salads greek

Tomato, Cucumber, and Oregano Salad

The essential summer salad: ripe tomatoes, cool cucumbers, and dried oregano with olive oil. Feta optional, perfection guaranteed.

vegetarian gluten free
More Recipes
Prep 10 min
Cook 0 min
Total 10 min
Servings 4
Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Cut tomatoes into large wedges or chunks. Place in a shallow serving bowl.

  2. Slice cucumber into half-moons and add to tomatoes.

  3. Add thinly sliced red onion if using.

  4. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables. Sprinkle oregano, salt, and pepper. Add vinegar if using.

  5. Toss gently to combine.

  6. Let sit 5 minutes to let flavors develop. Tomatoes will release juice.

    Tip: The released tomato juices become part of the dressing—don't drain them.

  7. Add feta if using—either crumbled over top or as a single block in center.

  8. Serve immediately, spooning the tomato juices over portions.

Storage & Meal Prep

Best eaten within a few hours. Tomatoes release water as they sit, diluting the dressing. If making ahead, salt the tomatoes separately and add the dressing just before serving.

Variations

  • Tomato Cucumber Salad with Feta: Add crumbled feta and Kalamata olives to transform this into a deconstructed Greek salad.
  • Tomato Cucumber Salad with Bread: Add torn day-old bread to make panzanella—the bread soaks up the tomato juices beautifully.
  • Spicy Tomato Cucumber Salad: Add thinly sliced jalapeño or Aleppo pepper for a Middle Eastern-inspired kick.

FAQ

What tomatoes are best for salad?

Use the ripest tomatoes you can find—flavor matters more than variety. In summer, heirloom and vine-ripened tomatoes are best. Out of season, cherry tomatoes often have the best flavor.

Should you salt tomatoes before making salad?

Yes—lightly salting tomato wedges 10 minutes before dressing them draws out liquid and concentrates flavor. This is especially helpful with less-than-perfect tomatoes.

Why use dried oregano instead of fresh in this salad?

Dried oregano has a more concentrated, distinctly Mediterranean flavor that works better with raw tomatoes and olive oil. It's one of the few herbs that's actually better dried than fresh for certain applications.

Nutrition Facts

4 Servings

Customize Ingredients

Cheese
Feta Cheese
85 g
Vegetables
Tomato (Red, Ripe)
492 g
Cucumber (with peel)
260 g
Red Onion
28 g
Oils & Fats
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
41 g
Herbs & Spices
Dried Oregano
1 g
Salt
3 g
Black Pepper
0.5 g
Condiments
Red Wine Vinegar
15 g

Per Serving

181kcalCalories
5gProtein
9gCarbs
15gFat
2gFiber
Sodium
220mg10% DV
Potassium
415mg9% DV
Calcium
134mg10% DV
Iron
0.9mg5% DV
Magnesium
28mg7% DV
Vitamin C
19.6mg22% DV
Vitamin A
82µg9% DV
Vitamin K
28.6µg24% DV
Folate
32µg8% DV
Tomato (Red, Ripe)
Cucumber (with peel)
Red Onion
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dried Oregano
Salt
+3 more
* Nutrition is an estimate; actual values vary by ingredient brands and cooking methods. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Story Behind This Dish

This salad is only as good as your tomatoes.

With peak-season, sun-ripened tomatoes, this dish is transcendent—sweet, acidic, juicy, alive. With mealy off-season tomatoes, it’s a disappointment. The moral: make this salad in summer, when tomatoes are actually worth eating.