Refreshing Crunchy Cucumber Salad (Print Version)

Crisp cucumbers with red onion and herbs in a tangy vinegar dressing. Chilled and refreshing with every bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 pound English cucumbers or 3 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - ½ medium red onion, very thinly sliced
03 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
04 - ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes (optional)
05 - Thinly sliced jicama or watermelon radish (optional)

→ Herbs

06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon fresh mint, plus more for garnish

→ Dressing

07 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or toasted sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or honey
10 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
11 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Toppings

12 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds or chopped almonds (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Wash and pat dry cucumbers. If desired, remove seeds by cutting each cucumber in half lengthwise and scooping out the center with a spoon. Slice into 1/8-inch rounds.
02 - Place cucumber slices in a colander set over a bowl or sink. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and toss gently. Let drain for 10 minutes to remove excess water.
03 - After 10 minutes, rinse cucumbers under cold water to remove surface salt. Shake off excess water and pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, olive oil, sugar or honey, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and black pepper until smooth.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, add drained cucumbers, red onion, chopped dill or mint, and any optional add-ins including carrot, cherry tomatoes, jicama, radish, nuts, or seeds.
06 - Pour dressing over the mixture and toss gently until well coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and cucumbers to chill. For best crunch, serve within 2 hours.
08 - Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Garnish with extra dill or mint and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or nuts for added crunch and visual appeal.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It takes almost no skill but tastes like you spent an hour fussing over it.
  • The cucumbers stay crunchy even after they marinate, which is rare for anything this simple.
  • You can toss in whatever herbs or veggies you have wilting in the crisper drawer.
  • It cools you down on hot days better than anything cold from a can.
02 -
  • If you skip salting the cucumbers, the salad will get watery and taste diluted after it sits for even ten minutes.
  • Rinsing off the salt after draining is important, or the cucumbers will taste like you accidentally dumped the whole shaker in.
  • Slice the onion as thin as you possibly can, because thick chunks will punch you in the face with onion flavor and overpower everything else.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline to slice the cucumbers paper-thin, but watch your fingers because those blades are sharper than they look.
  • If your cucumbers are watery or old, peel them and scoop out the seeds before slicing, or the salad will turn into soup.
  • Make the dressing a few hours ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge so the flavors bloom, then toss it with the cucumbers right before serving.
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