Spanish Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad Recipe
A simple salad of tomatoes, cucumber and red onion is Spain’s answer to Greek horiatiki – lots of vegetables, good olive oil and a splash of vinegar. In Spain, bowls of vegetables like this often sit on the table next to grilled dishes or roast chicken. It’s a great way to add something fresh and crunchy to dinner in just a few minutes.
This salad showcases the essence of Spanish home cooking: simple, everyday ingredients turned into something vibrant with just good olive oil, vinegar and a pinch of herbs. It’s quick to make, works with almost any main dish and brings a fresh, Mediterranean touch to the table without any complicated steps.
Chef's tips
Use the best-tasting tomatoes you can find – the salad really depends on their flavor. If your tomatoes are a bit bland, let the salad sit a little longer with the dressing and don’t be afraid to add a touch more vinegar and salt. For a milder onion flavor, you can also briefly rinse the sliced onion under cold water instead of soaking it.
How to serve
Serve in a wide, shallow bowl so the vegetables are lightly coated in the juices and dressing. It’s ideal next to grilled chicken, pork chops, fish or simple tortilla española. For a light summer meal, pair it with crusty bread, a piece of cheese and some olives.
Ingredients
- tomatoes ripe, medium-sized - 3 piece
- cucumber long, greenhouse - 1 piece
- red onion - 0.5 piece
- olive oil preferably extra virgin - 3 tablespoon
- white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- dried oregano optional - 0.5 teaspoon
- parsley chopped leaves, optional - 1 tablespoon
Preparation
- Wash the tomatoes and cut them into larger cubes or wedges. Wash the cucumber, peel it if needed and slice into half-moons.
- Peel the red onion and slice it into thin slivers. If you don’t like a very sharp onion flavor, cover it with cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- In a large bowl, mix the olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt, pepper and oregano. Stir with a spoon until you have a simple dressing.
- Add the tomatoes, cucumber and onion to the bowl. Gently toss so the vegetables are coated in the dressing but don’t fall apart.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and gently toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or vinegar if needed.
- Serve right away or after 10–15 minutes, when the vegetables have released a little juice and the flavors have come together.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This type of Spanish salad is wonderfully forgiving – you can adjust the amount of each vegetable to what you have on hand. It’s one of those recipes that proves how little you need to make something really satisfying, as long as the ingredients are fresh and the seasoning is balanced.
