Quick Italian Cucumber Salad: Fresh & Easy Recipe in Minutes
This Quick Italian Cucumber Salad is a vibrant and refreshing dish that combines crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic herbs, perfect for any summer gathering. Ready in just 10 minutes, it’s a delightful burst of flavors that will transport you straight to an Italian terrace.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No cooking required
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar (or cane sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 english cucumber, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 4–5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Start by preparing your ingredients. Dice the English cucumber, ripe tomatoes, and finely chop the red onion. Aim for 1/2 inch pieces for even texture. This should take about 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion. Use your hands or a spoon to gently mix the vegetables together until they are evenly distributed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dried oregano, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Whisk until the dressing is well combined and slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture. Toss gently to combine, making sure every piece of cucumber and tomato is coated with the dressing.
- Chop the fresh basil leaves and sprinkle them over the salad. Give it one more gentle toss to incorporate the basil without bruising it.
- Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Serve the Quick Italian Cucumber Salad in a beautiful bowl or on individual plates.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: For best results, use a sharp knife to chop vegetables and avoid adding too much salt initially. You can substitute red wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar if preferred.