Cucumber Salad
A crisp refreshing cucumber salad — thinly sliced cucumbers, red onion, dill, and a vinegar-sugar dressing. Perfect summer side. Can be Greek-style (with feta and olives), Asian-style (with sesame oil), or German-style (creamy with sour cream). Universal appeal.
Prep Time
14 min
Cook Time
20 min
Servings
6
Calories
342 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Cucumber1 ½
- Lemon1 ½
- Parsley1 ½
- Thyme1 ½
- Lettuce3 cups
- Tomato3 medium
- Olive Oil3 tbsp
- Lemon Juice1 ½
- Black Pepper¾ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Cucumber1.5
- Lemon1.5
- Parsley1.5
- Thyme1.5
- Lettuce3 cups
- Tomato3 medium
- Olive Oil3 tbsp
- Lemon Juice1.5
- Black Pepper0.75 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Wash and thinly slice 2 English cucumbers (or 4 small Persian cucumbers) — about 1/8 inch thick. A mandoline makes this easy and uniform.
- 2
Salt the cucumbers: place in a colander, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, toss. Let sit 30 minutes — this draws out excess water that would otherwise dilute the dressing.
- 3
Squeeze the cucumbers gently between paper towels to remove excess water. They should be drier but still flexible.
- 4
Make the dressing: whisk 3 tablespoons white vinegar (or rice vinegar), 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- 5
In a bowl, combine the cucumbers with ½ thinly sliced red onion, ¼ cup chopped fresh dill (or parsley), the dressing.
- 6
Toss gently. Let sit 15 minutes for flavors to meld. Serve chilled. For Greek variation: add crumbled feta and sliced olives. For Asian: replace vinegar with rice vinegar, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Watch how to make Cucumber Salad
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Salt and drain. Removes water from cucumbers so the dressing isn't diluted.
- 2.English or Persian cucumbers. They have fewer seeds and thinner skin. Standard slicing cucumbers can have bitter seeds — peel and seed those.
- 3.Vinegar + sugar balance. The classic dressing combination. Adjust to taste — more vinegar for tangier, more sugar for sweeter.
- 4.Fresh dill is essential. Dried dill doesn't have the same brightness.
🔬 Why It Works
Cucumber salad succeeds when the cucumbers are properly drained (no waterlogged dressing) and the vinegar-sugar dressing is balanced (tangy and slightly sweet). The variety of toppings (red onion, dill, optional feta or sesame) creates the regional variations. The salt-and-drain technique is what distinguishes great cucumber salad from a watery sad version.
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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