Cucumber Salad – straightforward & rich!

At a glance

What stands out: Basically a speedy pickle, this old-fashioned cucumber onion salad is a rich low calorie salad that can be made ahead. Try it as a side or even on a sandwich! This salad is straightforward, inexpensive to make, versatile and rich!

How long it takes: 15 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife or mandoline, mixing bowl, measuring utensils
Servings: 4

Classic Cucumber onion Salad

Thinly sliced cucumbers and onions are marinated in a simple vinegar dressing and topped with aromatic fresh dill in this uncomplicated salad. With just five ingredients (not counting salt, pepper, and water), cucumber onion salad is flavorful, versatile, and so, straightforward.

This cucumber salad recipe may remind you of the old-fashioned cucumber and onions in vinegar that your grandma may have served. Quite honestly, this recipe has been around for awhile and different versions can be found in many cultures.

An Straightforward Cucumber Salad

Straightforward ingredients. While you may have cucumbers aplenty growing in your garden right now, this salad is great for any time of the year. Cucumbers and onions are always available and quite inexpensive.

A light side for summer months. In the hot months of summer, cucumber onion salad tastes great alongside grilled chicken or steak (be sure to check out our marinades!). It’s refreshingly tangy and light, with no oil added. If you have a nice ripe tomato, slice it and top each slice with an artfully arranged spoonful of cucumber and onion salad for a simple low calorie salad.

Complements richer dishes. When winter rolls around, this salad is reliable with heavier stews or roasts. Its vinegary tang complements rich meats like short ribs or pot roasts.

Reliable on sandwiches. And in any season, enjoy the thinly sliced cucumbers and onions as a topping on bun sandwiches. A few slices add a nice crisp bite to pulled pork, burgers, or Cuban sandwiches. Vegetarian? Try this salad on a from-scratch black bean burger. With so many uses, you’ll always want to have a bowl of cucumber onion salad in your refrigerator!

Michelle Said:

“we're pretty sure we made this at least 6 times this summer … It’s the reliable balance of vinegar/water/sugar … A great summer recipe to put on repeat!”

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What goes in

• Cucumber: Look for a tender-skinned variety such as English cucumbers, hot-house, seedless, or Persian. If you use a thicker skinned cucumber, you’ll want to peel it and remove some of the seeds, which can be bitter and tend to water the salad down.
• Onion: Any type of onion will work but sweet onions won’t overpower your salad. Red onions are also good.
• Vinegar: Plain ol’ white distilled vinegar is all you need. Other types of vinegar such as apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar may be used but they will change the flavor of this salad.
• Dill: Fresh dill adds so much piquant flavor, there’s nothing like it. If fresh isn’t an option, substitute dried dill but only use 2 teaspoons instead of 2 tablespoons of fresh. We don’t measure the dill too carefully — we love it so much, the more the better!
• Sugar, Salt, Pepper: Simple seasonings that round out the marinade, they’re basic but essential.

How it comes together

Begin by prepping the cucumber and onion. Wash, dry, and trim the ends of both. With a sharp knife, thinly slice the cucumber and onion. A mandoline makes speedy work of this if you have one. Just be careful of your fingers.

Cooking Tip

How thick you cut the slices is up to you. Some people prefer thin slices, others thicker slices. Thinner slices absorb more of the marinade.

Make the marinade (dressing). Next, mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl large enough to contain the salad. Doing it this way saves you a dirty dish! Whisk the marinade until the sugar and salt are mostly dissolved.

Add the cucumber and onion slices to the marinade.

Chill. Stir well, cover and refrigerate for an hour or so. Stir in dill before serving, and your salad is ready to serve!

Serving Tip: If you’re not plating the salad, we like to scoop the salad out of the marinade and put just the cucumber and onions slices into a serving bowl.

Ways to change it

• Try different herbs. Replace the dillwith a different fresh herb, such as basil, oregano, parsley, mint, or lemon balm. Be adventurous! Different herbs will add a distinctively unique flavor to this simple salad. Combinations of herbs are great, too. Our favorite is dill, parsley, and just a few chives.
• Add more veggies. Add thinly sliced radishes or carrots for a more colorful salad. If you prefer carrots instead of cucumbers, try our carrot salad. If you want to make a similar salad that includes tomatoes, try our cucumber tomato salad.
• Creamy cucumber salad: If you’re craving a creamier salad, try this reduced calorie cucumber ribbon salad with yogurt herb dressing, or more traditional German cucumber salad with sour cream.
• Like things a bit spicier? Try Korean pickles, a straightforward speedy pickle with spicy gochugaru (Korean red pepper) and garlic.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Make ahead. These marinated cucumber and onion slices are an ideal make-ahead salad. The salad should be made at least 60 minutes before serving and it actually gets a little better as it marinates.

Storing leftover salad. This cucumber onion salad will keep about three days, refrigerated in a tightly covered container. Store leftover salad in the brine for best results. If you store it longer than 3 days, the cucumbers will lose their crispness. Any time you notice mold, cloudiness, or a bad smell, the salad should be discarded immediately.

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 1 large English cucumber (about 16 ounces)
• ½ red or sweet onion
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

Method

1. Wash and thinly slice the cucumber (see note). Peel the onion, cut into quarters, and then cut into thin slices, about ⅛-inch thick.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper, until salt and sugar are mostly dissolved.
3. Add sliced cucumber and onion, stir to combine.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes, stirring once or twice.
5. When ready to serve, drain liquid, stir in dill, and serve immediately (see serving tip below).

Notes

Cucumbers: If you use a garden cucumber with thicker waxy skin, peel the cucumber first, and remove large seeds.

Serving tip: If not serving all the cucumbers at once, use a slotted spoon to take out desired portion, leaving the rest in the liquid.

Storage: Cucumber onion salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Variations: Add thinly sliced radishes and/or carrots for a more colorful salad. Different fresh herbs can be used, too. You can try other types of vinegar (rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar) but it will change the flavor of the salad.