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    Home » Recipes » Salads » Cucumber Salad

    Cucumber Salad

    Published: May 31, 2019 · Modified: Aug 3, 2020 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    This refreshing, crunchy cucumber salad with pickled onions and fresh dill has just the right hint of sweetness and tang to make it the perfect side dish!

    A bowl of cucumber salad with fresh dill and red onion slices.
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    When the weather warms up it’s time to get serious about barbecue, picnics, and fun gatherings filled with food. All of this means lots of side dishes that are low on prep time but big on flavor. This cucumber salad recipe is full of fresh flavor, lots of crunch and a won’t leave you feeling weighed down after a big portion.

    How to Make Cucumber Salad

    A photo collage showing the steps to make a cucumber salad

    1. Add water and vinegar to a medium pot.
    2. Add sugar.
    3. Place pot on medium high heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat.
    4. Halve and thinly slice one small red onion.
    5. Place onion sliced in the vinegar solution, mix and set aside.
    6. Remove some skin from the cucumbers. This is optional but I like the added visual interest of the striped side.
    7. Thinly slice the English cucumbers.
    8. Place cucumbers in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss then cover and chill for 30-40 minutes.
    9. Drain excess juice from cucumbers.
    10. Chop the fresh dill and mint.
    11. Pour dressing and onions on cucumbers.
    12. Sprinkle with dill and mint. Toss and serve.

    Cucumber salad with red onion, dill and mint in a bowl.

    Pro Tips for making this recipe

    • Sweat your cucumbers out! This will reduce the amount of water in them and yield a taster, less watered down salad that keeps longer.
    • English cucumbers are a bit more delicate and have a thinner skin. If you can’t find them or don’t want to pay the surcharge, then use regular cucumbers and pell off all that waxy skin.
    • Try serving the salad with nice croutons for added crunch, carbs and general loveliness.
    • If you ever want to season some plain rice try tossing it with the dressing from this recipe, it’s really delicious.
    • This recipe lents itself really to fresh garden flavors so feel free to experiment with favorite herbs like thyme, oregano and tarragon.

    frequently asked questions

    How do you Sweat Cucumbers?

    Sweating cucumbers releases excess water so whatever dish you use them in doesn’t end up in a pool of liquid. The whole process is quite easy but does require some resting time.

    Toss your sliced cucumbers in salt, cover and allow to res in the refrigerator for about 40 minutes. Drain liquid and you’re done! As a general rule I would recommend using 1/2 tsp per cucumber.

    How long will it keep?

    This cucumber salad is best within a few hours of making it. It will keep for 2 days in the fridge but the texture begins to suffer as the cucumbers loose more of their turgidity. You can however make the dressing 3 days and store in advance and store in the fridge to lessen the prep work the day of.

    If you love this recipe try these out!

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    If you’ve tried this cucumber salad recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

    cucumber salad in a white bowl next to a light blue napkin
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    4.56 from 9 votes

    Cucumber Salad

    You'll love this refreshing crunchy cucumber salad with pickled onions and fresh dill. Just the right hint of sweetness and tang make the perfect for any number of dishes.
    Course Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, British
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    resting time 40 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes
    Servings 10 people
    Calories 43kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Ingredients

    For the Dressing:

    • 1/4 cup water 60mL
    • 1/2 cup vinegar 120mL
    • 1/3 cup sugar 78mL
    • 1 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper

    For the Salad

    • 2 English Cucumbers large
    • 1 red onion small
    • 1/4 cup dill fresh
    • 3 tbsp mint

    Instructions

    • Add water, vinegar, and sugar to a medium pot. Place on medium high heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat.
    • Halve and thinly slice one small red onion. Place onion sliced in the vinegar solution, mix and set aside.
    • Remove some skin from the cucumbers leaving dark stripes. Thinly slice the English cucumbers.
    • Place cucumbers in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss then cover and chill for 30-40 minutes.
    • After sufficient resting time drain excess juice from cucumbers.
    • Chop the fresh dill and mint. Pour dressing and onions on cucumbers. Sprinkle with dill and mint. Toss and serve.

    Video

    Notes

    • Sweat your cucumbers out! This will reduce the amount of water in them and yield a taster, less watered down salad that keeps longer.
    • English cucumbers are a bit more delicate and have a thinner skin. If you can't find them or don't want to pay the surcharge, then use regular cucumbers and pell off all that waxy skin. 
    • Try serving the salad with nice croutons for added crunch, carbs and general loveliness. 
    • If you ever want to season some plain rice try tossing it with the dressing from this recipe, it's really delicious.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 3.6mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.3mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
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    Welcome to Preppy Kitchen!

    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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