I planted my tomatoes and refreshed my herb garden a few weeks ago and it gave me LIFE! You should see my balcony - my poppies and zinnias are blooming like crazy. I've also got beefsteak tomatoes, sage, thyme, basil, rosemary, and jalapeños. Just a regular urban gardener over here. This is a great time to plant your tomatoes for a perfect Summer bounty, so if you're toying with the idea, get on it!
Spring produce is overflowing at the grocery store and farmer's market and one of my favorite early Summer treats are mini heirloom tomatoes. They are so flavorful right now, bursting with juicy goodness, and their sweetness balances so well with the coolness of the cucumber, and acidity in the dressing in this easy tomato and cucumber salad.
The dressing is a simple lemon juice and olive oil. I love using lemon juice in place of vinegar, but if you want to switch things up, champagne vinegar or red wine vinegar would be a nice touch!
The secret ingredient in this easy side salad is the celery seed. I know, sounds crazy because there is only ¼ teaspoon in the recipe, but it adds the most wonderful flavor. Just trust me. Don't skip it. I mean, you can if you want to, but it truly makes this simple dish really delicious.
This salad pairs really well with all of your favorite Spring and Summer meals. I really love pairing grilled meat or a burger with this light and bright tomato and cucumber salad, but you could also use it as a bed for a beautiful piece of fish.
PrintEasy Cucumber and Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-7 Servings 1x
Description
An easy and fresh side salad using ripe mini heirloom tomatoes and crisp cucumbers in a bright citrus dressing. The perfect Spring or Summer side dish.
Ingredients
- 3 cups baby heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 ½ - 3 cups English cucumber, cut in quarters lengthwise, and then chopped
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 small shallot, minced, about 2-3 Tbsp
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ tsp celery seed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and shallot in a medium bowl
- Prepare dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, celery seed, and salt and pepper
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Category: Salads, Sides, Vegetarian
Keywords: Tomato Cucumber Salad, Side Salad, Heirloom Tomatoes, Spring Recipe
D says
that salad sounds amazing! definitely a recipe i will try 🙂
Amanda (athousandcrumbs) says
Hi D! Thanks for stopping by and saying hi! It's so tasty and goes great with any Summer meal. I am on a special diet right now and have been off vinegar for 8 weeks, so I had to come up with creative salad dressings, and it is amazing how simple and tasty the dressing is! Can't wait to hear after you make it!