This Tomato Cucumber Salad with White Balsamic Dressing is a fresh, easy summer side dish made with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and a light, tangy homemade vinaigrette.
When tomatoes are at their peak and cucumbers are crisp and cool, this salad delivers the perfect balance of juicy, crunchy, and tangy flavors-ideal for hot summer days, BBQs, and easy weeknight meals.
Skip the bottled dressing and make this quick white balsamic vinaigrette instead. It's lighter, fresher, and perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the vegetables.
Looking for more easy summer salads? Browse my full collection of summer salad recipes.
🔍 Quick Look: Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Ready in: 15 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 89 kcal
- Main Ingredients: Tomatoes, Cucumber, Pickled Red Onion, Olive Oil, White Balsamic Vinegar, & Dijon Mustard
- Flavor Profile: Sweet, Sour, & Salty
- Cook Method: No Cook
- Difficulty: Easy, making it great for cooks of all levels
- Why You'll Love It: This tomato cucumber salad is quick, refreshing, and packed with bright summer flavor-perfect for effortless meals and gatherings.
- Best For: BBQs, potlucks, summer gatherings
Jump to:
- 🔍 Quick Look: Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Why You'll Love This Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Ingredients for Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Substitutions & Variations
- White Balsamic Dressing Tips
- Pro Tip for Peeling Tomatoes
- How to Make Tomato Cucumber Salad with White Balsamic Dressing
- My Top Tips
- Tomato Cucumber Salad with White Balsamic Dressing FAQ's
- Make-Ahead & Storage
- More Summer Salads You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Tomato Cucumber Salad
Juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers create a fresh, vibrant salad that's as beautiful as it is flavorful.
While tomatoes and cucumbers are often supporting ingredients, here they shine as the stars. The juicy red tomatoes and crunchy green cucumbers are a great contrast in texture, plus the colors are visually stunning.
A simple white balsamic vinaigrette adds a touch of sweetness and enhances the fresh flavors without overpowering the vegetables.
This quick and easy tomato-cucumber salad recipe is great for an outdoor picnic, a casual weeknight supper, or even an elegant dinner party.
So, let's cook!
Ingredients for Tomato Cucumber Salad
This tomato cucumber salad with white balsamic dressing uses simple, fresh ingredients that highlight classic summer flavors.
- Tomatoes - Fresh tomatoes that are deep in color and firm to the touch are best. I use what is in season for my area.
- English Cucumber - Also called "burpless", "seedless", and "greenhouse cucumbers, English cucumbers are less watery than other varieties and also have a thin skin and smaller seeds. These will not require peeling and seeding in this salad.
- Pickled Red Onion - Sweet and savory pickled red onions can be made quickly and adds terrific flavor to this salad.
- Olive Oil - I prefer to use cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil which has the best flavor for vinaigrette dressings.
- White Balsamic Vinegar - White balsamic vinegar is less cloying than traditional balsamic vinegar and its lighter color will keep salads bright looking. The flavor is sweeter than apple cider vinegar and it may seem to be less acidic because it is sweeter. Brands vary in taste, so choose one you like. I like and use O California.
- Dijon Mustard - This one ingredient will bring loads of flavor to the dressing and keep it from separating. You only need a little, but a jar stored in the fridge will easily keep for at least a year.
- Salt - For the right amount of saltiness, just use regular Morton salt.
- Black Pepper - Freshly ground black pepper is always best. It has lovely flowery notes that you don't get in pre-ground pepper.
- Fresh Parsley (Optional) - A sprinkling of finely chopped fresh parsley is a pretty touch to the final dish but can be omitted.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute a Neutral Flavored Oil. Instead of extra virgin olive oil, you can substitute any neutral flavored oil.
- Substitute Fresh Red Onion. Instead of pickled red onions, you can use fresh red onions.
- Substitute Rice Wine Vinegar. If you can't find white balsamic vinegar in your area, you can substitute rice wine vinegar and add a teaspoon of honey to the dressing.
- Add Avocado. Cubes of ripe avocado are a delicious addition or substitution for the cucumber in this salad.
White Balsamic Dressing Tips
- A good flavored white balsamic vinegar should taste pleasant on its own.
- Do not omit the mustard. It acts as an emulsifier for the dressing. If you don't have Dijon mustard you can use standard yellow mustard.
- Use a small food processor if you don't have a jar.
- Taste the dressing for flavor balance before dressing the salad. If the flavor is too sharp from the vinegar you can add a very small amount of honey (½ teaspoon) to smooth the acidity.
Pro Tip for Peeling Tomatoes
Use a fork to plunge a tomato into rapidly boiling water for 10 seconds. Starting from the stem end, use a paring knife to remove the peel which will easily come away from the tomato.
How to Make Tomato Cucumber Salad with White Balsamic Dressing
- Step 1: Prepare Tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes and cut each into 6 to 8 wedges.
- Step 2: Prepare Cucumber. Cut the cucumber into 1-inch pieces.
- Step 3: Mix. Gently mix the cut tomatoes and cucumber in a large bowl.
- Step 4: Add Red Onion. Scatter the pickled red onion through the salad. You can also use thinly sliced fresh raw red onion.
- Step 5: Mix Dressing. To a small jar add the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Add a lid to the jar and shake the dressing vigorously until it is well combined.
- Step 6: Dress the Salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
My Top Tips
♡ Buy the freshest and most aromatic tomatoes and cucumber you can find.
♡ Make pickled red onions yourself! They are super quick and easy to make and last for weeks in the refrigerator.
More Easy Summer Salads!
Looking for more easy summer salads? Browse my full collection of summer salad recipes.
Tomato Cucumber Salad with White Balsamic Dressing FAQ's
English cucumbers have a thin skin, are less watery, and have a crisp texture compared to other varieties. It stays crisp and does not need to be peeled for this recipe.
White balsamic is made my pressure cooking white grape must with white wine vinegar, so its flavor is sweeter and lighter than traditional balsamic vinegar.
Both tomatoes and cucumbers natually release water once they are cut. For less liquid, serve the salad immediately after adding the dressing.
If you use English cucumbers, which have a thin skin, you do not need to peel them.
Peak of summer, vine ripe tomatoes are best. They should be firm and have a fragrant aroma.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- Make-Ahead - The Tomato Cucumber Salad can be made earlier in the day and so can the White Balsamic Dressing. Store both in the refrigerator, the dressing in the glass jar that you made it in, and the salad should be covered.
- Serve - Remove both from the fridge a half hour before serving and add the dressing to the salad.
- Storage - Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
More Summer Salads You'll Love
If you love fresh summer side dishes like this tomato cucumber salad, try one of these easy favorites: fresh corn salad with lime dressing, four bean summer salad, or green goddess pasta salad -perfect for picnics and warm-weather meals.
♡ Did you love this Tomato Cucumber Salad? Please leave a star rating and a comment below. Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Tomato Cucumber Salad with White Balsamic Dressing (Fresh & Easy Summer Side)
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Ingredients
- 4 Medium Tomatoes, Peeled and Cut into Wedges
- 1 Large English Cucumber, Cut into 1-inch Pieces
- ⅓ Cup Pickled Red Onion, Drained
- 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar
- ½ Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper, Freshly Ground
- Fresh Chopped Parsley
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes and cut each into 6 to 8 wedges.4 Medium Tomatoes
- Step 2: Prepare Cucumber. Cut the cucumber into 1-inch pieces.1 Large English Cucumber
- Step 3: Mix. Gently mix the cut tomatoes and cucumber in a large bowl.
- Step 4: Add Red Onion. Scatter the pickled red onion through the salad. You can also use thinly sliced fresh raw red onion.⅓ Cup Pickled Red Onion
- Step 5: Mix Dressing. To a small jar add the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Add a lid to the jar and shake the dressing vigorously until it is well combined.3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 Tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar, ½ Teaspoon Dijon Mustard, ½ Teaspoon Salt, ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- Step 6: Dress the Salad. Pour the dressing over the salad and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.Fresh Chopped Parsley
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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