This Greek Cucumber Salad is a fresh, crunchy 15-minute side dish made with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, feta, and a simple Greek vinaigrette. It's light, colorful, and perfect for summer cookouts, potlucks, or easy Mediterranean-inspired dinners.
I love serving this cucumber tomato feta salad with grilled chicken souvlaki, Mediterranean chicken kabobs, lamb kebabs, salmon kabobs, or warm pita and tzatziki. It has all the classic Greek salad flavors without lettuce, so it holds up better on the table and pairs with just about anything from the grill.
Quick Look
- Flavor: Crisp cucumber, juicy tomato, briny olives, tangy feta, oregano vinaigrette
- Key ingredients: English cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, feta
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking required: None
- Make-ahead tip: Prep vegetables ahead, but dress just before serving
- Best served with: Grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, salmon kabobs, pita, tzatziki, or rice bowls
Why this Recipe Works
- Fresh and crunchy - Crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta give this Greek cucumber salad tons of texture and bright Mediterranean flavor.
- No lettuce needed - Like a traditional Greek salad, this version skips the lettuce and focuses on fresh vegetables, feta, olives, oregano, and vinaigrette.
- Ready in 15 minutes - There's no cooking required, so it's an easy side dish for weeknights, cookouts, and potlucks.
- Simple homemade dressing - Olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, oregano, salt, and pepper make a quick Greek vinaigrette that ties everything together.
- Perfect with grilled meals - Serve it with chicken souvlaki, Mediterranean chicken kabobs, lamb kebabs, salmon kabobs, burgers, pita, or tzatziki.
Ingredient Notes
- Cucumber: English cucumbers are ideal because they have thin skin, fewer seeds, and a crisp texture. Persian cucumbers also work well. If using regular cucumbers, peel them and scoop out the seeds if they are watery.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe tomatoes for the best flavor. Campari, cherry, grape, Roma, or garden tomatoes all work. If making the salad ahead, cherry or grape tomatoes hold their texture best.
- Red onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds bite and color. For a milder flavor, soak the sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well.
- Kalamata olives: Kalamata olives add briny, classic Greek flavor. Use pitted olives to make the salad easier to eat.
- Feta cheese: Use a block of feta in brine if possible and crumble it yourself for the best texture. Crumbled feta works too for convenience.
- Greek vinaigrette: The dressing is made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper. The Dijon helps the dressing emulsify and adds a little tang.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley, dill, basil, or mint all work well. Add them just before serving for the freshest flavor.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the dressing: Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until well combined.
- Prep the vegetables: Slice the cucumbers, chop the tomatoes, thinly slice the red onion, and gather the olives, feta, and fresh herbs.
- Toss the salad: Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta to a large mixing bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss gently until everything is coated.
- Finish and serve: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving any excess dressing behind. Top with extra feta and fresh herbs, then serve right away.
Expert Tips
- Dress just before serving: Cucumbers and tomatoes release liquid as they sit, so this salad has the best texture when dressed shortly before serving.
- Salt and drain the cucumbers if needed: If your cucumbers are very watery, toss them with a little salt and let them drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes before assembling the salad.
- Use cherry tomatoes for make-ahead: Cherry and grape tomatoes hold their texture better than larger chopped tomatoes if you're prepping the salad ahead.
- Cut everything into bite-sized pieces: This makes the salad easier to serve and gives you a little cucumber, tomato, feta, and olive in every bite.
- Add herbs at the end: Fresh herbs taste best when added right before serving.
How to Serve Greek Salad
This Greek cucumber tomato salad is a refreshing side dish for cookouts, potlucks, and Mediterranean-inspired dinners. It pairs especially well with grilled meats, seafood, pita, rice, and tzatziki.
Try it with:
- Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs
- Greek Chicken Souvlaki
- Chicken Kofta Kebabs
- Greek Yogurt Marinated Lamb Kebabs
- Grilled Salmon Kabobs
- Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach and Feta
- Lamb Burgers with Whipped Feta
Variations
- Add bell pepper: Chopped green bell pepper is common in Greek salad and adds crunch.
- Add chickpeas: Stir in chickpeas to make the salad more filling.
- Use lemon: Swap some or all of the red wine vinegar for fresh lemon juice.
- Make it dairy-free: Leave out the feta or use a dairy-free feta-style cheese.
- Add protein: Top with grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, or lamb to make it a light meal.
- Add more herbs: Fresh dill, parsley, basil, and mint all work well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The vegetables will release a good bit of water as they sit, so it's best to dress the salad immediately before serving if you do plan to refrigerate it.
Authentic Greek salad, called Horiatiki, does not contain lettuce. It is a rustic salad that contains a mixture of cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, olives, and a block of feta cheese, dressed with a simple vinaigrette dressing.
Yes, but for the best texture, prep the vegetables and dressing separately, then toss everything together just before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The vegetables will release water as they sit, so the salad is best the day it is made.
Use English or Persian cucumbers, and salt and drain them for 15 to 20 minutes if they seem watery. Dress the salad shortly before serving.
Cherry, grape, Campari, Roma, or ripe garden tomatoes all work. Cherry and grape tomatoes hold up best if making the salad ahead.
More Salad Recipes
📖 Recipe
Greek Cucumber Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Greek Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
- 2 large English cucumbers, halved, then sliced
- 3 cups chopped tomatoes, such as Campari, Roma, cherry, or grape tomatoes
- 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for serving
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
- chopped fresh herbs, for topping (optional)
Instructions
Vinaigrette Dressing
- Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Alternatively, you can put the ingredients into a small jar with a lid and shake until combined.
Salad
- Add all of the salad ingredients to a mixing bowl and pour the vinaigrette over the top. Stir gently until the salad is well coated, then transfer to a serving bowl using a slotted spoon, leaving any excess dressing behind in the mixing bowl.
- Top the salad with additional feta and chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, and basil, then serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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