The “Perfect Summer Sidekick”: The Easiest, Creamiest Cucumber Tomato Salad!

What are the two vegetables that just absolutely scream ‘summer’ to you? For so many of us, it has to be the cool, crisp crunch of a fresh garden cucumber and the sweet, juicy burst of a perfectly ripe tomato. They are the true, undisputed superstars of any summer garden or farmers’ market.

While they are both incredibly delicious on their own, something truly magical happens when you bring them together in one incredible, classic salad. Imagine those crisp cucumbers and sweet tomatoes, all bathed in a luscious, creamy, and wonderfully herby dressing. It is a combination that is both wonderfully refreshing and deeply satisfying at the same time.

Today, we are making The Best Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad. This simple recipe is the perfect way to celebrate the best of summer produce in one delicious bowl. Get ready to discover your new favorite side dish for every cookout, picnic, and family dinner.

The Ultimate Refreshing Combination: Cucumber and Tomato Salad

This Cucumber and Tomato Salad is a true celebration of fresh, vibrant, summer flavors. The classic combination of cool, crisp cucumbers and sweet, juicy tomatoes is a match made in culinary heaven. When tossed in a simple, creamy dressing with fresh herbs, it becomes an incredibly refreshing and flavour-packed side dish.

A Perfect Easy Summer Salad Recipe for Simple Side Dishes for a BBQ

You will find that this is the perfect easy summer salad recipe. It requires very few ingredients and a minimal amount of effort, making it ideal for a relaxed backyard gathering. It is also one of the best simple side dishes for a BBQ, as its cool and creamy nature provides the ideal contrast to rich, smoky, and savory grilled meats.

Your Guide: How Do You Keep Cucumber and Tomato Salad From Getting Watery?

For anyone wondering how to keep cucumber and tomato salad from getting watery, the most important, non-negotiable secret is to salt both your sliced cucumbers and your tomatoes and let them drain before you make the salad. This simple but crucial step uses osmosis to draw out a significant amount of the excess water that both vegetables naturally hold. After they have rested and been patted dry, your vegetables will stay wonderfully crisp, and your dressing will remain perfectly creamy and rich, not thin and watery.

Why You’ll Love This Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad

You are going to love this recipe because it is incredibly cool, creamy, and refreshing, making it the perfect side dish for a hot summer day. You’ll also adore that it’s an unbelievably easy recipe to make, using just a handful of simple and affordable ingredients. Plus, it’s a timeless, nostalgic crowd-pleaser that will remind you of the classic salads you grew up with.

Nutritional Benefits

This delicious and refreshing salad is a wonderfully light side dish that you can feel great about eating. The cucumbers are over 95% water, which makes them incredibly hydrating and very low in calories, while the tomatoes are packed with the powerful antioxidant lycopene and Vitamin C. Using a sour cream or a Greek yogurt base for the dressing also provides a good dose of calcium and beneficial probiotics for gut health.

Full Recipe

Are you ready to create the most refreshing, creamy, and delicious cucumber salad you’ve ever had? This detailed guide will walk you through every simple step, from the secret technique for keeping it crisp to mixing the perfect tangy dressing. Get ready to master a new summer staple that will have everyone at your table asking for the recipe.

A classic, old-fashioned recipe for the ultimate Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad. This timeless side dish features crisp cucumbers and juicy tomatoes in a rich, tangy, and refreshing sour cream and dill dressing. This is the perfect easy and delicious side dish for any summer barbecue, potluck, or family gathering.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Chilling Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes | Yield: 8 servings | Category: Side Dish, Salad | Method: No-Cook, Marinating | Cuisine: American | Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, Low-Carb

Essential Ingredients for Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad

This classic and refreshing salad comes together with a handful of simple, fresh ingredients.

• Cucumbers: 2 large English or seedless cucumbers
• Tomatoes: 1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• Onion: 1 medium sweet onion, very thinly sliced
• For the Creamy Dressing:
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• Salt: 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, divided
• Seasoning: ½ teaspoon black pepper

Ingredients Notes

A little more detail on our key ingredients will ensure your cucumber tomato salad is a spectacular success.

• The Cucumbers: For the best result with the least amount of prep, it is best to use a thin-skinned, seedless variety like English or Persian cucumbers. Slicing the cucumbers as thinly as you possibly can is the key to a delicate and classic texture.
• The Tomatoes: Sweet, bite-sized cherry or grape tomatoes are the perfect choice for this salad. They have a firm texture that holds up well in the creamy dressing. It is important to salt them along with the cucumbers to draw out their excess juice.
• The Dressing: Our simple, classic dressing is a perfect balance of creamy, tangy, and sweet that is wonderfully nostalgic. It is very important to use a full-fat sour cream for the richest and creamiest possible result. The fresh dill adds a wonderful, herbaceous, and slightly anise-like flavour that is the signature taste of a traditional cucumber salad.
• The Salt: The salt in this recipe serves two very important purposes. It is first used to draw all the excess moisture out of both the cucumbers and the tomatoes, which is the absolute key to a creamy, not watery, salad. It is also used at the end to perfectly season the final dish and bring all the flavors together.

How to Make The Best Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad

Let’s walk through the simple steps to create this crisp, creamy, and refreshing classic.

• Step 1: The Crucial Salting Step. First, thinly slice your cucumbers and your onion, and halve your cherry tomatoes. Place them all together in a colander that has been set over a large bowl. Sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of the salt and toss gently to combine. Let the vegetables sit for at least 20 to 30 minutes to allow the salt to draw out their excess water.
• Step 2: Prepare the Creamy Dressing. While the vegetables are draining, you can prepare your delicious and simple dressing. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, the white vinegar, the granulated sugar, the chopped fresh dill, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the black pepper.
• Step 3: Dry the Vegetables. After the vegetables have rested, you will see a significant amount of liquid has collected in the bowl beneath the colander. Discard this liquid, and then use paper towels to gently but thoroughly pat the sliced vegetables as dry as you possibly can.
• Step 4: Combine and Chill. Add the very dry vegetables to the large bowl with the prepared creamy dressing. Gently fold everything together until the cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions are evenly coated in the dressing.
• Step 5: Let the Flavors Meld. Cover the bowl and place the cucumber salad in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour before you plan to serve it. This allows the salad to get wonderfully cold and gives all the flavours a chance to meld together beautifully.
• Step 6: Serve and Enjoy. Give the chilled salad a quick stir before serving. Serve it cold as the perfect refreshing side dish for your summer meal.

Storage Options

This creamy cucumber tomato salad is a fantastic make-ahead side dish for any party or potluck. You can store the prepared salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Please note that the vegetables will continue to soften slightly as they sit in the dressing, but the flavor will remain absolutely delicious.

Variations and Substitutions

This classic recipe is a wonderful template that you can easily adapt to your own tastes. For a lighter and tangier version with an extra boost of protein, you can substitute the sour cream with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt. You can also add other fresh vegetables to the salad, such as some thinly sliced radishes for a peppery bite. For a different herbaceous flavour, feel free to substitute the fresh dill with other fresh herbs like chives or parsley.

Practical & Valuable Tips

For the most classic and delicate texture, using a mandoline slicer is the absolute best way to get your cucumbers and onions perfectly paper-thin. The step of salting and drying the cucumbers and tomatoes is the most important secret to this recipe; it is non-negotiable if you want a truly creamy, not watery, salad. Finally, this salad is at its absolute best when it has had at least an hour to chill in the refrigerator, which makes the final result wonderfully cold and refreshing.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I have to use English cucumbers for this recipe? While English or Persian cucumbers are the easiest to use because of their thin skin and minimal seeds, you can absolutely use standard garden cucumbers. You will just want to peel the thick, waxy skin off first and then slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scoop out the watery seeds before you slice it.
2. My cucumber salad turned out very watery. What did I do wrong? A watery salad is almost always because the crucial first step of salting and draining both the cucumbers and the tomatoes was skipped. These vegetables release a huge amount of water, and if you do not draw this out first, it will thin out your beautiful creamy dressing as the salad sits.
3. Can I make this salad a day ahead of time? Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead salad! You can fully prepare the salad and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before your party or potluck. The flavours will actually become even more delicious as they have time to meld together.
4. Can I use a different kind of onion? Yes, you can. While a sweet onion provides a milder flavour, a thinly sliced red onion would also be fantastic in this salad, adding a sharper bite and a beautiful pop of color.
5. What are the best main dishes to serve with this creamy cucumber tomato salad? This cool and refreshing salad is the perfect side dish to balance a rich or heavy main course. It is fantastic served alongside grilled meats like steak or barbecue chicken. It is also a classic accompaniment for rich dishes like schnitzel or savory meatloaf.

Conclusion

This Creamy Cucumber Tomato Salad is a true taste of summer and a celebration of simple, classic flavors. It’s a dish that proves you don’t need a lot of complicated ingredients or steps to create a side dish that is incredibly delicious and memorable. It is a foolproof, refreshing, and crowd-pleasing recipe that is destined to become a new staple at all your summer gatherings. This is A Summer Favorite Dish you will make for years. If you love this easy and delicious recipe, don’t forget to share it and save it to your favorite summer salads board on Pinterest!