Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad is an easy, quick and family friendly side dish that's perfect for summer dinners, backyard BBQs and potlucks. Made with fresh tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, red onion and basil tossed in a light homemade dressing, this refreshing salad comes together in just 15 minutes!
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This post was originally posted on 8/14/2020 and updated on 10/13/2026.
I've been cooking since I was 14, and between my years working in restaurant kitchens and decades of cooking for my family, I've learned that fresh, seasonal ingredients can make some of the best dishes. Living in Wisconsin, I love taking advantage of garden-fresh produce during our short summer growing season. This is one of those recipes I especially enjoy making when my garden is overflowing with tomatoes, cucumbers and basil. It's a tried-and-true recipe that I grew up eating and I'm excited to share it with you!
Why We Love This Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad
- Quick and Easy: This salad comes together in just 15 minutes with minimal prep work and no cooking required.
- Fresh and Flavorful: Juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, fresh basil and crunchy red onions create a delicious combination of summer flavors.
- Family Friendly: The familiar ingredients and light dressing make this a great side dish for the whole family.
- Perfect for Summer: It's a refreshing way to use up all those garden-fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.
- Versatile Side Dish: It pairs perfectly with grilled meats, burgers, sandwiches and just about any summer meal.
- Great for Gatherings: It's an easy dish to bring to BBQs, potlucks, picnics and family get-togethers.
Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad Recipe Ingredients
- English Cucumber
- Roma Tomatoes
- Red Onion
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Substitution Suggestions
- English Cucumber: I chose English Cucumbers because they have less seeds and the seeds they do have are usually smaller, but any type of cucumber will work that you have. If the seeds are really big, you can scrape them out.
- Roma Tomatoes: I use Roma tomatoes because they have less seeds and juice than other tomatoes, and I just like the flavor of them the best. You can use any kind of tomato, even grape or cherry tomatoes. They will all work in this easy salad.
- Red Onion: A yellow or white onion will work too. I like red onions because they are a bit more mild than others.
- Fresh Basil: Feel free to use dried basil if you need to. Here's a little tip, when you make the dressing, whisk in the dried basil (I'd start with only ¼-1/2 teaspoon). Let the basil hang out in the dressing a bit before you mix everything together. Doing this will allow the basil to "wake up" a bit in the dressing and the basil will also steep flavoring into the entire dressing. I do this when I make this salad during the winter months. So good!
- Red Wine Vinegar: The flavor or red wine vinegar pairs the best with this salad, but if you don't have any you can use apple cider vinegar, white vinegar or even lemon juice.
To peel or not to peel the cucumbers?
This is all based on personal preference. The English Cucumber, or called a hothouse cucumber, and their mini version, the Persian, have thinner skin while other slicing cucumbers have a thicker skin. You may want to peel cucumbers with thicker skins if you are not a fan of them. However, I like to leave the skin on cucumbers when they are in salads like this because it gives it a nice crunchy texture.
How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad with Basil
This salad is extremely easy to make. Some prepping of produce, making the dressing and combining it all together.
- First, prepare your produce. Cut your cucumber in half lengthwise and then slice in half moon shapes about ¼ inch thick.
- Then, slice your tomatoes in half and using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and slice into wedges.
- Slice the red onion into thin slices.
- Next, roll up the basil leaves and slice them into ribbons.
- Add all the produce to a large bowl.
- Now whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Or you can just drizzle it all separate over the veggies. Shhhh that's usually what I do...
- Pour the dressing over the produce and toss it all together. You can let this salad chill in the fridge for a little bit, but it is best served immediately.
Serving Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad
This fresh and flavorful salad is the perfect side dish for just about any meal! It's easy to pair with so many different entrees, and here are a few of our family favorites:
- Grilled Spiced Pork Chops
- Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken
- Homemade Lasagna
- Oven Fried Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer Tilapia
Have more fresh tomatoes and cucumbers to use up? Give my Creamy Tomato Cucumber Salad a try next! It's another family favorite I grew up eating, made with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and sweet onions tossed in a creamy homemade dressing with a hint of dill. It's a delicious twist on a classic summer salad!
Storing Cucumber Red Onion Tomato Salad
Store this salad in a tightly covered bowl in the fridge for 2-3 days. This salad is best served the day of making, but I also love it chilled. After a couple days the produce starts to get a little soft.
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- These nestled mixing bowls are my favorite for prepping ingredients and mixing salads.
- I really like these glass measuring cups from Pyrex for measuring liquids!
Tips for Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad
- Remove the tomato seeds. Scooping out most of the seeds helps prevent the salad from becoming too watery.
- Slice the red onion thin so it gives the salad plenty of flavor without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Use fresh basil when possible. Fresh basil gives this salad its signature flavor.
- Dress the salad right before serving. For the best texture, wait to toss the vegetables with the dressing until you're ready to serve. This helps keep the cucumbers crisp and prevents excess liquid from collecting in the bowl.
More Salad Recipes:
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Summer Fruit Salad
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Creamy Fruit Salad
- Ham Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Did you make this recipe? Rate it!
If you enjoyed this recipe give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below. It really helps the recipe stand out and I appreciate the feedback to make recipes everyone will enjoy.
Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes
- ¼ medium red onion
- 4 large basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and slice into half moon shapes about ¼ inch thick.
- Slice the tomatoes in half and use a spoon to scoop out most of the seeds. Then slice the tomatoes into wedges.
- Slice the red onion into thin slices.
- Roll up the basil leaves and cut into ribbons.
- Add all the produce into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper.
- Pour dressing over veggies and toss to combine it all.
- Serve immediately or soon after making.
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