This recipe for marinated Cucumber Tomato Salad takes advantage of those abundant summer vegetables and combines them with the most deliciously easy marinade!A FRESH SUMMER SALAD WITH A LIGHT MARINADEIm not sure there are other vegetables that scream summer! quite like tomatoes and cucumbers. I do not have a green thumb at all but I can manage to grow tomatoes and cucumbers as they dont require a whole lot ha! I love to make this Cucumber Tomato Salad to use up those garden veggies as a fresh side dish for my summer meals. It also makes a wonderfully light lunch too. The marinade really brings out the best in the vegetables while still allowing their natural flavors to shine through!With so many tomatoes and cucumbers popping up in my garden, I was running out of ideas! This marinated salad was just what I was looking for! I have made it about 5 times already and each time, it gets eaten quickly. Friends and family have absolutely loved it and it is so simple to make! AnnFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:Can I use a sugar substitute for the sugar? Yes you can. Just adjust accordingly. Each sugar substitute measures differently. Can I leave out the onion? Even if you dont enjoy eating onion, I would still leave it in the recipe. It really adds to the overall flavor of the dish. However, if you just cant stand onions then obviously leave it out. See my tip below in the ingredient list about reducing the pungency of fresh onions. What other fresh herbs could I add? Fresh oregano and fresh parsley are some other delicious options. You could even sprinkle on a little dried Italian seasoning. Could I add garlic? Absolutely! I think a little fresh minced garlic would be absolutely delicious! Can I dice up the cucumbers and tomatoes to be smaller? Yes. This is just an old traditional southern tomato salad recipe and its just how weve always cut it up. Obviously, if you prefer smaller chunks then dice it up however you like. How do I store leftovers? This salad is best if eaten within the first two or three days. It will keep in a covered container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days. And because someone will ask me no you cannot freeze it. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)cucumbers if using regular cucumbers, you need to peel them. But you can also use English cucumbers (the ones in plastic wrappers) and those have a super thin skin that you can eat so those do not need to be peeled. tomatoes I just used beefsteak tomatoes straight from my garden. You want to use a nice, plump, flavorful tomato that slices well. sweet onion if you find onions too strong in flavor, you can slice them up then dip them in some ice water for a few minutes to reduce the pungency. white vinegar I think plain white vinegar works best but if you really love apple cider vinegar, you can use that. granulated sugar I know it might seem strange to add sugar here but it really helps to balance out the vinegar flavor. Its a small amount for the full 10 servings of this dish. You dont taste sweetness in this at all just a nice balance of flavor. kosher saltand black pepper freshly ground black pepper really works best in this if you have a pepper grinder. fresh basil leaves this really brings the full summer flavor to this dish. Not manly I would say dried basil works fine as a substitute but I think youd really be missing out on a ton of flavor if you did that. HOW TO MAKE MARINATED TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD:In a large bowl, add sliced cucumbers, tomato wedges and sliced sweet onion. Set the bowl aside while making the marinade. As you can see, I went with a bowl that was far too small ha! So please use a bigger bowl than I did. I had to transfer everything over to a larger bowl. In a large mason jar with a lid, add vinegar, water, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper and shake well. Alternatively, you can whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.Pour marinade over cucumber/tomato mixture in large bowl, add sliced basil, then stir well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator to chill for about 2 hours.Optional: to serve: stir mixture really well then drain most of the marinade out (leaving just about 1/3 cup in the bottom of the bowl.)CRAVING MORE RECIPES? Marinated Cole SlawCreamy Cucumber SaladCucumber Cream Cheese SpreadVinegar Cucumber SaladMarinated Green Bean SaladBread and Butter PicklesBroccoli Cauliflower SaladBlack Eyed Pea SaladChow ChowCaprese Pasta SaladSpaghetti SaladRefrigerator PicklesOriginally published: July 2021Updated and republished: June 2025 PrintCucumber Tomato SaladThis recipe for marinated Cucumber Tomato Salad takes advantage of those abundant summer vegetables and combines them with the most deliciously easy marinade!Course Appetizer, Side DishCuisine AmericanPrep Time 10 minutes minutesMarinating Time 2 hours hoursTotal Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutesServings 10Calories 146kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredients3 large cucumbers, peeled and cut into about 1/4-inch thick slices4 large ripe tomatoes, cut int wedges1 small sweet onion, sliced into thin strips cup white vinegar cup water cup extra virgin olive oil3 Tablespoons granulated sugar1 Tablespoon kosher salt2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 3 fresh basil leaves, sliced into stripsInstructionsIn a large bowl, add 3 large cucumbers, peeled and cut into about 1/4-inch thick slices, 4 large ripe tomatoes, cut int wedges and 1 small sweet onion, sliced into thin strips. Set the bowl aside while making the marinade. In a large mason jar with a lid, add 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/3 cup water, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt and 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper and shake well. Alternatively, you can whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Pour marinade over cucumber/tomato mixture in large bowl add 3 fresh basil leaves, sliced into strips and stir. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and put it into the refrigerator to chill for about 2 hours.Optional: To serve, stir mixture really well then drain most of the marinade out (leaving just about 1/3 cup in the bottom of the bowl.) NotesPlease refer to my FAQs and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.This salad is best if eaten within the first two or three days. It will keep in a covered container, in the fridge, for up to 5 days. Do not freeze.Vegetables can be cut up smaller based on your preference.Fresh oregano and fresh parsley (or a little dried Italian seasoning) are some other delicious herb options.NutritionCalories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 707mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g