Cucumber Caprese Salad is the recipe I make when I want something that looks like I put real thought into it but took me about ten minutes to pull together. Crisp chunks of English cucumber, juicy halved grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella pearls, torn basil, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze and good olive oil that ties the whole bowl together. It's bright, it's fresh, and it's the kind of salad that makes people ask you for the recipe before they finish their first bite.
I make this all summer long. It goes on the table alongside grilled chicken, next to a bowl of pasta, at every backyard gathering we host, and sometimes just as a snack in the afternoon when the tomatoes in the fridge look good and I don't want to cook anything. It's one of those recipes that sounds almost too simple to bother writing down, and then you make it and remember exactly why it keeps showing up on summer tables year after year.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Ingredients for Cucumber Caprese Salad
- How to Make Cucumber Caprese Salad
- My Top Tips for Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Little Moments in the Kitchen
- Substitutions for Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Variations on Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Equipment for Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Storage Tips for Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Olivia's Tip for Cucumber Caprese Salad
- FAQ About Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Conclusion
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Cucumber Caprese Salad
- It's ready in 10 minutes with zero cooking. Chop, assemble, drizzle, done. There's no dressing to whisk, no waiting, and nothing to heat up. It's the most hands-off salad I make all year.
- It uses the best summer produce at its peak. Grape tomatoes, fresh basil, and English cucumber are all at their best from June through September. This recipe is built to let those ingredients do the work.
- It fits on almost any table. It works as a starter, a side dish, a potluck contribution, or a light lunch on its own. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and endlessly flexible.
Ingredients for Cucumber Caprese Salad
Everything in this recipe is simple, fresh, and easy to find at any grocery store from late spring through early fall. The shorter the ingredient list, the more each one matters, and every single item here pulls its weight.
What You'll Need
For the salad:
- 1 large English cucumber, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls, drained and patted dry
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, torn by hand
- ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tablespoons balsamic glaze (not plain balsamic vinegar)
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Why These Ingredients Matter
- Fresh mozzarella pearls over sliced block mozzarella: Mozzarella pearls are the right size for a cucumber caprese salad because they fit on a fork alongside a chunk of cucumber and a tomato half without needing to be cut. They're packed in whey brine which keeps them soft and milky all the way through. Sliced block mozzarella works in a pinch but you'll need to cut it into chunks, and pre-shredded mozzarella is completely the wrong texture for this salad and should stay on pizza.
- Balsamic glaze over plain balsamic vinegar: This is the detail that makes the biggest difference in this recipe. Plain balsamic vinegar is thin, sharp, and acidic, and it runs straight to the bottom of the bowl. Balsamic glaze is thick, slightly sweet, and syrupy. It clings to the cucumber chunks and the mozzarella and gives you that glossy, restaurant-style finish that makes a simple bowl of fresh ingredients taste considered and well-dressed. You can buy it pre-made or reduce plain balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Tearing basil by hand instead of cutting it: Cutting basil with a knife bruises the edges and turns them black within minutes of hitting the bowl. Tearing it by hand keeps the edges clean, releases the natural oils more gently, and keeps the leaves bright green and fresh-looking all the way to the table. It takes the same amount of time and makes a noticeable difference in how the finished salad looks.
If you love easy, no-cook summer salads, our cucumber ranch crack salad is another one that disappears fast at gatherings.
How to Make Cucumber Caprese Salad
Step-by-Step Directions
- Prep and dry the mozzarella. Drain the mozzarella pearls from their brine and spread them on a paper towel. Pat them dry gently on all sides. Wet mozzarella releases liquid into the bowl and turns the dressing watery within minutes. Dry pearls hold their shape and keep the salad looking clean and fresh.
- Cut the cucumber. Slice the English cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut each half into roughly ¾-inch chunks. You want pieces large enough to hold up on a fork alongside the tomato halves and mozzarella pearls. Too thin and the cucumber turns soft quickly. Keep the skin on because English cucumber skin is thin enough to eat without any bitterness and adds color and texture.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic glaze, grated garlic, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes if using. Taste it. It should taste rich, tangy, and slightly sweet from the glaze. If it tastes too sharp, add a tiny drizzle more of glaze. If it tastes too sweet, add a small squeeze of lemon juice.
- Combine the salad. Add the cucumber chunks, halved grape tomatoes, and red onion (if using) to a large mixing bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the top and toss gently until everything looks lightly coated and glossy.
- Add the mozzarella and basil. Scatter the dried mozzarella pearls over the dressed vegetables. Tear the fresh basil leaves directly over the top. Use a wide spoon or spatula to fold everything together very gently, one or two turns only, so the mozzarella stays whole and the basil doesn't bruise.
- Finish and taste. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a generous crack of black pepper. Taste and adjust. Sometimes all it needs is one more pinch of salt to pull everything together.
- Serve immediately or rest briefly. This cucumber caprese salad tastes best within 20 to 30 minutes of being dressed. The tomatoes release a little juice as they sit which makes the dressing slightly richer, but after about an hour the cucumbers start to soften. Serve it slightly chilled, not ice cold, so the mozzarella is soft and the basil smells the way it should.
Hint: Don't skip drying the mozzarella. It's the one prep step most people skip and the one that makes the biggest visible difference in the finished bowl. Wet pearls create a milky puddle at the bottom. Dry pearls keep everything looking fresh and the dressing tasting clean all the way to the table.
My Top Tips for Cucumber Caprese Salad
Here's the thing I learned after making this dozens of times: the quality of the olive oil matters more in this recipe than in almost anything else I make. Because there's no cooking and the ingredient list is short, there's nowhere for a flat or bitter olive oil to hide. Use the best extra-virgin olive oil you have. Not your everyday cooking oil but the nicer one you keep for salads and dipping. You will taste the difference immediately.
Gold Tip: Salt the tomatoes separately before building the salad. Put the halved grape tomatoes in a small bowl, sprinkle them with a pinch of flaky salt, and let them sit for 5 minutes. That brief salting draws out their natural juices, concentrates their flavor, and means every bite has a little burst of intensely flavored tomato rather than just raw tomato. It's a small thing that makes the whole bowl taste more put-together.
Little Moments in the Kitchen
I was putting this together one afternoon in July and Olivia was hovering at my elbow the way she does when something smells good and she wants to be involved but doesn't want to admit she wants to be involved. I handed her the basil and told her to tear it up over the bowl. She held a leaf up and sniffed it first, which she does with every new ingredient, and then looked at me and said, "It smells like pizza. Why does the salad have pizza leaves in it?"
I told her basil was the same herb that goes on pizza and her entire attitude toward the salad changed immediately. She tore the basil in with genuine enthusiasm and then asked if she could add more. I said yes. She added a lot more. When we sat down to eat she poked a mozzarella pearl with her fork, ate it plain first, nodded like she was approving it, and then announced that this was "the most Italian thing we've ever made" and asked if we could have it every week. We have made it pretty much every week since.
Substitutions for Cucumber Caprese Salad
Fresh mozzarella pearls: Use sliced fresh mozzarella cut into bite-sized chunks, or fresh ciliegine halved.
Grape tomatoes: Swap for cherry tomatoes, halved heirloom tomatoes, or diced Roma tomatoes in the same quantity.
Balsamic glaze: Reduce ¼ cup plain balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until syrupy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Fresh basil: Use fresh flat-leaf parsley or a mix of parsley and mint if basil isn't available. The flavor shifts but the salad still works well.
Dairy-free: Replace fresh mozzarella with diced firm tofu patted dry, or with avocado chunks added at the very end.
Variations on Cucumber Caprese Salad
Cucumber Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze and Avocado: Add one diced ripe avocado folded in gently at the very end after the mozzarella and basil are in the bowl. The avocado adds creaminess that makes the salad more filling and turns it from a light side into something that can hold up as a standalone lunch. Use a little extra balsamic glaze on top when plating so the dark glaze contrasts against the green avocado. This version works really well alongside our chickpea feta avocado salad when you're building a bigger spread and want two fresh no-cook options on the table at once.
Cucumber Mozzarella Salad with No Tomato: Keep the cucumber, mozzarella pearls, and basil but swap the grape tomatoes for thinly sliced zucchini or roasted red peppers. The zucchini version keeps the fresh raw crunch while the roasted pepper version adds a sweet, smoky depth that pairs nicely with the balsamic glaze. This works well for anyone who loves the caprese flavor profile but wants something a little different from a standard tomato cucumber mozzarella salad.
Classic Jasmine Style: This is the version I make when I want the salad to feel like a full spread on its own. Add ½ cup of Kalamata olives, a handful of artichoke hearts quartered, and swap the balsamic glaze dressing for an Italian vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and dried Italian seasoning. Serve it alongside our citrus pomegranate kale salad for a fresh, colorful pairing that covers every texture and flavor you'd want at a summer table.
Equipment for Cucumber Caprese Salad
Large wide mixing bowl: Wide enough to fold the mozzarella and basil in without crushing them. The more room you have, the gentler the toss.
Wide spoon or silicone spatula: For folding rather than tossing. Tongs break the mozzarella pearls and bruise the basil. One or two gentle folds with a wide spoon keeps everything intact.
Small saucepan (if making homemade glaze): For reducing plain balsamic vinegar into a thick glaze over medium-low heat. Watch it after the 6-minute mark because it goes from thick to scorched quickly once it starts to reduce.
Fine microplane: For grating the garlic clove directly into the dressing so it melts into the olive oil and balsamic without any harsh pieces.
Storage Tips for Cucumber Caprese Salad
- Dressed salad: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. The tomatoes will release juice and the cucumbers will soften slightly overnight. Still tastes good but the texture is different from freshly made.
- Undressed components: Store the cucumber, tomatoes, and drained mozzarella separately from the dressing and basil for up to 2 days. Tear the basil and drizzle the dressing right before serving.
- Mozzarella: Keep unused mozzarella pearls in their brine in the fridge and use within 3 to 4 days of opening. Do not freeze because the texture turns grainy and watery after thawing.
- Do not freeze the assembled salad: Fresh tomatoes and cucumbers collapse completely after freezing. This one is always made fresh.
Olivia's Tip for Cucumber Caprese Salad
Olivia says always add extra basil because "more pizza leaves make it better, Mom, that's just how it works."
FAQ About Cucumber Caprese Salad
Can you add cucumber to a Caprese salad?
Yes, and it works really well. Classic Caprese is just tomato, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. Adding cucumber brings crunch, extra freshness, and volume that makes the salad more substantial. The mild cool flavor of the cucumber doesn't compete with the tomato or the mozzarella. It fills in the gaps between bites and makes the whole bowl more textured and satisfying. This cucumber caprese salad is one of the most popular summer variations on the classic for exactly that reason.
What are common mistakes when making Caprese salad?
The biggest one is using watery, out-of-season tomatoes. Caprese of any kind lives and dies by the quality of its produce. Out-of-season tomatoes taste flat and release so much liquid they turn the dressing into a thin soup. Use grape or cherry tomatoes even when larger ones look good at the store because they have more concentrated flavor and less water per bite. The second most common mistake is using pre-shredded mozzarella from a bag, which has nothing in common with fresh mozzarella in texture or flavor. Always use fresh.
Why soak cucumbers in salt water before making cucumber salad?
Salting cucumbers pulls out excess water before they ever touch the dressing. This keeps the dressing from getting diluted and keeps the cucumbers crunchier for longer. For this cucumber caprese salad I skip a full salt soak because we're dressing and serving it quickly, but I do pat the cucumber chunks dry after cutting and I always dry the mozzarella thoroughly. Both steps serve the same purpose: keeping the liquid in the bowl where it belongs rather than pooling at the bottom.
What to eat with cucumber Caprese salad?
This salad goes with almost any main that has Italian or Mediterranean flavors. Grilled chicken, pasta, pork tenderloin, grilled shrimp, crusty bread, and even a simple bowl of soup all work well alongside it. At our table it shows up most often next to our pioneer woman meatloaf when we want something bright and fresh to balance a hearty main, or as part of a spread of sides at a backyard cookout. If you've ever come across the search for cucumber caprese salad mommy dearest style, that's the version with olives and artichokes that I've renamed Classic Jasmine Style in the Variations section above.
Conclusion
This cucumber caprese salad is one of those recipes that earns a permanent spot in your warm weather rotation from the very first time you make it. It's fast, it's fresh, it travels well to gatherings, and it uses the best produce of the whole year at exactly the right time to enjoy it. Tomato season is too short to not have a go-to salad that puts those tomatoes front and center.
If you want more easy no-cook summer sides to build out your table, bookmark this one alongside the AllRecipes cucumber caprese salad for a slightly different take on the same combination. And keep this cucumber caprese salad in your back pocket for every cookout, potluck, and Tuesday night dinner between now and September. You're going to reach for it more than you expect.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cucumber Caprese Salad:
📖 Recipe
Easy Cucumber Caprese Salad (The 10-Minute Summer Favorite)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze, garlic, and dried oregano. Olivia loves watching the oil and glaze swirl together. Give it a tiny taste, it should be a little sweet and very rich.
- Slice your English cucumber in half lengthwise, then into ¾-inch chunks. I find this size is just right for a 'perfect bite' with a tomato. Have your helper toss the grape tomatoes and red onion into the bowl once they're cut.
- In a small jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic glaze, garlic, and dried oregano. Olivia loves watching the oil and glaze swirl together. Give it a tiny taste,, it should be a little sweet and very rich.
- Pour most of that beautiful dressing over the cucumbers and tomatoes. Give it a gentle toss so every piece is glistening. I always save a little drizzle for the very end to make it look restaurant-style!
- This is Olivia's favorite part! Take your fresh basil leaves and tear them by hand over the bowl. Never use a knife, tearing keeps them bright green and prevents bruising. Fold them in gently with the fresh mozzarella pearls using just one or two turns.
- Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and black pepper. Olivia usually does the 'final check' to see if it needs one more pinch of salt. Serve it right away while those cucumbers are at their crunchiest!
Nutrition
Notes
- Make it Ahead: You can chop the cucumbers and tomatoes up to 4 hours early, but wait to add the basil and dressing until right before serving to keep the colors vibrant.
- Jasmine's Avocado Twist: If I'm serving this as a main lunch for me and Olivia, I'll gently fold in one diced avocado at the very end. It adds a lovely creaminess!
- Storage: Leftovers stay good in an airtight container for 1 day, though the cucumbers will lose some of their snap.
- Pro Tip: If you can't find balsamic glaze, you can simmer ½ cup of balsamic vinegar in a small pan until it's reduced by half and looks like syrup!
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