keep it for much longer than that, as the tomatoes tend to go a bit soft. If you can, keep the chopped salad in the fridge and add the dressing just before serving as this will taste much fresher.
The majority of the mint flavour in this salad comes from the mint sauce, so you don't have to use any fresh mint. However, we find that it adds a lovely light freshness to the dish.
More Salad Recipes
If you've tried this tomato salad, then let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Cucumber - sliced and then cut in to halves
- 4 Tomatoes - cut in to eighths
- 1 Red onion - peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon of Olive oil
- 0.5 Lemon - (juice only)
- 2 tablespoon of Mint sauce
- 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 10 Fresh mint - finely chopped
Instructions
- Put 1 Cucumber, 4 Tomatoes and 1 Red onion into a bowl.
- Add 1 tbsp of Olive oil, juice of 0.5 Lemon, 2 tbsp of Mint sauce and 10 Fresh mint.
- Add 1 pinch of Sea salt and ground black pepper and mix well.
Recipe Tips
- There are so many additions you can make to this salad. One of our favourites is to add some olives, or if you want to make it more of a main dish, then some slices are grilled chicken breast are good.
- You can make this a few hours ahead of serving it and then leave it in the fridge. The flavours will really intensify if it is left for a little while. Don't leave it too long though, as the tomatoes might go a bit soft from being cut.
- You could swap the mint for basil and take out the mint sauce and use balsamic vinegar instead.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Kushigalu says
Love How simple, healthy and delicious this salad is. Yumm
Tayo says
This salad was so delicious and I can't wait to make it again. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Raia Todd says
Love easy salads like this! So simple and delicious.
Julia says
I could eat this salad as a main :). Yummy!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
The fresh herbs and thin slices of red onion really tie this gorgeous tomato salad together. English cucumbers are my favorite -- and you're right, I never peel them.
Chichi says
I love making this cucumber tomato salad. It definitely hit the right spot for me. Thanks
Angela says
Probably my most favorite flavor combo ever! This salad is great with everything. Thanks so much for sharing :)
Michelle Miller says
An easy veggie recipe that is back into fashion! Thank you for this one, I love this salad!
Debbie says
I’m going to make some of this to go with our curry tonight.
sapana says
I love a good cucumber tomato salad and this one really hits the spot, thanks to the delicious mint sauce!
Tara says
Ooh, this salad does look like the perfect accompaniment to a bbq! So light and refreshing! I love how it can easily be customized.
Kelly Anthony says
This cucumber tomato salad is the perfect addition to any meal especially on these hot summer days when I don't want to heat up the kitchen.
Sara Welch says
What a light and refreshing salad! This will be perfect for lunch today!
Tonje says
This looks lovely! I think this would be perfect with my grilled salmon for dinner this evening, and I happen to have all the ingredients already! Thanks for sharing!