Tomato Cucumber and Feta Salad

What makes this Tomato Cucumber and Feta Salad so good is how fresh everything tastes. The generous mix of fresh herbs creates a beautifully bright and aromatic dish, while a light lemony drizzle enhances the crisp garden flavors in every bite.

I make this super pretty salad almost weekly when the weather is warm—and really, whenever I can get my hands on excellent tomatoes.

This isn’t your typical tomato cucumber salad with feta. Sweet tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, creamy feta, and an abundance of fresh garden herbs are tossed together in more lemon juice than you might expect, which brings every flavor to life.

This salad is perfect for everything from a light lunch or a lovely dinner side, to feeding a crowd at a picnic or garden party.

About the Ingredients

• Sugar Plum tomatoes - Sugar Plum tomatoes (also called Grape tomatoes) are generally sweet year-round, they're small and quick to slice in half, and their vibrantly colored. Teardrop and Cherry tomatoes are a good substitute, but the most important thing is that they're delicious, so use any variety you like -- big or small -- as long as they're tasty!
• English Cucumber - I use English cucumbers (also called Hot House or European). They are skinnier, longer, have fewer seeds, and thinner skin than regular cucumbers. However, use your favorite variety of cucumber, including Mini/Persian cucumbers.
• onion - Red, white or yellow, your call. I use white in this salad because I like its subtly stronger flavor. (Red has the sweetest flavor.)
• Feta cheese block - Feta cheese, has a salty and tangy flavor. Just like when I make my baked Feta Appetizer, I like to buy it in block form in its brine because the texture will be smoother and creamer. You can substitute with crumbled Feta if you'd like, though sometimes the smaller pieces blend with the liquid from the other ingredients when mixed, and become almost part of the dressing.
• fresh oregano - Oregano has a pungent earthy flavor that's excellent with the Feta. Choose perky, dark green bunches without yellow spots. You can substitute the fresh oregano with dried oregano, using about ⅓ the amount.
• fresh dill - Dill has a super fresh flavor with notes of anise and parsley. Again, choose perky dark green bunches without yellow spots. You can substitute the fresh dill with dried dill, using about ⅓ the amount.
• lemon - Lemon juice is drizzled over the salad just before serving. Use Meyer lemons if you can! They have thinner skin, usually no seeds, and are a bit sweeter and juicier than regular lemons.
• extra virgin olive oil - Use one you love! This is especially important in salads since the flavor is stronger when it's not being cooked. I like using Piro.

How to Make Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad

- Wash, dry and partially peel the cucumbers into strips. Cut it half horizontally, and then vertically into quarters, and then bite-sized pieces. Add them to a large serving bowl.

- Wash, dry and slice the tomatoes in half vertically. Slice the onion as thinly as you can. Then wash, dry and finely chop the fresh herbs Add each ingredient to the cucumbers as you go.

Recipe Tip: I prefer semi-peeled cucumbers in a my salads, but peeling the cucumber is a personal choice. The English cucumbers, as well the mini, generally have much thinner skin than regular cucumbers (which I would peel entirely). I also think the striped peel looks pretty.

- Very lightly rinse the Feta block if you'd like a less salty flavor. Cut the block into a small to medium dice and add it to the salad.

- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, mix and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Variations

• Make it a Greek salad. Add Kalamata olives, green bell pepper, red onion (in lieu white or yellow), and omit the lemon and dill.
• Mix up the herbs. You can experiment with all sorts of fresh herbs in this recipe. Basil and/or Italian parsley would both be great.
• Feta cheese alternatives. Pan-fried Halloumi, firm Mozarella, or Cotija would work really well in this salad, if you want to try something different.
• Add protein. Make it a heartier meal with the addition of grilled or sautéed shrimp, chicken cut into cubes or garbanzo beans (chickpeas).

Making it Ahead

• Up to a day ahead: Prep tomatoes, cucumbers and onion and refrigerate in a tightly sealed container.
• Up to a few hours ahead: Add herbs Feta. Keep refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. (Or even better, in the serving bowl, sealed with plastic wrap.)
• Just before serving. Gently toss with the lemon, oil, salt and pepper.

Serving Suggestions

I love having a whole meal of different salads when I'm serving a crowd. The list below includes a group of salads that are fun and delicious on a buffet together -- especially in the summer.

• Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
• Caprese Salad with Peaches
• Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
• Mango Salad with Manchego Cheese

Tomato Cucumber Salad is a great side to almost anything -- fish, chicken or meat. It's fabulous with the delicious dishes below.

I hope you love this as much as my family and I do!