creamy tomato cucumber salad in a white bowl with some scooped out.

This is truly a generational recipe for me that always brings back fond memories of summertime! My grandmother had quite the green thumb and always had plenty of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers growing in her garden. Of all the ways I enjoy eating those two fresh veggies, I think tossed with dill weed and sour cream might just be the very best!

There’s a whole lot to love about this 4 ingredient salad. It’s inexpensive, incredibly easy to make, and always delivers the most delicious results. To really showcase the natural flavors of the cucumber and tomato, I season this salad with just a little bit of salt and freshly cracked pepper. You can always adjust those seasonings and add a little something extra if you’d like.

It’s perfect to take with you to picnics, BBQ’s, and potlucks! It also works well as a side dish with dinner when served alongside an entree like my favorite Spatchcock Chicken (and there are SO many more recipes it pairs well with).

labeled ingredients for cucumber tomato salad on cutting board.

Ingredient Tips Before Shopping

Cucumbers – I like to leave the skins on my cucumbers since that’s where most of the nutrients are. English cucumbers have a very thin skin, those are great to use in cucumber salads if you want to leave the skin on.

Tomatoes – my two go-to types of tomatoes in a fresh summer salad are heirloom tomatoes and tomatoes on a vine. Both aromatic and have great flavor. If the previous two options are not available, go with cherry or Roma tomatoes.

Variations and Additional Flavors

So this is a pretty simple, basic summer side dish but you can definitely dress it up a bit. Try adding some:

Feta cheese
Fresh mozzarella cheese balls
Avocado
Bell peppers
Onion or scallions
You can even mix in some protein like grilled chicken or salmon.

collage of two images of tomato salad ingredients in a mixing bowl and mixing them.

How to Make Cucumber Tomato Salad

Wash the veggies.
Slice the veggies and mince dill weed.
Add sour cream, salt, and pepper and gently fold the vegetables.

cucumber tomato salad in a white bowl with a wooden spoon with tomatoes and cucumber.

Make Ahead Recommendation

Unfortunately, this salad is not a good dish to make ahead of time for too long. Tomatoes and cucumbers both have high water content and will get soggy and mushy fast. You can make it a couple of hours ahead, but I don’t recommend cutting and mixing a day before.

Once you cut it and introduce salt and dressing, both tomatoes and cucumbers will give out liquids and soften.

tomato cucumber salad mixed in a white bowl next to tomatoes on a vine.

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