This Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta is a great side dish to serve with Greek or Mediterranean recipes! It's one of those easy salad recipes you'll come back to again and again because it's full of fresh ingredients and has the best flavor.
As a dietitian, I'll take any excuse to meal prep a recipe that uses fresh produce, especially on a hot summer day! This fresh cucumber tomato salad is a version of a Greek Salad that uses simple ingredients from fresh veggies and herbs to tangy feta cheese. All topped with a light red wine vinaigrette dressing perfect for salad season.
Enjoy this tomato cucumber salad recipe as a light lunch with pita bread and a protein like Greek Meatballs or Tuna Salad. Or serve them as the perfect side dish with a main course like Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls or a Zucchini & Turkey Skillet Dinner. Even better, win over your friends by bringing it to your next summer party!
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like my Chickpea Cucumber Salad or my Sweet Pepper Cucumber Salad with Ginger Dressing. If you're looking for more summer salads try my Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad or Smashed Potato Salad.
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Video of How to Make Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta
Below is a video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution
This Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta is made with fresh ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for the full list of ingredients.
Salad Ingredients
- Fresh Cucumbers - when it comes to the type of cucumber to use, crunchy cucumbers like English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers work best for this recipe. Both are crisp cucumbers with fewer seeds and thinner skin than regular cucumbers. You'll use a whole cucumber!
- Fresh Tomatoes - when it comes to type of tomatoes, I suggest using grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or Roma tomatoes! Juicy tomatoes add a pop of flavor and also contain vitamins C, potassium, and a powerful antioxidant called lycopene that helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
- Bell Pepper - bell pepper adds a sweet flavor and nutrients. I use a red peppers because they're the sweetest variety. But you could use yellow, orange, or green bell peppers instead. Bell peppers are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber.
- Red Onion - red onion adds a bit of sweetness and crunch. If you prefer, use a shallot for a milder onion flavor.
- Fresh Herbs - this recipe calls for a combination of fresh parsley and fresh dill. If you want, you can also add fresh mint, fresh basil, or fresh oregano, too.
- Kalamata Olives - to add a briny saltiness and heart-healthy fats. You can use green olives or a combination instead!
- Feta Cheese - creamy feta cheese is a great way to add even more flavor to this delicious salad and the salty flavor pairs nicely with the fresh vegetables. I suggest using a block of feta cheese and crumbling it yourself with your hands or a knife.
Dressing Ingredients
- Lemon Juice - fresh lemon juice adds brightness and enhances the saltiness of the feta. It’s also high in vitamin C, an important nutrient for immune health.
- Red Wine Vinegar - a tangy and slightly sweet vinegar. Feel free to use white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar if you prefer the taste.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - a little olive oil balances out the vinegar and lemon. You can substitute with avocado oil if you prefer.
- Dijon Mustard - to emulsify the olive oil and lemon juice and to add flavor.
- Garlic Powder & Dried Oregano - for an extra boost of flavor. Feel free to add some onion powder and red pepper flakes too.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to tie everything together.
How to Make Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
Below are the instructions for how to make this easy recipe with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1: Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl (or the bottom of a large mixing bowl if serving right away) and whisk until emulsified.
Step 2: Chop the vegetables, herbs, and olives. I prefer to chop everything into small pieces but some people prefer larger chunks. Either is fine! Add the vegetables, herbs, olives, and crumbled feta cheese to a large bowl with the dressing and toss to combine.
Hint: If you are making this salad in advance, I recommend adding the feta and dressing right before serving!
Dietitian Tip
Designate a day of the week for prepping simple salads like this so you have it ready to snack on or to use as a side dish when eating time rolls around. This makes it more likely you will use the vegetables you buy! Habit stack by turning on your favorite playlist or podcast or spend time catching up with a friend during your designated "chopping power hour".
Variations
One of the great things about this Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad is you can customize the recipe to your liking. Below are some suggestions for variations, but feel free to get creative and put your spin on it.
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes of a dash of cayenne to add a kick!
- Sweet - if you want to sweeten it a bit, add fresh fruit like pineapples or mango and a squeeze of honey or maple syrup.
- Italian - if you prefer Italian dressing, add a teaspoon of Italian seasoning and replace the feta cheese crumbles with mozzarella and basil.
Storage and Meal Prep for Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta
- Meal Prep - meal prep in advance by chopping the veggies and herbs. You can also make the dressing in advance. I suggest waiting to add the dressing and feta until right before serving if you're making this salad in advance.
- Storage for Greek Salad- store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Expert Tips
- Whisk the dressing ingredients until they are emulsified.
- Chop the vegetables into relatively similar sized pieces.
- Use a block of feta and crumble it yourself if you can. Before crumbling the feta, give it a rinse and dry it with a paper towel. This helps to remove some of the salty brine it's packed in.
- If you are meal prepping this salad in advance, I recommend to store the base of the salad, the feta, and the dressing separately and add the dressing and feta just before serving.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option! The vegetables provide nutrients like antioxidants, potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber to help support a healthy gut. The extra-virgin olive oil provides high oleic fatty acids that have been shown to support hormone health and brain health. Feta cheese provides protein and vitamin C!
I like to serve this when I make my Greek Chicken Meatball Bowls. It also goes great with seafood, grilled meats at summer cookuts or summer barbecues, or use it as a starting point for a Meze platter with pita bread or raw veggies and Za'atar Hummus.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram….I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Feta (Greek Inspired)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1 bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup kalamata olives or green olives or a combo
- ½ cup fresh herbs I use fresh dill, parsley, and mint
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon, zest of + juice of half
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced or grated or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the vegetables, herbs, and olives. I prefer to chop everything into small pieces but some people prefer larger chunks. Either is fine!
- Combine the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and whisk until emulsified.
- Add the vegetables, herbs, olives, and crumbled feta cheese to the large bowl with the dressing and toss to combine.
Video
Notes
- Whisk the dressing ingredients until they are emulsified.
- Chop the vegetables into relatively similar sized pieces.
- Use a block of feta and crumble it yourself if you can. Before crumbling the feta, give it a rinse and dry it with a paper towel. This helps to remove some of the salty brine it's packed in.
- If you are meal prepping this salad in advance, I recommend to store the base of the salad, the feta, and the dressing separately and add the dressing and feta just before serving.
- Meal Prep - meal prep in advance by chopping the veggies and herbs. You can also make the dressing in advance. I suggest waiting to add the dressing and feta until right before serving if you're making this salad in advance.
- Storage for Greek Salad- store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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