The Easiest Greek Cucumber Salad Recipe (15 Minutes!)

With less than 10 ingredients, this Greek cucumber salad comes together in about 15 minutes and is loaded with fresh flavors, crisp cucumbers, and a delicious red wine vinaigrette. It’s the perfect summer lunch or veggie-loaded side dish!

 

Greek Cucumber and Tomato Salad Recipe

This recipe is:

• Unbelievably easy
• Made with fresh ingredients
• Takes just 15 minutes
• Pairs well with your favorite chicken or fish dishes
• Naturally vegetarian
• A delicious make-ahead side

If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out my whipped feta dip with chickpeas, easy vegetarian chickpea gyros, and my creamy cucumber pasta salad.

Ingredients for Greek Cucumber Salad

English Cucumbers

English cucumbers are the really long, skinny variety that often comes wrapped in plastic. I like to use these because they tend to have smaller, if not fewer, seeds and have a wonderful flavor with a delicious crunch. The skin is also slightly thinner than a traditional cucumber so there’s no need to peel them. You can use any type of cucumber you have on hand though and the result will still be delicious!

Capers

Capers are a delicious briny addition to this Greek salad. Feel free to substitute with extra olives or omit them if you prefer.

Red Bell Pepper

Red bell peppers are a little sweet and they add a delicious crunch to the salad. You can substitute with orange, yellow, or green bell pepper as well.

Cherry Tomatoes

Halved cherry tomatoes add bright color and that fresh tomato flavor. Grape or cherry tomatoes work best because they have thin skin and small seeds so they mix in well with minimal prep, but you can use any tomato you like. Just be sure to remove the seeds and innards if you’re using a Roma tomato, heirloom tomato, beef steak tomato, or large slicing tomato or they’ll add lots of unwanted liquid to the salad.

Pitted Olives

I love to use a pitted olive mix from the grocery but you can use your favorite olives for this recipe. Just make sure they’re pitted so you don’t get a surprise when you bite down on those salty olives! 

Red Onion

Thinly sliced red onion has a slight sweetness that works well in this salad. You can also use thinly sliced yellow onions or omit them if you prefer. Thinly sliced shallot would also be delicious!

Fresh Dill

I love the brightness that fresh dill brings to this salad. Dried dill will work as well but use about half as much because it has a more concentrated flavor.

Feta Cheese

You can buy feta in a block or already crumbled. Both will work just fine, but I typically opt for the block of feta because it has a great texture, is less dry, and typically has a little more flavor. If you don’t like feta, try halloumi cheese, crumbled goat cheese, fresh mozzarella balls, or even some shaved Parmesan instead.

The Best Dressing for Greek Salad

Red Wine Vinaigrette

I have a delicious homemade red wine vinaigrette recipe that pairs really well with this Greek cucumber salad. It’s made with only 5 ingredients – fresh garlic, dried herbs, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar – so it comes together in just minutes but has tons of flavor! If you’re more in the mood for a balsamic dressing try my super easy creamy 6-ingredient balsamic vinaigrette!

How to Slice Cucumbers for Greek Salad

My favorite way to slice cucumbers for a salad is as follows:

• Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise.
• Lay each half cut side down on the cutting board.
• Working with one half of the cucumber at a time, slice the cucumber into large slices but slice at alternating angles, creating large almost triangle-shaped pieces of cucumber.
• This gives you large chunks of cucumber that are cut in a rustic fashion so they don’t get soggy, floppy, or limp in the salad.
• Instead, these large pieces of cucumber maintain their crispy crunch with every single bite – even if made ahead of time!
• I prefer to leave the seeds in if I’m using an English cucumber (as you can see below). If using a regular cucumber, I use a spoon to carefully scoop out just the thin layer of seeds before cutting the cucumber into large chunks.

How to make Mediterranean Cucumber Salad

Add cucumbers, capers, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, onion, and dill to a large bowl. Pour about 1/2 a cup of the red wine vinaigrette dressing over the salad and toss to coat. 

Add the feta cheese and gently fold it in. Or add it just before serving. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of the red wine vinaigrette just before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Cucumber Salad

• This salad tastes best when it’s been refrigerated for a few hours and up to 6-8 hours. The feta will break down and crumble a bit as it’s mixed into the salad so I prefer to gently fold it in just before serving so it maintains the cube shape. If you don’t mind slightly crumbled feta you can just toss it right in with the rest of the salad right away.
• Use fresh ingredients! Because the ingredient list is so short, using fresh ingredients is going to go a long way in making a delicious salad. Farmer’s market cucumbers and tomatoes are always going to taste better than those from the grocery store because they were most likely picked within the last day or so and brought directly from the farm!

What is cucumber salad made from?

Cucumber salad is made from a variety of fresh veggies smothered in a tasty vinaigrette dressing. Ingredients typically include cucumber, red onion, olives, dill, and tomatoes and this recipe adds fresh feta cheese as well as capers.

How do you keep cucumbers crisp in a salad?

The best way to keep cucumbers crisp is to cut them into larger pieces. Either thick slices or big chunks. Thin slices will wilt and become limp almost immediately. I find that English cucumbers stay crisp longer than traditional cucumbers as well which is why I use them in this recipe.

What type of cucumber works best for Greek salad?

I’m a big fan of the English cucumber when I’m making this Greek salad. It has much smaller seeds and thinner skin which makes it easier to eat with less prep work. If you just have regular cucumbers, I recommend at least removing the seeds and optionally peeling the skin as well.

What type of tomato works best for Greek cucumber salad?

I love the ease and beauty of the grape tomato. It has tiny seeds which means all you have to do is slice them in half and they’re ready to go! You could also use cherry tomatoes instead. If you’re planning to use a Roma, heirloom, or beefsteak tomato, just make sure that you cut them into bite-sized pieces and remove some of the seeds and pulp or they will add too much liquid to the salad.

Variations

This is a great “clean out the fridge” salad because the Mediterranean flavors pair so well with a wide variety of other things. Some of our family’s favorite additions include:

• al dente rotini pasta
• al dente cheese tortellini
• leftover grilled chicken
• cooked quinoa
• cooked lentils
• canned chickpeas

How to Make Greek Cucumber Salad Ahead of Time

You can absolutely make this Greek salad ahead of time! In fact, it tastes best once the flavors have had a chance to marry together. I recommend making the salad at least a few hours in advance and up to 6-8 hours before you’re ready to serve. Because of the way the cucumbers are sliced they marinate beautifully in the dressing and don’t soggy like thinly sliced cucumbers do. The make-ahead option means it’s perfect for backyard barbecues or family get-togethers!

Storing Mediterranean Salad

Store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Eventually, the acid in the dressing will begin to break down the ingredients so it’s not something that’s going to stay fresh for a whole week. Be sure to season to taste with salt and pepper before serving! 

Try these salad recipes next!

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