Cucumber Tomato Salad — Fresh, Light, and Gone Before You Know It
The Cucumber Tomato Salad That Saved the Potluck Table (and Jason’s Dinner)
Cucumber tomato salad is what happens when two hearty casseroles have been assembled, the oven is full, and you realize someone at the potluck might want something fresh and light. That someone, almost always, is my husband Jason. Jason is on a Mediterranean diet, and this salad means he has at least one thing on the table he can eat without negotiating. He is very enthusiastic about feta cheese, which means I am very generous with the feta cheese — and honestly, that is the right call for everyone. After one bite you will understand why.
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Watch me throw this cucumber tomato salad together in real time — or scroll down for the full printable recipe card.
Featured Tools & Ingredients
- SET INCLUDES: 4.5 quart, 3.5 quart, and 2.5 quart sizes
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• My big red bowl in this set is the one I make this salad in. Pour spout, grippable bottom, holds enough to bring to a potluck and still feed everybody at home.
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- JUICE GROOVE + CARRY HANDLE FOR EASY EVERYDAY USE: Each large bamboo cutting board features a deep...
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• What I use to toss the salad once everything is in the bowl. Long enough to reach the bottom, gentle enough not to mash the feta.
See the complete shopping list ↓
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 large tomato chopped (or equivalent small tomatoes)
- ¼ red onion diced
- 1 can 15 oz chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ to ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese be generous!
- 2 –3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 –3 tablespoons vinegar white wine or red wine vinegar
- Greek or Italian seasoning to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garlic powder to taste
- Optional: Kalamata olives
Method
- Chop the cucumber, tomato, and red onion into small bite-size pieces.
- Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
- Add the cucumber, tomato, onion, and chickpeas to a medium bowl.
- Add the crumbled feta cheese. Be generous — it makes a difference.
- Sprinkle Greek or Italian seasoning generously over the top.
- Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
- Add Kalamata olives if using.
- Drizzle olive oil over the salad — approximately 2–3 tablespoons, or about two to three swirls from the bottle.
- Add vinegar — approximately 2–3 tablespoons, or one good swirl. You want the spices to cling to the vegetables, not the salad to be swimming.
- Toss everything together until well coated.
- Chill for at least one hour before serving for best flavor.
Video
Notes
Why This Cucumber Tomato Salad Works
There is something deeply satisfying about a cucumber tomato salad that comes together in ten minutes, travels beautifully to a potluck, and gets scooped up before the casseroles are even halfway gone. This one is exactly that — and the reason it works is the ingredients are doing all the heavy lifting.
The base is simple — cucumber, tomato, red onion, and chickpeas. The chickpeas are what make this cucumber tomato salad substantial enough to stand on its own. They add protein, texture, and a heartiness that takes it from a light side salad to something people actually go back for seconds of. Then the Athenos feta crumbles go in, and I am not shy about it. Neither should you be.
The dressing is not really a dressing — it is just Spiceology Greek Freak , salt, pepper, garlic powder, a swirl of olive oil, and a swirl of vinegar. That is it. The seasoning does the heavy lifting, the olive oil brings everything together, and the vinegar adds just enough brightness to make every bite feel fresh. Toss it all together, let it chill for at least an hour, and the flavors come together beautifully.
A Few Things That Make Cucumber Tomato Salad Even Easier
- Make it ahead. This cucumber tomato salad is genuinely better the next day. The vegetables absorb the seasoning, the feta softens slightly into the dressing, and everything melds together in the best way. If you have time, make it the night before.
- Add Kalamata olives. I leave them out for potlucks — not everyone loves olives — but at home I always add them. They bring a briny, savory depth that is absolutely worth it if your crowd is olive-friendly.
- Don’t overthink the measurements. My instructions for the olive oil and vinegar are “one swirl” and “two or three swirls depending on how fast it comes out of the bottle.” That is the official measurement. Use your judgment, taste as you go, and trust yourself.
- Be generous with the feta. Jason will personally vouch for this. More feta is always the right answer.
- Use the seasoning on everything else, too. Once a jar of Greek Freak is open, it lands on roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, eggs, even popcorn at our house. The salad gets you to buy the jar — the jar earns its counter space.
Cucumber Tomato Salad FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time
Can I make cucumber tomato salad ahead of time?
Yes — and you absolutely should. This cucumber tomato salad is actually better after a few hours in the fridge. The vegetables soak up the seasoning, the feta softens into the dressing, and the whole thing melds together in a way that fresh-made just doesn’t match. I make it the night before any potluck or cookout when I can. Eight to twelve hours ahead is the sweet spot. Any longer than about 24 hours and the cucumbers start losing their snap.
Will the cucumbers get watery if I make it ahead?
Not in the first day, no. The dressing is oil-and-vinegar based, not creamy, so you don’t get that sad, watered-down look that ruins a lot of make-ahead salads. If you are worried, you can salt the cucumber slices in a colander for ten minutes before mixing and pat them dry — but honestly, I have never bothered and this cucumber tomato salad has never let me down. If you do end up with a little liquid in the bottom of the bowl after a long fridge stint, just give it a stir before serving. That liquid is flavor.
Can I leave out the chickpeas?
You can, but I wouldn’t. The chickpeas are what make this cucumber tomato salad substantial — they turn it from a light side into something you can actually make a meal of. Without them, you’ve got a nice little cucumber-tomato side, but with them, you’ve got a dish that is genuinely filling. If you’ve got a chickpea skeptic, I get it — try white beans or cannellini instead. Same texture, same heartiness, slightly milder flavor.
What if I don’t have Greek Freak seasoning?
Italian seasoning is my backup. It is not quite the same — Greek Freak has more oregano, a hint of citrus, and a little more depth — but Italian seasoning will get you 85% of the way there. Use the same amount, add a pinch of dried oregano on top if you have it, and you’re set. If you make this cucumber tomato salad more than a couple of times, it is worth grabbing a jar of Greek Freak. It ends up on roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, eggs, popcorn — everything.
How do I scale cucumber tomato salad for a big crowd?
This is one of the easiest recipes to double or triple — everything scales one-for-one. For a crowd of 20, I double the whole recipe and use the biggest bowl I own. For 30 or more, triple it and use two bowls so the feta doesn’t all sink to the bottom. The one thing I don’t scale linearly is the salt — start with 1.5x the called-for amount when doubling, taste after it has chilled for an hour, and adjust from there. Chickpeas lose their saltiness as they sit, so you will want to add more than you think.
Is this cucumber tomato salad Mediterranean diet friendly?
Yes — this is basically the poster child for a Mediterranean diet side dish. Fresh vegetables, legumes (chickpeas), olive oil as the primary fat, moderate dairy (feta), herbs and spices for seasoning, and zero processed ingredients. Jason eats it several times a week and it has been one of his go-to additions since he started the diet. If you are cooking for someone on the Mediterranean diet and running out of ideas, this cucumber tomato salad is your shortcut.
What do I serve cucumber tomato salad with?
Anything heavy and hot. This salad is the cold, fresh, crunchy counterpoint to a casserole dinner. Pair it with poppy seed chicken, no-peek chicken and rice, baked spaghetti, or grilled chicken on a Tuesday — wherever the rest of the plate is rich, this side balances it out. It is also a beautiful standalone lunch on a hot day, scooped over a bed of greens with an extra splash of olive oil.
🛒 Complete Shopping List
Everything you need to make this Cucumber Tomato Salad — click any item to shop on Amazon.
Ingredients
Equipment
More Fresh and Easy Sides for a Crowd
- Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole — the 7-ingredient casserole everyone is always asked to bring.
- 4 Ingredient No-Peek Chicken and Rice — the old-school casserole from Jason’s mom.
- Daddy’s Famous Crockpot Chili — another Longstreth potluck staple that feeds a crowd.
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Cucumber Tomato Salad — About Stephanie’s Recipes
Stephanie Longstreth is the home cook, mom, and storyteller behind StephanieCooksForACrowd.com. She cooks for a family of seven in Florida — five kids, two cats, and one husband who appreciates a good meal. Four of her children came home through adoption, and family stories are woven into everything she makes and shares. Find her crowd-friendly recipes, weekly meal plans, and real family life on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest @stephaniecooksforacrowd.