Looking for a fresh, healthy lunch or side dish that practically makes itself? This English cucumber salad comes together in just 10 minutes using only five simple ingredients. Loaded with juicy tomatoes, crisp onions, and tangy feta, it's the ultimate refreshing bite for your next easy lunch or potluck!
This simple salad pairs crisp English cucumbers (hothouse cucumbers) with sweet Campari tomatoes and red onions in a light balsamic vinaigrette. Every bite is an instant bowl of yum thanks to the tangy crumbled feta cheese added right before serving. You will love how these fresh ingredients create a light and refreshing salad that's perfect for your next lunch or family dinner.
To make it, just slice your cucumbers and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and toss them in a large bowl. Drizzle on your favorite brand of balsamic dressing and give everything a quick stir to coat. For the best taste, let the salad chill in the fridge for thirty minutes before serving. It's really that simple!
This refreshing and easy dish is the perfect side for summer potlucks, easy office lunches, or backyard barbecues. It pairs beautifully with turkey caprese wraps or a warm bowl of white bean chicken chili. Check out my other Mediterranean inspired recipes to create a full spread your family will enjoy!
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🥘Ingredients
- English cucumbers- used for their edible skin and tiny seeds; they are often wrapped in plastic wrap and are long and skinny
- Campari tomatoes- this is a hybrid tomato that's juicy and delicious; typically sold in a plastic container still on the vine
- red onion- for aesthetic appeal and accentuated flavor
- light balsamic vinaigrette dressing- we love Ken's Steakhouse as a nice shortcut, but feel free to make your own
- crumbled Feta cheese- optional, but a delicious add-on for protein, tang and flavor
🔪Instructions
- Step 1: Slice, dice, and chop the veggies.
- Step 2: Add all to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Step 3: Pour on the dressing and mix.
- Step 4: Top with crumbled feta cheese before serving.
Hint: To keep your English cucumber salad from becoming too watery, ensure you use an English (hothouse) cucumber since they have fewer seeds. If you are making this dish ahead of time, wait to add the crumbled feta until right before you serve it to maintain that perfect, creamy texture.
🥣Substitutions
- Cucumber Swaps - If you can't find English cucumbers at the store, Persian or mini cucumbers are the best replacements for this recipe. They have thin, edible skins and very few seeds, so they won't make your salad watery. Just avoid standard garden cucumbers unless you plan to peel them first to remove the bitter skin.
- Tomato Alternatives - While sweet Campari tomatoes offer the best flavor and color, you can easily swap them for cherry or grape tomatoes. Simply slice them in half or quarters to get some of the juice in the dressing. These varieties are naturally juicy and maintain a great crunch that pairs perfectly with the tangy vinaigrette.
- Cheese & Dressing Flips: For a different flavor profile, you can swap the crumbled feta for mozzarella pearls or even small cubes of sharp white cheddar. If you want to change the dressing, a light Italian or a zesty Greek vinaigrette works beautifully here. These simple swaps allow you to customize the dish based on what you already have in your fridge.
📖Variations
- Greek Version - Swap your balsamic for a zesty Greek dressing and add a pinch of dried oregano or fresh dill. For a boost of nutrition, try mixing in a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas.
- Mexican Style - Use a lime vinaigrette in place of the balsamic and swap the feta cheese for crumbled cotija. Adding some fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of chili powder gives this salad a delicious zesty kick.
- Garden Herb Version - Skip the heavier dressings and use a simple mix of olive oil, lemon juice, and plenty of fresh parsley. This version is incredibly light and highlights the natural crunch of the hothouse cucumbers.
🍽Equipment
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- large mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- slotted spoon (for serving)
🍶Storage
Store your cucumber salad in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within 2-3 days.
💭Top tip
Keep in mind that sometimes less is more when adding the dressing. Using too much from the start will make the salad too saturated and potentially bitter (remember that it's already naturally juicy from the cucumbers and tomatoes). Start with your desired amount. You can always add more to suit your taste.
🗨️FAQ
Slimy cucumbers indicate that they are going bad. You'll often see the slime start to accumulate on the skin before slicing. Unfortunately, if your cucumbers are slimy, they are no longer good for you to eat. You will have to discard the salad. To avoid this problem in the future, use cucumbers within a day of buying them. If you can't use them right away, wrap them tightly in foil and store them in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator for an additional 1-2 days.
This is a much more common problem with salad cucumbers. It's resolved by scooping out the seeds and removing the skins. This is one of the many reasons why I recommend the English cucumber because you can eat the seeds and skin (so no need to remove them) and they aren't bitter.
No, you do not need to peel them! English cucumbers are famous for their thin, delicate skin that isn't bitter like standard garden varieties. Keeping the skin on adds a beautiful pop of green to your bowl and provides extra nutrients and crunch.
This salad is best enjoyed within 24 hours for maximum crunch. However, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If it releases too much juice, simply give it a quick stir or add a fresh sprinkle of feta cheese right before serving to revive the flavors.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with English Cucumber Salad:
📋Recipe with step-by-step instructions
English Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers cut into slices
- 3 Campari tomatoes cut into small wedges
- ⅓ cup red onion diced or thinly sliced
- 4-5 tablespoon light balsamic vinagrette Ken's Steakhouse highly recommended
- ⅓ cup Crumbled Feta cheese optional, for topping
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers into thin circles. Slice the tomatoes into wedges and finely chop the onion. Add these ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Drizzle on the dressing. Start by adding 4 tablespoons and mix. If needed, add one additional tablespoon of dressing at a time to ensure even coating without oversaturating the salad. Toss to coat.
- Feta pairs very well with this salad. Sprinkle your desired amount on top just before serving. You may also choose to add a dash of ground pepper for added flavor as well.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
Janet C. says
This is a favorite lunch right now. The crumbled feta makes it so good and I like the shortcut with the dressing.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
I love it for lunch too. Thanks for the feedback about the dressing.