Italian Cucumber Salad (Printable Version)

Crisp cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, and red onions in zesty Italian dressing with fresh basil. Ready in 15 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 2 medium tomatoes, diced
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

→ Dressing

05 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
06 - 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
07 - 1 clove garlic, minced
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

10 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
11 - Fresh cracked black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers, diced tomatoes, red onion, and chopped basil.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the vegetables. Toss gently to combine and evenly coat all the ingredients.
04 - Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
05 - Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and additional black pepper, if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing gets better as it sits, so leftovers taste even more vibrant the next day
  • Everything comes together in fifteen minutes flat with ingredients you probably already have
  • That balance of sharp red onion against cool cucumber hits every craving at once
02 -
  • The salad tastes best after resting for at least ten minutes, but do not let it sit longer than a few hours or the cucumbers will start releasing too much water
  • If you are making this ahead, wait to add the feta cheese until just before serving to keep it from becoming mushy
03 -
  • Use a mandoline if you have one for paper thin cucumber slices that absorb the dressing beautifully
  • Let the salad come to room temperature for about fifteen minutes before serving if it has been refrigerated

Go Back