This Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad recipe is a cool, crisp, and tangy salad. It’s a summer staple side dish that is quick, easy, and versatile.
Every summer my parents would have a beautiful garden in the backyard. Some years it was a large one with okra, corn, beans, squash, and cucumbers. I even remember growing carrots one year. Other years it was a smaller patch, but it almost always had tomatoes. Tomatoes are pretty easy to grow down here and are prolific in the Southern summer heat.
So there weren’t many meals that didn’t include fresh tomatoes in some form – whether it was Tomato Cracker Salad or something like this Tomato, Cucumber, & Onion Salad. This cool, crisp, and tangy salad is quick, easy, and was a summer staple at our house. Our family loves it so much, I just had to share it with y’all!
How to make this salad your own:
Now there are tons of variations on this recipe. Here are just a few ideas for you to try:
- Add herbs! You can add in some chopped fresh herbs like dill, parsley, or basil. The sky is the limit!
- Change up the oil! While I typically use vegetable oil for its mild flavor, you could easily swap that out for olive oil or another flavored oil that you prefer. Each one can drastically change the flavor.
- Try a store-bought dressing! You can even do like Mom did so many times and swap all of the homemade dressing ingredients out for a pre-made, bottled Italian or Greek dressing. It adds a totally different flavor and makes an easy dish even easier.
- Adjust the pepper! One thing worth noting, I like lots of black pepper in this salad. And, I mean LOTS of pepper! But, feel free to reduce it (or even increase it) to your liking.
- Nix the tomatoes all together! Not a tomato fan? Then you should try my other cucumber salads, like my Simple Cucumber and Onion Salad, Creamy Cucumber Salad, or my Garlic Soy Cucumber Salad.
How to store Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad:
First off, I highly recommend you actually store this dish in the fridge before you serve it. This is just one of those dishes that benefits from some time in the fridge to allow all the flavors to develop and soak into the vegetables. I like it better after a few hours, but 30 minutes is enough if you just can’t wait.
If you are thinking of making this salad ahead of time, that’s totally fine. But, I would only make it about a day ahead of when you plan to serve. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
As for leftovers, you could store this salad in the fridge for up to three days after you assemble it. Any longer than that, you run the risk of your vegetables getting a bit soggy and the salad losing its crispiness.
What type of cucumbers should I use in Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad?
For this salad, you can use the large English cucumbers that are common in the grocery store, but I much prefer the smaller, pickling, or Kirby cucumbers. I just like the flavor better. And since that’s what Mom and Dad normally grew in their garden, that’s what I like best.
When prepping, I like to leave just a sliver of the peel on the cucumber as I peel it to add a little color contrast to the salad as shown. Some folks don’t peel the cucumbers at all, and if you have a thin-skinned cucumber, I think that’s totally fine. Y’all enjoy!
Recipe Card
Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber (or 2 to 3 Kirby cucumbers) peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 garden fresh tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, oil, water, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and gently toss to coat. Cover and store in the refrigerator (tossing a few times) for at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Aravna J Clerveus
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jeff
A very good recipe, but this website has so many pop-up ads on it that it is hard to use in order to keep the recipe on screen.
I appreciate the feedback! I totally get how frustrating pop-up ads can be. I’m always looking for ways to improve the experience, so I’ll definitely take this into consideration. Thanks for letting me know!
Marsha
Wonderful recipe we had it for the 4th of July
So glad y’all enjoyed it!
Kelly Slack
I agree with the red onion, plus I use my own vinegar in it, I made a chive vinegar and it give it an amazing taste!
That sounds amazing!
Carrie
Wayyyy too much vinegar. Tried to balance it out with some sugar and draining the vinegar, but ended up throwing all of it out.
I’m sorry to hear that the vinegar was overwhelming! It can definitely vary based on personal taste. Next time, you might try starting with less vinegar and adjusting to your preference. I appreciate your feedback!
Katrina
We always use purple onions in ours we enjoy the taste of the purple and color it gives the salad
I love that! Purple onions really do add a nice flavor and vibrant color to salads.
Betty Traynor
I love it, and it made just enough to share with a few people and the dressing, I added a few of my own herbs dough and a little of one of the hot peppers.
I’m so glad you loved it! That sounds like a delicious twist with the extra herbs and hot pepper. Sharing with friends makes it even better.
Tim Villarreal
Wonderful receipt , I wonder if you could use cider vinegar ? Never the less this is almost like my grandma used to do it, A good steak comes to mind
Thanks, Tim! Yes, I think apple cider vinegar would work just fine.
Beverly
I made this recipe about 3 months ago, we have eaten this every single day since then! Everyone raves about this, even visitors! I don’t think we will ever be tired of this. I follow the recipe exactly, but I add 1/2 t of garlic powder and 1 t each of dried oregano and dried thyme. It’s delightful, and thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I’m so happy to hear you’ve enjoyed it so much, Beverly!
Margaret
this is a great side for a BBQ.
Agreed! Thanks, Margaret!
Jean
Love it even more after it sets more days
Glad to hear it, Jean!
Anne Jones
Yummy
Thanks, Anne!
J.humm
This was way too sour/tart. I took it to a covered dish social and it was a huge failure.
Sorry to hear that, J. You can see this one normally gets great reviews. Did you taste it before you served it at your event?
joan slazar
delicious
Thanks, Joan!
Denise Stevens
I make my tomato salad with cherry tomatoes, baby cucumbers not peeled,one yellow onion, small black olives.We can’t forget salt and pepper to taste and of course sweet Vidalia onion salad dressing.Most of the time I add shredded cheese or feta but this time I didn’t have any. This salad definitely hits the spot!!!!! SOOOO GOOOOOD! PLZ TRY IT
Sounds great, Denise!
Mary Ackerman
This was the perfect combo of vinegar, oil, etc. I always add a little garlic powder and oregano.
Thanks, Mary!
Stanley Johnson
Delicious
Thanks!
PAT
MADE EXACTLY TO RECIPE. THEN COMBINED WITH MY DAD’S TRIED AND TRUE USING FRESH LEMON JUICE & LEMON RIND
Sounds great!
Dee
Ken’s Simply Greek dressing is delicious on this salad combination. A small amount will flavor the dish perfectly!
Dee
Campari tomatoes from the grocery store are the perfect size….and they taste like they’re supposed to.
Great idea! Love that dressing.
Dottie
Totally a Southern dish! My entire family loves it. Thank you for your recipe!!
You’re so welcome!
Pamela
This was always a summer staple when I was a kid and we had a garden! I had forgot about it. Think I’ll find a fresh fruit and veggie stand and make this. Thanks for sharing!
Good luck, Pamela! Enjoy!
Sherrie
I made this for a picnic of just sandwiches and chips, not sure if the family would like it . But they LOVED it . I used red onions and everyone ate plenty . My kids added it to there tuna salad sandwiches and said it was delicious. My daughter also added it to her veggies sub and liked it so much she asked for the recipe!! Hubby grabbed a fork and finished off the container!!
These types of comments are my favorite! So glad to hear everyone enjoyed it!
Amber Driver
Easy recipe to follow! Great taste! A great dish to take to a summer cookout.
Perfect! Happy to hear it turned out great for you!
Margaret
I tried this today for lunch. Unfortunately, it’s a miss for us. I thought an entire cup of vinegar sounded like a lot. It was. My adult daughter liked it but am afraid the majority of it will not be eaten.
You can always thin it out by adding some more water.
Ron Morse
Made the recipe after having this dish while in Florida on vacation. This recipe was spot on exactly like what I had and it was amazing!!! Also super easy to make! Thanks for sharing it!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Sandy
This is my third time to make this salad. I havefresh cucumbers and tomatoes today. I wouldn’t change a thing with this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, Sandy! I’m glad you’ve gotten some mileage out fo this recipe!
Deb
I learned to make this with 3/4 c sugar, 1/2 c apple cider or red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. No water and no oil (cucumbers have a natural oil). Sometimes I add a little basil or Italian seasoning. I use this same dressing for 3-Bean Salad with 1 c sugar, 3/4 c vinegar and 1/2 c oil, salt and pepper.
Thanks for sharing your version!
Angelika Jackway
I love this salad and this version too. Again, growing up in Germany, we ate lots of Tomato Salad and Green Bean Salad (which is made with canned Green Beans – French or reg cut). I make mine with Balsamic Vinegar, a shot of veggie oil, a good shot of Maggi or Knorr’s version (much cheaper and really good flavor), tons of onions, salt & pepper. My grandpa loved my version so I stuck with it all these years. I love vinegar based salads so much. In Germany, our vinegar is usually strong with either herbs or spices or both and a lot of it is brown and that’s why I use Balsamic here. I love your recipes and your videos. Watching you cook makes me smile and makes my heart so happy, my hips not so much! LOL
Ha! Thanks so much, Angelika!
Gene Jantzen
An old staple in my youth. My folks also had a backyard’victory’ garden and tomatoes, cakes, onions and squash were plentiful for weeks.
Love it!
Cindy Swartz
I just made thisand it was refreshing. Growing up we make cucumber salad but the tomatoes give it an extra touch.
Thanks, Cindy!
Dee
Perfecto !!!!
Thanks so much!
Sandra Broughton
I really love 💕 this salad, it’s so tasty I could just eat it three times a day, n I could make a meal out of it, thanks so much for sharing!!
Thank you!
Wayne
Very simple, very good, very refreshing 👌
This is definitely a favorite at our house!
Janet floyd-colburn
can this be canned?
Hmmm… I’m just not sure.
Steve
There’s not much in this world I love more that cucumbers and white onion after a 24 hour soak in the fridge. I throw some cornbread muffins in the mix and it’s a great snack or meal. Don’t get me started on adding beans and greens cooked with turkey neck or ham hocks. I’m soooo hungry now! lol
Ha! I couldn’t agree more!
Penny Taylor
I don’t like cucumbers. What would you recommend to replace it with?
Crystal
When I saw the days recipe for cucumber, tomato, and onion salad, I had to open it right away to see if it is like the recipe I make. Nope, lol. Your recipe has a sour dressing where mine is more on the sweet side. Same basic ingredients except I use about a half of cup of Miracle Whip Salad Dressing, white sugar, salt and pepper. I would also seed the tomatoes or it get runny quickly. Use about a half a cup of Miracle Whip, tsp salt and pepper, then add like a tbsp of sugar and stir it up. Give it a taste and if necessary add more sugar. This is by taste really, depends on how sweet you like it. Just brought my lunch to work today but didn’t have my dressing prepared. I simply squeezed on some ranch dressing and salt and pepper and gave it a good mix. Pretty good in a pinch, but prefer my dressing the best. Hope someone tries it.
Oh, what a great twist!
Barbara
Love it , Love it, Love it Every recipe of yours I make are easy, very tasty and soooooooooooooo good . Love the tomato and saltine cracker salad. YUM!!!! Never made enchiladas with flour tortillas until I made the 5 ingredient beef enchiladas. Now it’s the only way I make them. Very good……….. Being from Arizona we seem to use more corn tortillas. Flour are for burritos and cheese crisp.. Am truly enjoying the Southern cuisine.
Thank you so much!
Megan
Does anyone know how long this would need to be canned to store safely on a shelf?
Marion
I make this a lot during the summer, except I add strips of green pepper. I have a similar dressing that I got from my aunt: 1t salt, 1T sugar, 1/4t black pepper, 2t oil, 2T vinegar. This is plenty for 2-3 servings. I double or triple the recipe if I need more servings.
I’m not sure this recipe will can well. Since this is meant to be a fresh garden salad, canning it will change the texture of the vegetables.
Thanks for jumping in to share your tips! We’ve got such a great community here.
Darlene
I have your cook book and love it. My Mom used to make this during depression and World War Two. We had a big garden so tomatoes and onions were no problem. We did not always have oil so she used vinegar and water. Maybe Christene could try it this way. It does tone down the vinegar. I am 85 and still love it. Always wanted to be from the south so I tell people that I am. Born in “ southern” California. LOL God bless.
Ha! That’s hilarious! We’ll make you an honorary southerner!
Christine
I made this yesterday and felt like I misread the amount of vinegar, but made it anyway. Today, it is so vinegar-y that we cannot eat it. The amount of oil vs. vinegar didn’t even allow it to emulsify. I’m not sure if I did something wrong or if this is what other people like. I’m going to try changing up the proportions next time, and try to dressing before adding it to the vegetables. Sadly, it’s just wasted now since the flavor is so incorporated into the vegetables.
Hi Christine! In this recipe, there’s not an emulsifier in the dressing like mustard, honey, egg yolk, or even mayo, so the dressing won’t combine. As for the vinegar, you can certainly add more water to dilute the acid. Don’t toss it; just add some more water and allow it to rest in the fridge and it should hopefully be more to your liking.
Barbara
1 cup of vinegar we thought was way too much!
Angie Farrell
What type of vinegar do you use ?
I use white vinegar.
Cindy Hughes Cindy
I love ❤️ your recipes and would love some information on your cookbook. Price and how to send payment. I live in Camden, your grandma and are good friends. Thank you ????????!!
Hi Cindy! Thanks so much for your kind words! My book is currently sold out, but I hope to have news about that very, very soon! You can find more info about the book and sign up to be one of the first notified when I have news here: https://southernbite.com/southern-bite-cookbook-150-irresistible-dishes-4-generations-familys-kitchen/
I’ll be sure to mention to Nana that I heard from you!
Mike
I won’t come back here again. TOO MSMY ADS!! Couldn’t even see the recipe because the ads blocked it. Good bye.
I’m so sorry to hear about your frustration. I know they can be aggravating, but running a website like this that gets millions of folks visiting each month is expensive. Not to mention the costs associated with running the test kitchen, ingredients, camera equipment, etc.
Those ads, as aggravating as they are, help keep the 1,000+ recipes on SouthernBite.com free for you. Anytime you support a small business, you’re helping that small business owner feed his family. Bearing with those ads is supporting my small business and supporting my family as a result. So we certainly thank you for that.
Tony
Stacey
The ads are worth the time to look through them, if it helps keep you online,for the great recipes you provide.
Thanks so much, Tony! I know they can be frustrating, but they’re what keeps me going and keep all my recipes free for y’all.
Debbi
👋 Bye Mike
Malcolm B Cox
the recipe is great!
Thanks so much, Malcolm!
Vicki McCullough
Hey John,
Did you ever see an old TV show called Hee Haw? They used to sing a sad old song called “Gloom and Doom and Agony on End.” Somehow, that song popped into my head when I read your comment.
You have a nice day, now, and stay away from those killer onions!
????
John
There’s a national recall on onions right now due to a salmonella outbreak. Bad time to promote this recipe and possibly sicken people.
MG
I think people are smart enough to use their best judgement.
Lord, I sure hope folks have the sense enough to watch out for stuff like that.
Dorothy Curto
Always make this in the summer with my fresh garden tomatoes and cucumbers or buy at local farm stand ( support our local farmers) Use a fresh lemon and oil dressing and I am
in HEAVEN!
That sounds amazing!!
DIANE C.
keep this in my fridge all summer long…..my neighbor keeps me supplied with cherry tomatoes and regular cucumbers…..only difference is I add celery seed to mine and change up the vinegars I use with each batch
Lucky you! Love the celery seed idea to add extra flavor!
Bonnie Bee
I grew up in the South with summer salad… mmmmmm.. someone recently suggested I add a little dried mint.. and wow.. it takes it to another level!!! Love all of your wonderful recipes and stories!!!
Thank YOU, Bonnie, for the kind words! And I will certainly try some mint next time!
Mary Hyde
Super delicious
Glad you enjoyed it!!