Italian Cucumber Salad
This quick and easy Italian cucumber salad recipe only needs 4 ingredients: fresh tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion in an Italian dressing. This salad is fast, fresh, and so flavorful.
Whenever the weather is warmer I’m just itching for fresh food and sunshine. Depending on when you read this it may be a little early for produce from your own garden but thanks to the marvels of our modern grocery stores, I can get all I need to whip up this salad in a jiff. This serves as a delicious side dish bursting with garden flavor and can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.
My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
When you see how quick and easy it is, this may very well end up being your favorite salad of the summer! My quick and easy Italian tomato cucumber salad recipe is made with just 4 ingredients: fresh tomato, crisp cucumber, red onion, and Italian dressing. All we’re going to do is chop up the vegetables, add them to a bowl with the Italian dressing, give it a good stir, then refrigerate the salad for several hours to let the flavors meld together.
It’s fresh, it’s fast, and that Italian dressing means it’s also so flavorful. You can’t go wrong with this Italian cucumber tomato salad and it’s the perfect dish to bring to your next potluck or picnic. Now, let’s take a closer look at the ingredients and instructions. But don’t blink because you might miss them!
Recipe Ingredients
- Tomatoes (I’m using Roma tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes also work well).
- Red onion
- Cucumbers
- Italian dressing
How to Make Italian Cucumber Salad
Chop or slice your cucumber.
I’m leaving my skin on but you can peel it if you prefer.
Place that in a large bowl.
Do the same with your tomato.
Toss that in there too.
If you want you can just use a can of diced tomatoes and drain them.
Chop up your onion.
Add that in.
Pour the whole bottle of dressing into the bowl.
Ugh. I made this last week and ate every last bit of it. As soon as I press send on this post I’m heading to get the stuff to make it again!
Lawdy it’s good.
Stir.
Cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator for several hours to marinate.
Serve as the perfect side to BBQ, grilled burgers, or whatever your heart desires!
I just plop it in a bowl and dig into it all on its own!
Storage
Leftover salad will last, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- You can use any raw veggie you like here really, just go with what you like. Be sure to wash them well before using them though.
- You can also use either original or zesty Italian dressing. However, I’m a big fan of Kraft Italian dressing because, in my personal opinion, it tastes exactly like what they use at Olive Garden.
- Want to make homemade Italian dressing? You’ll need ingredients like white or red wine vinegar, olive oil, freshly grated parmesan cheese, sugar or honey, Italian seasoning (dried basil, dried parsley, and/or dried oregano work as well), and garlic powder.
- Add a garnish of freshly chopped parsley or leaves to your .
- For an extra Italian touch, add some chopped olives.
- Salt and black pepper to taste.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve Italian cucumber salad?
Serve your salad as a side dish with any kind of main meal, such as:
- BBQ Chicken Breast in Oven
- Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven
- Grilled Chicken Tenders (No Grill Needed)
- Meatloaf Burgers
- Butter Roasted Chicken Recipe
- Slow Cooker Angel Chicken Pasta
It also wouldn’t be an without a serving of on the side as well, right?
Can I make Italian cucumber salad in advance?
Yes, I’d recommend making it up to 24 hours in advance to let all those flavors marinate together.
Here are some more summer salad recipes:
Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad
Recipe for Caprese Salad with Chicken and Avocado
Ingredients
- 3-4 chopped Roma tomatoes or your choice (about 1.5 cups)
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 2 cucumbers, chopped
- 1 bottle Italian dressing or your choice
Instructions
- Place all vegetables in a large bowl. Pour in the entire bottle of dressing and stir.3-4 chopped Roma tomatoes or your choice, 1 large red onion, diced, 2 cucumbers, chopped, 1 bottle Italian dressing or your choice
- Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.
- Can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.
I’m an angel and if someone breaks my wings
I continue to fly on a broomstick…I’m very flexible.
Submitted by Iplayoutside the box. Submit your quote here.
Hi Christy and all. I make this salad but slightly different. I use 2 small tomatoes, chopped, that I purchase from the store, the kind that comes 4 -6 on the vine. Then I chop a large cucumber and chop about half a red onion. I then add a 15.5 oz can of Dark Red Kidney Beans rinsed and drained and a 12.5 oz can of canned chicken breast meat drained and chunks broken up. I then add about 4 table spoons of chopped fresh Basil. I sometimes add about 8 oz of chopped mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste. I use Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing but not adding it to the salad bowl. Just on individual servings at the time of serving. I hadn’t thought of adding the cheese and will try that next time.
Been making this salad for years; however, I have found that Zesty Italian Dressing is much better.
I make this, sans red onion. (I have such trouble keeping onions, and for some reason they go bad on me very fast.) But my lettuce-loathing little girl loves when I make this. I’ll have to try it now with red onion. And that’s the only onion she will eat. I think it’s a color thing. Red onions are just prettier than their kind of ghastly looking yellow cousins.
This has become the hit of patio dinners. I do not always put the whole bottle of dressing on.
I made this. Yummy! What size of salad dressing did you use?
Hi Christy!
We made this a week or so ago and I plan to make it again to take to the in-laws for a cookout on the 4th! It is so summer-y and refreshing! Perfect for a BBQ or picnic, just like you said! Thanks for yet another “keeper” to add to our recipe box! 🙂
(love the new layout, too, by the way!)
I made this the other day, only I added avocado (because they were on sale and I couldn’t resist) It was so good. Then, the next day I decided to add some pasta shells and a little more dressing to make it into a pasta salad. Then, I ate it for lunch, and a snack! Such a good recipe and the possibilities are endless depending on personal taste. I was even thinking maybe some leftover chicken, or a can of tuna and then it would be a meal!
Great ideas! I’m gonna have to give that a try, too!