High Protein Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Cottage Cheese
If you’re looking for a light, refreshing dish with an added protein boost, this refreshing high protein Tomato and Cucumber Salad with cottage cheese is perfect. This simple yet flavorful salad works wonderfully as a side dish or a light lunch. When the garden is full of tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, this salad is easy to throw together with its simple dressing and can be a high-protein salad when served on top of cottage cheese.
I love any salad with vine ripe tomatoes. Whether it is Caprese salad or my BLT salad, or even the antipasto salad, I am a sucker for a good salad with a homemade dressing. If the tomatoes aren’t in a salad, slice them over cottage cheese, which is the best second option. That is why the cucumber and tomato salad over cottage cheese is the best of both worlds.
Ingredients for Cucumber and Tomato Salad
The garden bounty and simple dressing ingredients are all you need to make this cucumber tomato salad in a large bowl.
- Ripe tomatoes — Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, aroma tomatoes, or any larger variety of tomatoes can work in this tomato and cucumber salad.
- Cucumber — Any cucumber will work. This recipe used an English cucumber, but any variety can work. You can keep the peels on or peel the skin off.
- Red onions — While red onion is my go-to onion for salads, white onions, sweet onions, or green onions can also work for this salad.
- Fresh Herbs – Fresh parsley, fresh basil, and even fresh mint are all great in this salad. Oregano and thyme would also be a fabulous addition.
- olive oil
- white wine vinegar – The white wine vinegar offers a more delicate flavor (or lemon juice)
- Salt and pepper – Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper are perfectly fine to use in this recipe.
- cottage cheese – choose low-fat or full-fat based on preference.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for How to Make High-Protein Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion Salad with Cottage Cheese
Pull the garden bounty together to make this cucumber and tomato salad for a quick side salad. Serve the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion salad over cottage cheese for a high protein lunch salad.
- Step 1: Prepare the vegetables – Start by preparing the vegetables. Dice the tomatoes and cucumber into bite-sized pieces and thinly slice the red onion. Once the vegetables are prepped, combine the diced tomatoes, cucumber, and sliced red onion in a large salad bowl.
- Step 2: Make the dressing – Next, mix the white wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup. Sprinkle the chopped parsley, basil, and mint (if using) into the dressing. Mix to dissolve the sugar and salt. If you like, you can also add dried oregano and minced garlic for extra flavor.
- Step 3: Dress the vegetables — Pour the dressing over the tomato, cucumber, and onion salad. Stir to combine and let it set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
- Step 4: Serve over cottage cheese —Spoon the cottage cheese into the bottom of a shallow bowl, and then scoop the cucumber salad over the top of it.
If you aren’t serving this on cottage cheese, stirring in feta and sprinkling toasted walnuts, almonds, or even pistachios would enhance the flavors, too. This tomato-cucumber salad is good as a side salad or snack all summer long.
This high-protein Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad with cottage cheese is incredibly versatile and can be tailored to your preferences. Whether you stick to the classic recipe or experiment with the variations, it’s sure to be a hit at your next meal. Enjoy this delightful and healthy salad all summer long!
Hint: For best results, let the salad sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Substitutions for Flexibility
If you are dying to make this recipe but don’t have some of the ingredients, here are substitutions you can make to quickly make this salad.
- Vinegar: Swap white wine vinegar with red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar for a different tang.
- Herbs: Use cilantro or dill instead of parsley and mint for a different herbal note.
- Onion: If red onions are too strong for your taste, use shallots or sweet onions as a milder alternative.
- Cottage Cheese: If you want to add cheese or protein but just not cottage cheese, feta cheese is amazing in this salad as would goat cheese be.
Variations to Try
If you are loving this refreshing cucumber and tomato salad but want to change up the flavors, here are variations you can make to this salad.
- Greek Twist: Add crumbled feta cheese and Kalamata olives for a Greek-inspired version.
- Italian Flair: Toss in some fresh basil leaves and mozzarella balls for an Italian Caprese-style salad.
- Protein Boost: Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or chickpeas in addition to the cottage cheese to make it a more substantial meal.
See this tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad we also love to eat all summer long.
Equipment
Get everything you need to make this salad in a hurry. Check out our salad essentials.
Storage Recommendations
Refrigerator: Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 2 days. Note that the vegetables may release some water, so give it a quick toss before serving.
Make-Ahead: To keep the salad fresh longer, store the dressing and cottage cheese separately and mix them with the vegetables just before serving.
Tips for the Perfect Salad:
- Tomatoes: Use ripe, juicy tomatoes for the best flavor. Heirloom tomatoes can add a variety of colors and tastes to the salad.
- Cucumber: Opt for seedless cucumbers like English or Persian cucumbers to avoid excess water and seeds.
- Onion: Red onions add a nice color and mild flavor. If you find them too strong, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad.
- Cottage Cheese: Choose small curd cottage cheese for a smoother texture.
FAQ
Eating a cucumber, tomato, and onion salad offers numerous health benefits. Cucumbers hydrate and are low in calories. Tomatoes provide vitamins A, C, K, potassium, and folate, while onions supply vitamins C and B6, folate, and potassium. Antioxidants like lycopene in tomatoes and quercetin in onions reduce inflammation and chronic disease risk. High fiber promotes healthy digestion and stabilizes blood sugar levels. The salad’s water and potassium content aid hydration and muscle function, while its vitamins and antioxidants benefit skin health. Low-calorie yet nutrient-dense, this salad is perfect for weight management and overall well-being.
Related Garden Recipes
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Pairing with Grilled Meat
Whether grilled chicken, pork, or beef, this cucumber tomato salad pairs well with almost everything off the grill.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber English Cucumber or 3/4 cup of smaller cucumbers
- 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ red onion
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 2 cups cottage cheese
Instructions
- Start by preparing the vegetables. Dice the tomatoes and cucumber into bite-sized pieces and thinly slice the red onion. Once the vegetables are prepped, combine the diced tomatoes, cucumber, and sliced red onion in a large salad bowl.
- In a liquid measuring cup, combine the vinegar, oil, sugar, salt, pepper, and herbs. Whisk together until sugar and salt dissolve.
- Pour the herb vinagrette over the vegetables.
- Stir the salad to dress the vegetables. For best results, let the salad sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Serve the salad as is or over a bed of cottage cheese for a high protein option.
Nutrition
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