Whip up a quick-fix recipe for Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad loaded with crisp veggies, protein-packed chickpeas and crumbled feta, all tossed in a lemony red wine vinaigrette.
A flavor trip with no passport required? Consider me there. Greek Cucumber Tomato Salad is a true vacation in a bowl. Bright and zippy with a classic red wine vinegar and lemon vinaigrette, this salad has a wealth of textures and flavors that really emphasize everything you love about a classic Greek salad, sans the leafy greens.
With no pesky lettuce getting in the way of all their glory, cucumber and tomato are the true stars here, along with creamy feta crumbles, briny olives and spicy red onions. This is one of my favorite portable picnic side salads, and becomes a full meal topped with grilled chicken, falafel, pan-seared salmon or even extra chickpeas.
- Cucumbers: For this Greek salad, I like to cut the cucumbers into half-moons. Start by cutting the whole cucumber in half lengthwise, then scooping out the seeds with a spoon. Next, slice widthwise, creating perfect little C-shapes that are ideal for soaking up all that vinaigrette.
- Cherry tomatoes: Quartered so each bite is close in size to the cucumber slices. Cherry tomatoes are my preference over large tomatoes here since they release less water into the salad and hold their shape better.
- Red onion: Thinly sliced for a little bite and color. If raw onion is too sharp for you, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them. It mellows the flavor significantly.
- Black olives: I use sliced black olives, but Kalamata olives are a delicious swap if you want a brinier, more intensely flavored bite. Both work great here.
- Chickpeas: Not a traditional Greek salad ingredient, but my not-so-secret secret for turning this from a side dish into a complete meal. One can, rinsed and drained, adds protein and heartiness without any extra cooking.
- Feta cheese: I like to buy block feta packed in brine rather than pre-crumbled feta. The flavor is better and the texture is creamier. You could even buy two packages and make my baked feta pasta next!
Once you have everything sliced, toss it all into a large bowl and make the dressing, pour it over the top, and toss to combine. Fold in the crumbled feta right before serving and dig in! That’s it. Twenty minutes, one bowl, no cooking required.
My Favorite Lemony Red Wine Vinaigrette
This bright, zingy dressing comes together in minutes. Whisk together red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, dried oregano and extra-virgin olive oil, then season with salt and pepper to taste. The honey is the small but important detail that balances the acidity without making the dressing taste sweet.
Make It Ahead for Even Better Flavor
I’m Team Marination when it comes to lettuce-less salads, and I believe this recipe tastes even better when prepared up to a day in advance. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator with the feta separate for crumbling atop the salad right before serving.
I do highly recommend eating up any leftovers within a day or two, as this ensures your cucumbers stay at their absolute crunchiest.
Secret to Extra Crunchy Cucumbers
In general, cold, washed and patted dry cucumbers are happy, crunchy cucumbers. For extra textural oomph, salting the sliced cucumbers before tossing them in a salad will rid the slices of any excess water, allowing them to maintain their maximum crunchiness.
I like to toss the sliced cucumbers in a light dusting of salt, then place them in a colander over my sink to help drain off any liquid. Just 30 minutes will do the trick to keep those cucumbers extra crunchy and not so waterlogged. Pro Tip: Remember to account for this added salt when whipping up your dressing!
If you love this salad, my Greek pasta salad and Mediterranean couscous salad are both worth adding to the rotation for your next potluck or summer spread. And if you’re looking to turn this into a full meal, serve it alongside warm pita and a big ol’ bowl of avocado hummus. For more fresh summer salad ideas, check out my full collection of picnic recipes.
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes, meal plans and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the salad:
- 3 medium cucumbers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 5 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sliced red onions
- 1/3 cup sliced black olives
- 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
Make the dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the red vine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic and oregano. While whisking, stream in the olive oil until emulsified. Taste and season the dressing with salt and pepper then set it aside.
Make the salad:
- In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, black olives and chickpeas.
- Add the dressing and toss to combine. Fold in the feta cheese and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- This recipe tastes even better when prepared a day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Keep the feta separate and crumble it atop the salad right before serving.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Tastes as good as it looks! It does make a lot! I will enjoy it for days
So glad you enjoyed it, Amy!
WOW!
Absolutely delicious, it was so good, I made it two days in a row, my family loved it, will definitely be making it on a regular basis.
I have a daughter that does not like olives or tomatoes, so I made her a separate salad without those, it was still delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Marcelyn!
This pairs well with Malibu chicken. Just pan fry a boneless skinless chicken breast next to thin sliced ham grilled then put the ham on top grilled pineapple where the ham was put the pineapple on top of the ham then put thin slices of Swiss or mozzarella cheese then put a lid on top and let the cheese melt. Excellent fast dinner! I never had the salad before and I will eat it at least once a month now. Thank you!
So glad you’re enjoying it, Patricia!
can you do a metric converter for the whole website
Hi Martin! I don’t provide metric conversions for my recipes, as I cannot guarantee they would be 100% accurate without being tested. However, you are welcome to use an online converter. :)
Absolutely delicious and quick & easy to make! My kids even loved it! We didnt have chickpeas but still was incredible! Definitely a keeper!! Thank you!!
You are so welcome, Luda! I’m thrilled you and your family enjoyed the recipe!
Hi Kelly, as I am not a fan of Chickpeas, what could I sub for them ? Maybe some type of bean?
Hi Sandi! You could swap in Cannellini beans :)
French beans
Can I mix this salad through cold pasta to make a pasta salad?
Sure! However, depending on how much pasta you add, you may need to increase the amount of dressing. Looking forward to reading your results, Anne!
This is spot on YUM! I grilled a pineapple along with the chicken…Just divine! Thank you!
You are so welcome, Karen! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
What a wonderful salad just waiting to be made with all the bounty of the summer garden! Does not need lettuce which would compete with the delicious tastes of all the veggies, olives and cheese. I was delighted to have all the ingredients at hand, so gratification was immediate. I served it with wonderful homemade sourdough bread which took up the dressing beautifully. We did not wait the recommended time to marinate (impossible), but this will be tested with our refrigerated leftovers. Will check out more of your recipes. Thank you for a great treat!
You are so welcome, Caroline! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Light, refreshing and full of flavor! I’ll definitely be making this again!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Meghan!
Love This! Super Easy and healthy!
I make this the night before a day where I know I am stuck behind the computer and have to work through lunch. Even though it doesn’t have lettuce or chicken, it’s very satisfying and filling. It also lasts in the fridge for another day or two.
Super easy, no clean up.
I just keep forgetting to add the feta when I scoop it out. Still great without it but even better with it!
Love reading this, Danielle! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!