Name: Cherry Tomato Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved); ½ English cucumber (halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces); 1 spring onion (thinly sliced); ½ cup olives; ¾ cup Greek feta cheese (cubed or crumbled); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar; ½ teaspoon dried oregano; ¼ cup fresh basil leaves (chopped ); sea salt; toasted country bread

This Greek cherry tomato salad with feta, olives, and cucumber is one of those recipes that never leaves our table all summer long. Growing up in Greece, a bowl of tomatoes dressed in good olive oil and a splash of wine vinegar wasn’t a recipe, it was just lunch. This version adds the full spread: creamy feta, crunchy cucumber, earthy olives, fragrant spring onion, and fresh basil that make the whole thing sing.

What makes this cherry tomato salad with cucumber different from every other summer salad recipe out there? It’s the Greek method: letting the salad rest for 15–30 minutes after dressing it. The tomatoes release their juice, the salt pulls sweetness from the cucumber, the feta softens into the olive oil, and the whole bowl becomes this gorgeous, bread-worthy pool of flavor. Don’t skip that step.

If you’re a fan of our Cherry Tomato Salad, you’re in for a treat with our Traditional Horiatiki Tomato Salad, Roasted Corn Tomato Salad, and Tabbouleh-Tabouli Salad!

Overview

Why you will love a Greek cherry tomato salad

The juices are the point – After 15 minutes of resting, the tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, and feta create a pool at the bottom of the bowl so good you’ll need bread to soak it up. That’s not a side effect — it’s the whole idea.
Real Greek feta changes everything – Block feta in brine is creamy, salty, and rich in a way the pre-crumbled bags simply aren’t. Once you try it this way, there’s no going back.
Fresh basil, not an afterthought – Most cherry tomato salads treat herbs as a garnish. Here, a full quarter cup of torn basil makes the whole bowl taste like a Greek summer. It is non-negotiable.

The secret to a great Greek salad is always the dressing. My classic ladoxido — olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and sea salt — comes together in a jar in minutes and keeps all week in the fridge.

Here is what you need

Cherry tomatoes, olives, cucumber, spring onion, basil, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, feta cheese, and olive oil on a wooden surface

Cherry tomatoes – Sw10eet and full of flavor. I love Sweet Bombs and Summer Medley varieties. Grape tomatoes also work beautifully.
English cucumber – Fresh, aromatic, and the perfect crunch. Dice it into ½-inch pieces so it holds its own against the tomatoes.
Greek feta cheese – Briny, creamy, irreplaceable. Always buy a block in brine — never crumbles in a bag. Dodoni and MtVikos are excellent brands
Olives – Use whichever olives you love: Kalamata, Castelvetrano, or a Greek mix. Their earthy, salty depth is essential.
Spring onion – More aromatic than regular onion, with beautiful color. A minced shallot or small-diced red onion also works.
Fresh basil – Basil and tomatoes are a love story. Tear the leaves rather than chopping to avoid bruising them. It is summer on a plate.
Extra virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, sea salt, and dried oregano – the classic Greek ladoxido dressing. Use the best olive oil you can find — you’ll taste it.

Looking for fresh summer dinner ideas? Check out our 17 Mediterranean Summer Recipes — light, flavorful dishes that don’t require a grill, perfect for easy weeknight meals all season long.

A cherry tomato salad with a piece of bread on a yellow plate.

Greek Kitchen tips

Let it rest. The 15–30 minute marinating step is non-negotiable. The tomatoes release their juice into the olive oil and vinegar, creating a dressing so good you’ll want to mop it up with bread.
Salt the tomatoes first. Toss the halved tomatoes with a pinch of sea salt before adding the other ingredients. This draws out their natural sweetness.
Use room-temperature tomatoes. Cold tomatoes from the fridge lose most of their flavor. Always bring them to room temperature first.
Don’t seed the cucumber. The small seeds in an English cucumber are tender enough to leave in — but if using a regular cucumber with large watery seeds, scoop those out.
Add feta last. Toss everything else first, then crumble or cube the feta on top so it stays in distinct, creamy pieces rather than dissolving into the dressing.
Taste before serving. The olives and feta bring saltiness — you may need less added salt than you think.

Substitutions & Variations

Tomatoes. Use Campari, grape tomatoes, or large heirloom tomatoes chopped into chunks. Any ripe, sweet tomato works.
Olives. Toss the halved tomatoes with a pinch of sea salt before adding the other ingredients. This draws out their natural sweetness.
Feta. Swap for fresh mozzarella balls, burrata, or goat cheese for a milder, creamier result. All delicious.
Fresh herbs. No basil? Fresh oregano leaves or chopped dill are both beautiful here. Mint works too for a refreshing twist.
Vinegar. Red wine vinegar is classic, but white balsamic vinegar adds a gentle sweetness that pairs beautifully with cherry tomatoes.
Onion. Spring onion, minced shallot, or small-diced red onion all work. For a milder flavor, soak red onion in cold water for 10 minutes first.

Want to make it a cherry tomato caprese salad? Skip the olives and spring onion, use fresh mozzarella instead of feta, and add a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Still comes together in ten minutes.

How to serve this salad

Piled onto thick slices of toasted country bread with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil — the juice soaks in and it becomes something extraordinary.
Alongside Greek lamb chops (paidakia) or lamb meatballs for a proper Greek feast.
Next to crispy fried calamari or grilled whole fish, the brightness cuts through beautifully.
With Greek chicken chops or buttermilk chicken thighs for a weeknight dinner.
As part of a meze spread with tzatziki dip, hummus, and warm G1reek pita for a no-cook summer entertaining spread.
On its own as a light lunch — just add a bigger block of feta and some extra bread.

FAQs about pork pot roast

Cherry tomato salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. The tomatoes will continue to release juice overnight, which actually makes the dressing even more flavorful. Always bring it back to room temperature before serving — cold olive oil loses its silkiness and cold feta loses its creaminess.

Yes, and this is a step many recipes skip that makes a real difference. Salting the halved tomatoes 5–10 minutes before assembling the salad draws out their natural juices and concentrates their flavor. That liquid then becomes part of the dressing, combined with the olive oil and vinegar, it creates an incredible pool of flavor at the bottom of the bowl. Dip your bread in it.

Absolutely and it’s actually better after resting. You can prep and dress the salad up to 4 hours ahead and let it sit at room temperature (or refrigerate if longer). For the best texture, add the fresh basil and feta in the last 30 minutes before serving so they stay fresh and vibrant.

This Greek cherry tomato salad pairs beautifully with almost anything from the grill — lamb chops, chicken, pork skewers, or whole fish. It’s also wonderful alongside crispy fried calamari, as part of a mezze spread with hummus and tzatziki, or simply served on toasted bread as a light lunch. In Greece, we’d put this on the table with everything.

Always use Greek feta packed in brine. Never pre-crumbled feta in bags, which is dry and flavorless by comparison. Look for PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) Greek feta. Dodoni and Mt. Vikos are both excellent brands widely available in the US. The creamier and brinier, the better.

Yes! Grape tomatoes are a great substitute, similar size and sweetness. For a heartier version, use Campari tomatoes or large heirloom tomatoes cut into chunks. The key is using the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find. In summer, always choose tomatoes that smell like tomatoes at the stem — that aroma tells you everything about the flavor inside.