Easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad (low cal, low carb)
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Looking for an easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad? Then look no further as this recipe offers you a light and oh-so refreshing side dish.
Made with sliced cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and elevated with slivers of red onions and a tangy vinaigrette dressing, this low-carb cucumber salad is not just delicious but also healthy!
This cucumber and tomato salad recipe has become a great addition to my recent low-carb eating plan that I’ve adopted in an effort to shed a few of those stay home/lock-down pounds that crept up on me this year.
The salad is low carb and low-calorie, perfect as a side dish to grilled or roasted meals or fish, such as marinated beef or chicken kabobs, grilled salmon, or pork tenderloin.
It is just soo good and definitely fits the low carb/low cal plan. I couldn’t NOT share it with you today!
Ingredients + Notes
Want to give this yummy cucumber and tomato salad a shot? These are the ingredients to add to your shopping list. (Printable recipe card with full ingredient list and instructions found at the bottom of the post.)
- Cherry tomatoes | I love the NatureSweet Cherubs brand – they are just so naturally sweet & delicious. It would be a fun variation if you could find the yellow sunburst tomatoes and do half red/half yellow.
- Cucumber (large) | Use your favorite type of cucumber.
- Red onion | Red onions are used in this cucumber salad for the color and mild flavor
- Fresh parsley | Definitely use fresh and not dried.
- Apple cider vinegar | You could use other vinegars if desired, see my notes below on types of vinegar.
- Olive oil | If you’re not a fan of the flavor of olive oil, make sure to get light olive oil instead of extra virgin. (Light refers to a lighter, less olive-y flavor, not less calories.) Grape seed or avocado oil could work too.
- salt and pepper
How to Make the Salad
It’s so easy! (Printable recipe card with full ingredient list and instructions found at the bottom of the post.)
- Dice the onion, cut cherry tomatoes in half then peel and slice the cucumber in 1/4 inch slices.
- Add all the ingredients to a serving bowl. (Reserve a pinch of the parsley for garnish.) Stir until combined and all veggies are covered with oil and vinegar.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to combine.
- Top the cucumber and tomato salad with another sprinkle of salt pepper and parsley.
Can this Cucumber Salad be Made Ahead of Time?
Yes, the Cucumber Salad can be made ahead.
In fact, the longer the veggies sit in the dressing, the better. For optimal freshness, you will want to make it no more than 24 hours in advance and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can I Use a Different Vinegar in this Salad?
Yes, you can use other vinegar varieties.
I’ve used white vinegar, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and various combinations of vinegar.
With that said, should you wish to use balsamic vinegar it’s worth noting that this dark vinegar will stain the cucumber which affects the look of this salad upon serving. (Cucumbers will look brown.)
If the salad is just for you, the color probably doesn’t matter as much but if you are serving to guests then I would stick to apple cider vinegar or a combo of light-colored vinegars.
Should You Peel the Cucumbers?
Regular cucumbers have thicker, darker skins with a waxy coating. If using this type of cucumber then it’s preferable to peel it before adding to the salad.
Cucumbers like Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers are great alternatives due to their thinner skin and very mild flavor which means that you won’t need to peel them. Simply wash them well and cut them up!
What Tomatoes are Best?
Just about any tomato will work in a cucumber and tomato salad, (including fresh grown from your garden) but I particularly love cherry tomatoes for this recipe. The sweetness of cherry tomatoes really shines with the combination of red onion and vinegar and oil dressing. But use whatever brand/variety you like best.
- If you can find the yellow/sunburst cherry tomatoes, they make a great addition and provide even more color to this fabulous low carb salad.
- You definitely want to cut your tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. If you don’t like the seeds in tomatoes then you can remove them.
- If using cherry or grape tomatoes, I suggest cutting them in half for easier “bites” plus so they will better absorb the flavors of the dressing.
Is Cucumber and Tomato Salad Low Carb?
Yes, this salad is a low-carb salad and is also keto-friendly. While onions and tomatoes do fall higher on the net carb list for veggies, the carb count is still relatively low. Plus the ingredients are whole foods and the dressing does not include any sugars.
Additions to Make this Salad Even Better
While this cucumber and tomato salad is delicious as-is, you can add a few more ingredients to it over the top! Just a few suggestions are:
- Crumbled feta
- Mozzarella balls
- Avocado chunks
- Black beans
- Corn
- olives
Enjoy!
A Few More Low Carb Recipes You Might Like:
- Avocado Deviled Eggs
- The Best Spinach Salad
- Avocado And Bacon Chicken Salad
- Low Carb Broccoli Salad
- Low Carb Chili Recipe
Made this cucumber and tomato salad? Be sure to come back and let us know what you think and if you made any changes. If you post your recipe pictures on Instagram or Facebook. Give me a tag and use #scatteredmomrecipes!
Print
Easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes + 30 minutes in fridge
- Category: salad
Description
This Cucumber and Tomato Salad is made with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and a tangy vinaigrette dressing is low carb and perfect with any main dish.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces of cherry tomatoes
- 1 large cucumber
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1 tbsp diced fresh parsley (divided)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Peel and slice cucumber in 1/4 inch slices and cut most of those slices in half.
- Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
- In medium bowl, add all the ingredients (reserve a pinch of the parsley for garnish.) Stir until combined and all veggies are covered with oil and vinegar.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to combine.
- Just before serving, top with another sprinkle of salt pepper and parsley.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 67
- Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 9
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
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