In Ukraine, there are as many variations of lettuce salad as there are cooks. I grew up eating this salad in summer and it was always different depending on what was in my grandma’s garden and fridge. This is my version of traditional Eastern European garden salad, and believe it or not, it contains no garlic, rather one secret ingredient that makes this salad SO MUCH better than any other garden salads.
I based my chickpea avocado salad on this lettuce tomato cucumber salad, and this shrimp avocado tomato salad. Possibilities are endless and depend on your personal taste, fridge contents and mood. Yes, sometimes I feel like a splash of vinegar and other days a dollop of Greek yogurt. No matter what you do, it is very hard to mess up this salad unless you add way too much salt.
This lettuce tomato cucumber salad is so good, simple and darn cheap, it is on our summer’s menu every week. For more crowd pleasing salads, check out my healthy potluck recipes roundup.
How to Make Lettuce Salad with Tomato and Cucumber
First, wash all vegetables, chop and add to a large salad bowl as you are chopping. Work through ingredients in order listed in the recipe. No extra step to make salad dressing separately is required.
Use garden’s bounty or winter store’s availability. This is a beauty of this lettuce salad, its year round affordability and availability, especially thanks to Costco, of course (see my healthy Costco shopping list). Summer version will taste much better, of course.
Cucumbers: Any type of cucumbers (pickle, dill, garden, long English, Persian), peeled or not, work. I definitely would peel garden cucumbers that can have bitter and tough skin. I wouldn’t buy field cucumbers because they are lifeless and flavourless. I definitely would wash long English cucumber after removing the plastic wrapping (I knew someone who didn’t).
Tomatoes: Any type of full-grown, grape or cherry tomatoes work. I love local beefsteak and Roma (not from Mexico) for a good garden salad. I love heirloom too but sometimes price isn’t justifiable, and tomatoes on the vine taste as good (especially in winter when all there is in stores plastic-y tomatoes from Mexico).
Lettuce: Boston, red leaf, romaine, butter, green leaf are great. Salad spinner is a must if you want to enjoy local veggies.
Herbs: I specifically love dill in a simple lettuce salad. Italian parsley would work too but not the same as dill, try both ways and you will know what I mean. To remove thick stalks, the trick is to hold onto them, then “shave” off the top part with a knife, and then chop finely.
Onion: It’s optional. As a kid, I hated it (that’s why I cut it in large slices, so kids can remove), now I like to add a bit for a zing.
Spices: Olive oil, salt, pepper and a secret ingredient is toasted sesame oil. It gotta be toasted, you can find it in any grocery store or online. It is a staple in Asian cooking, and without it, sesame cauliflower and homemade Asian salad dressing wouldn’t be the same – the toasted kind makes all the difference.
What toasted sesame oil does for this lettuce tomato cucumber salad? It adds a flavour similar to unrefined sunflower oil we used in Ukraine for cooking and eating, one and only oil used in every single dish. Try it and you will never ever have an olive oil only garden salad again.
What Ukrainian would I be, if on a hot summer day, I wouldn’t serve garden salad with smoked salmon toasts?!
Enjoy!
Lettuce Salad with Tomato and Cucumber
Simple Lettuce Salad Recipe with tomato, cucumber, dill, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper and one secret ingredient that makes this salad THE BEST healthy summer salad.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 large or 10 small servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 medium English (1 lb) cucumbers, coarsely chopped*
- 4 medium (1 lb) tomatoes, coarsely chopped*
- 1 large bunch (1 lb) lettuce, coarsely chopped*
- 1 small bunch dill, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup white or red onion, sliced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Garlic and vinegar, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all ingredients in order as listed and as you are preparing them (washing and chopping the vegetables). Stir well and gently, and serve immediately or within a few hours.
Store: To make ahead, refrigerate all vegetables covered in a bowl, and add oils, salt and pepper right before serving (as soon as you add salt – salad “leaks”).
Notes
*Use garden’s bounty or winter store’s availability. Any type of cucumbers (pickle, dill, garden, long English, Persian), peeled or not, work. Any type of full-grown, grape or cherry tomatoes work. As for lettuce – Boston, red leaf, romaine, butter, green leaf are great. Just make sure to chop all vegetables in similar sizes.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
I can’t find toasted sesame seed oil any where. What is a good substitution. Thanks
Just omit it. Salad still will be good. It just adds a nice touch. Next time. 🙂
Often time, it’s tucked away in the “Asian food” section in grocery stores 🙂
I added some honey and used zatar instead of dill (my father-in-law hates dill as it is). I also used balsamic vinegar alongside apple cider vinegar. Added spring onions to the mix as opposed to white mild onions and so far, no one has died which means that the recipe was a success!
★★★★
Haha Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Marc.
Just graving for a green salad ,I really need it and will try to see if I can managed it. Thanks for this site.
You are very welcome!
Delicious!!! The sesame oil makes it!
★★★★★
Yes, it does! We used unrefined sunflower oil in Ukraine, so it resembles it. So happy to hear!
This is my second time making this and I forgot how spicy the sesame seed oil is. I still love the recipe and hopefully next time will remember to take it down to 1 T, maybe even 1/2 T. It makes my eyes water and nose run while I’m trying to enjoy it.
It might just be the type of sesame seed oil I am using? I didn’t use “toasted” because I had something else on hand. Anyway, I’m still going to give it another go because I really just like it overall. Seems basic salad recipe, but there’s something special about it. I just mentioned the heat for others who might want to cut back.
Anyway, is it because I didn’t use toasted? Thanks.
★★★★★
Oh my, sesame oil is not spicy, toasted or not. Maybe you used pepperoncino or whatever it is oil? What does the bottle say and what brand?
This was an absolutely amazing salad.
★★★★★
The toasted sesame oil touch is genius!!!
★★★★★
Really looking forward to making this salad also, along with the new potato salad that you and your son worked through together. I love that you’ve inspired him in the kitchen!
Dill is an herb that I have rarely used! A few of your recipes is all the exposure that I had and we have both like its flavor. I used the leftovers in Greek yogurt to top a roasted potato or two after taking them off the grill last summer and that was fantastic! Also one time I had leftover dill from your recipe and put it in some chicken and homemade noodles. So good! I am a little baffled as to why my grandma only used it for pickling!
Dill is a VERY popular herb in Eastern European cuisine. Majority of North Americans have not tasted it and I’m not sure why it’s not popular because it is mind blowing flavourful. And funny thing is that it is sold everywhere, even at Walmart haha. Must be a historical thing.
I put dill in chicken noodle soup and it’s the best for it! Garlic and dill forever haha. I do the same thing with potatoes, now you made me crave them.
Yes, my boys love to cook thanks to me and I’m so proud of it. They love doing it and can feed themselves for days. So, hard work pays off!
I started a nice little raised garden this summer and am going to put some dill in! Maybe it’s not to late. I just picked 4 really pretty eggplants, and have had some really yummy collard greens. It’s so much fun to eat what I’ve grown!
Good for you! Yes, you can still plant dill, not too late.
Gardening is amazing. We are seriously contemplating moving onto acreage one day. Alex wants to grow his food.
Hi Olena, I was inspired to make this recipe after returning from our trip to SF. It was a refreshing summer salad and Jon loved all of the tomatoes! I didn’t have any fresh dill, so I used basil instead. Mmm…
Hi Erika. Yay! Basil works! I think we will be eating vegetables ONLY for a few weeks after this trip LOL. My basil has grown like crazy while we were away. Hope you have an easy transition back to reality. Chat soon. xxx