Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe (2024)

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This Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe is light, fresh, and flavor-packed. This simple salad features cool cucumber complemented by fresh herbs all tossed in a tangy lemon dijon dressing.

Cucumber Dill Salad

This Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe is for when you find yourself googling, “How do you use a lot of cucumbers?” this summer. Because sometimes we just end up with too many cucumbers! First try this one, then add thois and Cucumber Avocado Gazpacho with Shrimp to your list!

This simple recipe for cucumber salad is just the answer! And it’s a darn good one at that. This recipe is light, refreshing, and makes a great side salad next to all of your grilling mains, seafood, or chicken dishes.

This recipe works with either farm fresh large cucumbers you find in the summer, or if you’re craving a refreshing side it can also work with store-bought English hot house cucumbers. If you are using extra large cucumbers from your garden or the farm feel free to scoop out the seeds and slice in half moon shapes.

Ingredients Needed:

  • Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, and Dijon Mustard: makes up a tangy, spicy base for our dressing.
  • Seasonings: we’re adding even more flavor with a blend of salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  • Cucumber: any cucumber you can find will work!
  • Herbs: our fresh cucumber salad is rounded out with a mix of fresh dill, parsley, and mint.

How to Make Cucumber Salad

This light, flavorful, and versatile cucumber dill salad takes just 10 minutes to come together!

  1. Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, and seasonings.
  2. Combine: Add the sliced cucumbers to the dressing, then mix in fresh herbs. Toss to combine.
  3. Marinate and serve: Let the salad sit for 10 minutes, then taste and re-season.

What Kind of Cucumbers Are Best?

Any kind you want! This recipe works with large farm fresh cucumbers or store-bought English hothouse cucumbers. Whatever you can find is great.

If you are using extra large cucumbers from your garden or the farm, feel free to scoop out the seeds and slice them into half moon shapes to make them more bite-sized.

Tips and Notes for Cucumber Salad

  • Make it earlier in the day. This cucumber salad gets better as it sits (but not for days!) so the flavors have time to really soak into the fresh cucumber. I recommend making it a couple hours in advance, but if you’re shorter on time, let it sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.
  • Use a mandolin to slice the cucumbers if you want them even and thin. If you don’t have a mandolin, a sharp knife will work as well, and I kind of hate the mandolin so you pick!
  • Use fresh herbs for the best flavor. Dried herbs will work as well, but you will need to use less since the flavor is more potent.

Variations

  • Add other veggies. Make your salad a little more colorful by adding sliced cherry tomatoes or sliced red onion.
  • Make it cheesy. A sprinkle of feta or goat cheese cheese would be delicious!
  • Make it creamy. Add a scoop of mayo or plain Greek yogurt to the dressing for a creamy twist on your cucumber salad recipe. Keep in mind you may need to add more seasonings!
Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe (6)

Serving Suggestions

This oh-so-versatile summer side dish can go with just about anything! Here are some of our favorite main dishes to serve alongside this cucumber salad:

  • Seared Steak or Garlic and Lime Marinated Flank Steak
  • My Go-To 10-Minute Sautéed Shrimp
  • Pork Carnitas
  • Grilled Pork Chops
  • Air Fryer Salmon
  • Greek Chicken Kebabs

How to Store

Leftover cucumber salad will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. I don’t recommend freezing it because the fresh texture of the cucumber will be affected, and I don’t recommend it for more than a day or two as it will start to taste more like pickles!

More Summer Side Dish Recipes

  • Mexican Street Corn Salad
  • Shrimp Avocado Salad
  • The Best Spring Mix Salad Ever
  • Grilled Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
  • Greek Three Bean Salad
  • Classic Macaroni Salad

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Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe (8)

This Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe is light, fresh, and flavor-packed. This simple salad features cool cucumber complemented by fresh herbs all tossed in a tangy lemon dijon dressing.

Servings 4

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Rate RecipePrint Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 large cucumbers thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, garlic powder, pepper and red pepper flakes and whisk to combine.

  • Add in the sliced cucumbers and fresh herbs and toss to combine.

  • Let sit for about 10 minutes, season to taste and then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 6.7gProtein: 1.5gFat: 10.8gSaturated Fat: 1.6gSodium: 256mgFiber: 1.2gSugar: 2.6g

Course: Side

Cuisine: Gluten-free, Paleo, whole30

Author: Lexi

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Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does a cucumber salad contain? ›

Crisp and creamy cucumber salad makes the perfect summer side. This old-fashioned recipe combines thinly sliced sweet onions, cucumbers, dill, garlic, and mayo for an unbelievably delicious make-ahead dish. Try your hand at MHudson's family recipe for the tastiest cucumber salad ever.

What kind of cucumber is best for cucumber salad? ›

Persian Cucumbers

They have a mild flavor and thin skins, so they're great sliced or chopped for salads and snacking, or even tossed in the blender to make a Spicy Cucumber Margarita.

How many cucumbers do you need to make a salad? ›

Ingredients
  1. 1 to 2 large cucumbers (or 4 to 5 smaller cucumbers)
  2. 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, basil, or Thai basil (see Recipe Note)
  3. 2 to 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar.
  4. Salt and pepper to taste.

How do you make cucumber salad not watery? ›

When you salt cucumber pieces or slices and let them sit for 30 minutes in a colander, the salt draws out excess moisture which then drains away. This means that the cucumber will release less water into whatever dish you're adding it to, such as tzatziki, tabbouleh, Greek salad, or potato salad.

What is the main ingredient in cucumber? ›

Cucumbers consist mostly of water, and they also contain important electrolytes. They can help prevent dehydration in hot weather or after a workout. For people who do not enjoy drinking water, adding cucumber and mint can make it more attractive.

How do you make cucumbers taste good? ›

Marinate them:

Marinating cucumbers can infuse them with a burst of flavour. Slice the cucumbers and place them in a bowl with a mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and your choice of herbs and spices. Allow the cucumbers to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

How do you keep cucumbers crisp in cucumber salad? ›

Just place the slices or chunks in a colander over a bowl or sink. Sprinkle them with a couple of pinches of salt, toss to coat, and let them rest for about 30 minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel and proceed with the recipe.

What do you put on cucumbers? ›

Here are ingredients that work so well on cucumbers:
  1. Cream cheese (one of my fave combos)
  2. Tuna.
  3. Guacamole.
  4. Deli slices.
  5. Smoked salmon.
  6. Feta cheese.
  7. Greek yogurt.
  8. Sliced cheese.
Jul 5, 2023

Should you peel cucumbers? ›

Cucumbers also have a high water content. They're made up of about 96% water. To maximize their nutrient content, cucumbers should be eaten unpeeled. Peeling them reduces the amount of fiber, as well as certain vitamins and minerals.

How far in advance can you cut cucumbers for salad? ›

Cucumber slices will keep for even less time: cover them with a damp paper towel, store in an airtight container in the fridge, and use within a day or two. It's worth noting that the course of nature can only be evaded for so long.

Should I salt cucumbers before making salad? ›

No matter how you dress them, salting and draining sliced cucumbers maximizes crunchy texture. The challenge: More often than not, by the time you eat a cucumber salad the cucumbers have gone soft and watery, losing their appealing crunch and diluting the dressing to near tastelessness.

Why are my cucumbers slimy in my salad? ›

Why Are My Cucumbers Slimy? The light-white or clear coating of slime you may find on your cucumbers is a sign that the rotting process has begun, and it's just matter of time before they totally spoil.

Is eating cucumber salad healthy? ›

In addition to containing several vitamins and nutrients essential to your diet, one cup of cucumber provides 11% of your daily requirement for vitamin K, essential in building healthy bones. Cucumbers also contain lignans, which research shows may decrease the risk of heart disease as well as several types of cancer.

Why is cucumber salad healthy? ›

Healthy: Cucumbers have a high water content, making them low in calories and carbs. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, like vitamins C and K and potassium. Greek yogurt boosts the protein in this salad while adding calcium and probiotics.

What are the components of the cucumber flavor? ›

More than 70 aroma compounds have been identified in cucumber fruit, including aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, terpenes, esters, and furans, which all contribute to the typical flavor of cucumber fruits [2, 3]. Of these, C6 and C9 aldehydes and alcohols are the main compounds of cucumber flavor [4, 5].

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