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Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad

This recipe for Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad takes advantage of those abundant summer vegetables and combines them with the most deliciously easy marinade!

A DELICIOUSLY FRESH SALAD

I’m not sure there are other vegetables that scream “summer!” quite like tomatoes and cucumbers. Most home gardeners always plant tomatoes and cucumbers because they are very easy to grow. And they grow in abundance! I love to make this Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad recipe to use up those garden veggies as a fresh side dish for my summer meals. It also makes a wonderfully light lunch too. The marinade really brings out the best in the vegetables while still allowing their natural flavors to shine through. If you haven’t made marinated tomato cucumber salad before, I hope you’ll give this recipe a try!

closeup photo of marinated sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and onion in a bowl with a basil leaf.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I use a sugar substitute for the sugar?

Yes you can. Just adjust accordingly. Each sugar substitute measures differently.

Can I leave out the onion?

Even if you don’t enjoy eating onion, I would still leave it in the recipe. It really adds to the overall flavor of the dish. However, if you just can’t stand onions then obviously leave it out.

What other fresh herbs could I add?

Fresh oregano and fresh parsley are some other delicious options.

Can I use dried basil?

I don’t recommend it. This salad will taste its best if you use fresh.

Can I dice up the cucumbers and tomatoes to be smaller?

Yes. This is just an old traditional southern tomato salad recipe and it’s just how we’ve always cut it up. Obviously, if you prefer smaller chunks then dice it up however you like.

How do I store leftovers?

This salad is best if eaten within the first two or three days. It will keep in a covered container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days. And because someone will ask me – no you cannot freeze it.

Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad recipe from The Country Cook - a serving of the salad shown on a brown and white Spode plate with a fork set off to the side.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • cucumbers 
  • tomatoes
  • sweet onion
  • white vinegar 
  • water 
  • olive oil 
  • granulated sugar 
  • kosher salt 
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • fresh basil leaves
ingredients needed: cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet onion, white vinegar, water, olive oil, granulated sugar, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper.

HOW TO MAKE MARINATED TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD:

In a large bowl, add sliced cucumbers, tomato wedges and sliced sweet onion. Set the bowl aside while making the marinade.

sliced tomatoes, onion and cucumbers in a bowl

In a large mason jar with a lid, add vinegar, water, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper and shake well. Alternatively, you can whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.

marinade ingredients shown in a large mason jar.

Pour marinade over cucumber/tomato mixture in large bowl, add sliced basil, then stir well.

pouring marinade over sliced vegetables in a bowl.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator to chill for about 2 hours. 

Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad in a plastic bowl.

Optional: to serve: stir mixture really well then drain most of the marinade out (leaving just about 1/3 cup in the bottom of the bowl.)

tomato cucumber and onion salad shown in a brown and white Spode serving bowl with fresh cucumbers and a tomato in the background.

CRAVING MORE RECIPES?

Marinated Tomato Onion and Cucumber Salad recipe

Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad

This recipe for Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad takes advantage of those abundant summer vegetables and combines them with the most deliciously easy marinade!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad, Tomato Cucumber Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinating Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 146kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 large cucumbers, peeled and cut into about 1/4-inch thick slices 
  • 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 1 small sweet onion, sliced into thin strips
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup water 
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt 
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 fresh basil leaves, sliced into strips

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, add sliced cucumbers, tomato wedges and sliced sweet onion. Set the bowl aside while making the marinade.
  • In a large mason jar with a lid, add vinegar, water, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper and shake well. Alternatively, you can whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Pour marinade over cucumber/tomato mixture in large bowl add sliced basil and stir well.
  • Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator to chill for about 2 hours. 
  • Optional: To serve, stir mixture really well then drain most of the marinade out (leaving just about 1/3 cup in the bottom of the bowl.)

Notes

  • This salad is best if eaten within the first two or three days. It will keep in a covered container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days. Do not freeze.
  • Vegetables can be cut up smaller based on your preference. 
  • Fresh oregano and fresh parsley are some other delicious herb options.

Nutrition

Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 674IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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5 Comments

  1. Made this for years, but used red wine vinegar and garlic along with basil and parsley.great side dish, but be sure to make it ahead of time so flavor can marry.

  2. 5 stars
    Growing up this was one of our favorite salads. I don’t recall having the sliced basil in it, but the rest was pretty much like grandma made it. Thank you. I’m going to try it with the basil and see how I like it.