This tomato cucumber mozzarella salad comes together in about 10 minutes with just a handful of fresh ingredients. Marinated mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and a simple garlic-red wine vinegar dressing make it a perfect low carb side for summer.
Please say hello to my “what the heck am I going to serve with this grilled chicken? Oh right, that mozzarella salad situation” side dish that I make all summer.
This one is super simple (I start with marinated mozzarella balls which means half the work is already done for you), packs in some bold, fresh flavor, and has the perfect mix of crunchy and creamy.
You’ll really want to be sure to find marinated mozzarella balls for this Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella salad – they come packed in an herb-infused oil that does double duty as part of the dressing, which means you’re getting way more flavor with way less effort. I love a shortcut that actually makes the food better.
This little salad looks fancy, feels like something I’d order at a nice restaurant, and secretly only takes about 5 minutes to toss together. Plus, it goes with basically anything off the grill. Try it with my Greek grilled chicken this week!
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- No cooking required. This is a pure assembly job, which means minimal cleanup and no heating up your kitchen in the middle of summer.
- The marinated mozzarella does the heavy lifting. That herby, garlicky oil it comes packed in is basically a built-in dressing. The flavor payoff is way bigger than the effort.
- It fits right into low carb eating. Fresh vegetables and cheese with a simple vinegar dressing – no hidden carbs, no compromises, just a really good salad.
Ingredients, Swaps, & Tips:
Mozzarella: Marinated mozzarella balls are really the move here – the BelGioioso tub from Walmart is what I use and I love it. If you can only find plain mozzarella balls, you can drizzle in a good bit of olive oil, but you’ll want to add some Italian seasoning or fresh herbs to make up for the flavor you’d be missing.
Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are ideal because they hold up well and have great flavor, but any ripe tomato works. Just chop them into bite-sized pieces. Go with whatever looks good at the store.
Cucumber: English cucumber is my preference because the skin is thinner and the seeds are smaller, so you can use the whole thing without peeling.
Red wine vinegar: This adds a nice brightness to balance the richness of the cheese. White wine vinegar would work in a pinch.
Fresh herbs: The recipe doesn’t call for any fresh herbs, but if your garden is overflowing, go ahad and stir some in. Fresh basil, dill, chives, and oregano would be great here.
Pasted Garlic: One quick tip on the garlic: don’t skip the step of pressing it into a paste with the back of your knife. It sounds fussy, but it takes about 30 seconds and it makes a real difference. Minced garlic has a sharper, more aggressive bite, while the paste melts right into the dressing and coats everything more evenly.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions:
Mince the garlic, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and then use the flat side of your knife to press and pull until you form a paste.
Add everything to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. You’re ready to serve!
Helpful Tip!
Storage & Freezing:
Fridge: Keeps covered for up to 3 days, but the cucumbers will soften and release some liquid over time. It’s still tasty, just a little less crisp.
Freshness tip: I actually prefer this served within about 30 minutes of making it. I don’t love cold tomatoes myself and think it tastes more fresh right after mixing it up.
Freezer: Not a good candidate for freezing – fresh tomatoes and cucumbers don’t hold up.
Leftover Hack!
Add some chopped leftover chicken and chopped romaine to a large low carb tortilla. Pile on a spoonful of this salad and then roll it up to make a quick wrap for lunch.
More Summer Favorites:
Tomato Cucumber Mozzarella Salad
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces marinated mozzarella balls
- 10 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
- ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
Instructions
- Dump the mozzarella balls, along with the liquid, into a medium bowl.
- Slice the tomatoes in half and add to the bowl with the mozzarella.
- Slice the cucumber into half moons or rounds, depending on preference.
- Mince the garlic finely, sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt, and let sit for 1 minute. Use the back of your knife to press the garlic into the cutting board, pressing and pulling it towards you, to turn the garlic into a paste.
- Add the garlic, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl and stir gently to combine.
- Use a slotted spoon to serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld a bit.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and calculated automatically – it’s an estimate, not a guarantee. Values can vary depending on the brands and ingredients you use, so if you’re tracking closely, I’d recommend calculating with your own preferred tool. Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber and any sugar alcohols.
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