Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad
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A Southern staple at barbecues, family gatherings, and reunions, we love the juicy and refreshing experience of eating this fresh tomato, onion, and cucumber salad!
If I had to describe the flavor of this salad in one word, I’d say refreshing. This is the embodiment of everything a body craves on a hot summer’s day. Well, everything a body craves that doesn’t come with a little paper umbrella in the glass! This simple and easy tomato, onion, and cucumber salad recipe features juicy chunks, slices, and tossed in a delicious vinegar and sugar dressing.
I recommend making this colorfully crisp and tangy summer salad in advance to let it fully marinate in the dressing. Then serve it at your next summer gathering and prepare to win over your friends and family! You can also have fun with this salad and add some interesting additions, which I mention in the Recipe Notes section below.
Recipe Ingredients
- Two freshly ripe tomatoes (can be whatever you have on hand – heirloom tomatoes, grape tomatoes…)
- Two cucumber
- One purple or red onion (or , the choice is yours)
- Sugar
- Water, and…
- White vinegar. Go for the cheap kind here, make me proud!
Cut up your tomatoes.
You can cut the in chunks, slices, or dice them. I’m doing chunks because it’s pretty that way.
Peel and cut your . However, if you prefer you can also skip peeling your .
Cut up your onion.
I slice mine and then cut the slices in half, still leaving pretty big pieces.
This way, those of you who don’t care for the raw onions can pick them out easily enough.
Dump all of that into a bowl. You can also opt to sprinkle these vegetables with and right now before adding the dressing.
Now we have to make our dressing.
For this, all we are going to do is combine equal parts water, vinegar, and sugar and stir it up.
I start with 1/2 cup of each but you can do more if you like. I wouldn’t do any less though.
This is me adding my sugar to the vinegar and water mixture.
Stir that up good.
Recipe Tip
Don’t worry if your sugar isn’t dissolved all of the way because we’re going to let all of this marinate in the fridge for a spell before we eat.
Pour this over your veggies and stir.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
It will make more juice but I like to go give it a good stir after an hour or so.
Save some for me!
Storage
Store this tomato, onion, and cucumber salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
Recipe Notes
- If you like, add some fresh herbs to your salad. Dried or and oregano will give this salad recipe a Mediterranean feel, while I also like sprinkling fresh dill or parsley on top.
- Other fun additions to make to this salad include crumbled feta cheese, chunks of avocado, bell pepper chunks, and mozzarella balls.
- Instead of white vinegar, you could also use either red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. If you’re going for a Mediterranean-inspired , you can opt for too.
- Another option is using halves instead of chunks.
Recipe FAQs
What do you serve with tomato, onion, and cucumber salad?
Serve this refreshing salad with any grilled or barbecued meat and a side of crusty bread. My suggestions include grilled chicken tenderloins, pork chops, or slow-roasted beef brisket.
Can you make this salad ahead of time?
Yes, I recommend refrigerating the salad for a few hours before serving to let the vinegar sink into the vegetables. So you could definitely make this in advance the night before.
You may also like these other sensational salad recipes:
Cucumber Salad Creamy and Delicious
Fresh Fruit Salad with Lemon Honey Dressing
Low Carb Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 purple or red onion
- water
- white vinegar
- sugar
Instructions
- Peel and slice cucumbers, and chop tomatoes and red onion. Combine all in a large bowl.2 tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, 1 purple or red onion
- Mix up a dressing of equal parts vinegar, water, and sugar. I start with 1/2 cup each of my dressing ingredients.water, white vinegar, sugar
- Pour the vinegar dressing over the vegetables and refrigerate (ideally overnight).
Be more concerned about your character than your reputation because your character is who you are and your reputation is just what others THINK of you.
~Submitted my Southern Plate Reader, Emily. To submit your quote, and make someone’s day a little brighter, click here.
Ya know.. after runnin around town all day gettin parts for my truck and trying to have the A/C fixed.. this salad would hit the spot.
I bought the truck from a friend who said he had never had the Air Conditioner serviced. A/C man tells me different. I now realize that friend who didn’t remember he was married on at least three occasions and is now getting a divorce, probably forgot a repair or two on the truck.
Ok.. sorry for the tangent…
Man that salad looks good! I love sweet and sour type stuff.
Thanks Christy!
Funny how some people suffer failing memories like that. Although I have to admit that I’ve seriously considered driving on past my house for an extended mountain vacation myself from time to time.
But in the end, I come home. The kids are just too darn cute to stay away from for long!
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
My sister and I were just talking about this salad this morning on the phone. I don’t like raw onions…
I forgot to tell you that I passed on your one dish pork chops and my girlfriend loved it.
You and my mama and the onions! lol If you ever eat at my house I’ll just set you near her and y’all can pick onions out of things for each other, lol.
My husband doesn’t like onions either. ~breathes out~ but as you can tell, I do!!
So glad y’all liked it!! Thank you for passing it on!
Gratefully,
Christy
My family loves this salad but I have never made it with cukes. Next time I will throw them in (the cukes not my family)!!
Love the name… Fire and Ice!
Bountiful Blessings!
Will be sending in my cookbook order! Thanks so much for the update!!
LOL ! I like the idea of throwing your family in, personally. I know mine would get a real hoot out of it!
Thank you so much!
Christy & Tina….couldja at least have the kids take their shoes off first???
Puuuul–eeeezzze?
Thanks Christy for reminding me of this wonderful recipe.
You’re right it is a light, refreshing dish that I’m going to serve tonight with beans and cornbread and sweet tea.
Hey ya’ll wow I get to be the first to comment! Yeah me. Well we call it another name but the same taste it is sssoooo yummy!!! Ya’ll can add some mircle whip too and make it creamy if ya wish.
Both way are great
Well looks like ya’ll beat me to bein first oh well
How much is the cookbook with postage.
Love you site!
WOW, GREAT question! I always forget something!
Shipping is 2.50 and the cookbook is $14.95 so total is $17.45.
Ouch! I did math!
lol
I went in and added all of this into the post thanks to you. I really appreciate you reminding me!!
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
I love this too-sort of similar to the Amish style swett and sours. I often add a big glob of mayonnaise too and some diced bell pepper. A glob is a scientific term for all a serving table spoon will hold in one dig!
Oh yes, I am also a fan of the ancient measurements such as globs! You know, its crazy that I have never thought of using bell pepper in this because I LOVE bell pepper! Oh my! Now you have me wanting to add corn, too! lol
If it is similar to ANYTHING the Amish make, that right there gives it five stars and a sixth star as a bonus! Amish food is amazing.
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
As far as I know I have never had Amish food! I’ve never been to Amish country! I’ve hardly let Louisiana!!! Boy, I need to get out more!
I’ve had this so many times but never knew the correct name for it!