Mediterranean Pickled Cherry Tomato, Red Onion & Cucumber Salad
This Mediterranean Pickled Cherry Tomato, Red Onion & Cucumber Salad is fresh, colorful, tangy, and incredibly easy to prepare. Juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and thinly sliced red onion soak up a bright dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon, garlic, oregano, parsley, and dill. A short resting time transforms simple vegetables into a flavorful Mediterranean-inspired side dish that's perfect for weeknight dinners, summer gatherings, meal prep, and entertaining. Add feta or olives when you want to make it even more substantial.
Ingredients
- 400 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 English cucumber about 300 g, sliced
- 1 small red onion about 100 g, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 large garlic cloves finely minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Wash and thoroughly dry the cherry tomatoes and cucumber. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the cucumber into thin half-moons or bite-sized pieces, and thinly slice the red onion. Place all three vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
- Finely chop the fresh parsley and dill, then add both herbs to the bowl with the vegetables.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Add the optional honey or maple syrup if you want to slightly soften the acidity.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and herbs. Gently toss with salad tongs or a large spoon until the tomatoes, cucumber, and onion are evenly coated without crushing the tomatoes.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 20–30 minutes to allow the vegetables to absorb the tangy dressing and the red onion to soften slightly.
- Remove the salad from the refrigerator and gently toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a little extra lemon juice, olive oil, salt, or sweetener if needed.
- Add a little extra fresh parsley or dill just before serving, if desired, and spoon some of the flavorful marinade from the bottom of the bowl over the vegetables.
- Serve chilled or slightly cool as a side dish with grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, lamb, hummus, flatbread, roasted vegetables, or your favorite Mediterranean-inspired meal.