It’s the salad for July evenings when you have guests at 8 PM and absolutely don’t want to spend time in the kitchen. One cucumber, a punnet of cherry tomatoes, one red onion. Twenty-five minutes, of which fifteen you’re doing something else.
In the bowl, the cucumber half-moons are a pale, almost translucent green, edged with a darker green where the skin catches the light. The cherry tomatoes cut in half expose their bright red flesh, still full of juice. The olive oil coats everything with a slight sheen that catches the light. Two torn basil leaves placed last, and it already smells like a terrace in high summer.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredient Notes
All ingredients for this summer salad: English cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil and a simple vinaigrette.
- English cucumber : This is the one with thin skin and few seeds. No need to peel it — the skin adds color and crunch. Avoid standard cucumber if you can: it contains more water and larger seeds that make the salad go soggy quickly.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes : Grape tomatoes (elongated, firm) hold up better than round cherry tomatoes that roll around the bowl. Off-season, they are often too pale and bland — in that case, an extra pinch of sugar in the vinaigrette saves it.
- Red onion : More pungent than yellow, but that’s intentional. Its burgundy-purple color provides a nice visual contrast against the red of the tomatoes and the green of the cucumber. If the raw taste is too aggressive for you or your guests, ten minutes in cold water softens it without killing it.
- Fresh basil : Must be fresh. Dried basil in this type of salad is pointless. Tear it by hand — never with a knife. The blade burns the fibers and the edges turn black in two minutes.
- Red wine vinegar : Don’t replace it with white vinegar — too aggressive. Red wine vinegar is fruity and slightly rounded. Some brands are sharper than others; taste the vinaigrette before pouring and adjust with a touch of sugar if needed.
The salt does the work for you
Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, then into half-moons about half a centimeter thick. Too thick, and it crunches too much. Too thin, and it disappears. Put them in a colander set over a bowl, sprinkle with a teaspoon of coarse salt, mix with your fingers and let rest for fifteen minutes. You’ll see fine droplets appear on the surface of the slices — the salt pulls the water trapped in the flesh. Without this step, that juice ends up at the bottom of your bowl during the meal and turns the vinaigrette into diluted soup.
The vinaigrette while you wait
In a small bowl, pour two tablespoons of olive oil and one of red wine vinegar. Add a teaspoon of sugar — just to soften the acidity, not to sweeten. Salt, pepper. Whisk with a fork for thirty seconds: the vinaigrette takes on a slightly cloudy, almost milky hue, a sign that the oil and vinegar have begun to emulsify. Taste before continuing. Some red wine vinegars are sharp, others much rounder — adjust the sugar accordingly rather than pouring blindly.
Assembly, and set the bowl down
Rinse the cucumbers under cold water to remove the salt, then dry them in a clean kitchen towel — if they remain too wet, the vinaigrette slides off without clinging. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, slice the red onion into paper-thin rounds. Everything into a large bowl, vinaigrette on top, gently mix. Ten minutes in the fridge. Just before placing the bowl on the table, tear the basil directly over the salad — this releases its anise-like scent at the right moment, and the leaves stay bright green.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t skip rinsing the cucumbers after salting: if you leave the salt, the salad ends up too salty and the salt continues to draw water during the meal.
- Red onion too strong? Ten minutes in a bowl of cold water. This neutralizes the bitterness without losing the crunch or color.
- If you’re making the salad ahead, keep the vinaigrette and basil separate. Mix just before serving — the texture stays good, the basil doesn’t blacken.
Why salt the cucumbers before making the salad?
Cucumbers are more than 95% water. Without pre-salting, this water releases during the meal and ends up at the bottom of the bowl, completely diluting the vinaigrette. Fifteen minutes in salt is enough to draw out most of that water before assembly.
Can this salad be made ahead?
Yes, up to 2 hours ahead without issue if the cucumber has been well salted. Keep the vinaigrette and basil separate, mix just before serving. Beyond 6 hours in the fridge, the tomatoes start to soften.
Can I substitute English cucumber with regular cucumber?
Yes, but you’ll need to peel the skin (thicker and bitter) and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. The salting time may increase to 20 minutes as it contains even more water than English cucumber.
Red onion is too strong in raw salads, what to do?
Soak the slices in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. This neutralizes the harshness without losing the crunch or color.
What can I substitute for red wine vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is the best substitute: same fruity profile, slightly milder. White balsamic vinegar also works. Avoid regular white vinegar, too aggressive and lacking roundness.
Can I enrich the recipe with other ingredients?
Easily. Crumbled feta adds fat and salt. Pitted black olives integrate well. Half a teaspoon of dried oregano in the vinaigrette gives it a more Mediterranean character. Stick to simple additions that don’t overwhelm.
Cucumber Tomato Salad
Mediterranean
Side dish
A fresh and crunchy salad with olive oil–red wine vinaigrette, using the salting method to ensure no water pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Ingredients
- 2 (about 500g) English cucumbers
- 250g cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 small (80g) red onion
- 15g (1 small handful) fresh basil leaves
- 3 tbsp (45ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp (22ml) red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp coarse salt (for salting)
- fine salt and black pepper for seasoning the vinaigrette
Instructions
- 1Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, then into half-moons about 0.5 cm thick. Place in a colander, sprinkle with coarse salt, mix and let rest for 15 minutes over a bowl.
- 2Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, fine salt and pepper until slightly emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity if needed.
- 3Rinse the cucumbers under cold water, then dry them thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel.
- 4Cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Slice the red onion into very thin rounds.
- 5Combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onion in a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over and mix gently.
- 6Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Just before serving, tear the basil leaves by hand over the bowl and toss one last time.
Notes
• Salting is the key step: do not shorten it to less than 10 minutes, otherwise the cucumber will continue to release water into the salad.
• Make ahead: the vegetables and vinaigrette can be prepared separately up to 2 hours ahead. Assemble and add basil at the last moment.
• Storage: 24 hours in the refrigerator in an airtight container, basil removed. The texture will be slightly softer but the taste remains good.
Nutrition Facts (per serving, estimated)
| 165 kcalCalories | 2gProtein | 11gCarbs | 12gFat |
