Crisp and Tangy Cucumber Salad
Published Aug 09, 2021•Updated May 18, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
For years, my most popular summer salad for BBQs and make-ahead potlucks has been Crisp and Tangy Cucumber Salad. I can tell you from experience that everyone will ask you for the recipe, and no one will believe how EASY it is. This recipe preserves the crisp texture of the cucumbers and combines them with a refreshing, tart, slightly sweet vinegar dressing. No goopy mayo here.
Diana says: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “It came out delicious, I only used avocado 🥑 oil instead. Perfect taste.”
To be completely honestly, you’ll find this salad on my dinner table year-round. I serve simplified variations of it with chicken rice bowls, with Vietnamese ground pork, and my skillet crispy rice (with a fried egg on top!).
This cucumber salad is:
- crisp and tangy
- light and refreshing
- packed with crisp, fresh cucumbers
- in a bright vinegar-based dressing (no mayo)
- make-ahead friendly
- a perfect side dish for BBQs, cookouts, picnics, and easy summer dinners
This Cucumber Salad Stays Crisp
Because this is what we really want right? Crisp, not soggy cucumbers. These cucumbers stay crisp because you do not salt them ahead of time. Salting ahead will cause them to release a lot of extra moisture, so skip that. The cucumbers in this recipe are also not sliced uber thin (as some recipes you’ll find call for with a mandolin). Super thin cucumbers are prone to sogginess, so leave these a bit thicker. They’ll hold up well to the vinaigrette in the fridge and will have some crunch even 24 hours later.
Pin this now to save it for later
Pin It NowBest Cucumbers for Cucumber Salad
Any cucumbers will work well in this recipe. Over the many years I’ve been making it, I’ve used:
- garden fresh cucumbers
- English cucumbers
- Persian cucumbers
- any seedless cucumbers
What to do about the seeds? A few small seeds are just fine, but if your cucumbers have large seeds (as my garden-fresh cucumbers sometimes do), scrape out the seeds of the cucumbers before tossing them with the vinaigrette.
The Tangy Flavor is Key
The flavor in this vinaigrette has a great balance of acidity which also helps the cucumbers hold their crunch and lets their flavor shine. This is the key reason that I’m not a fan of mayo-based cucumber salads. A vinegar-based dressing and a tiny bit of diced onion gives this salad a fresh, tangy flavor.
Tangy flavor goes particularly well with bbq chicken and your other favorite potluck recipe.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, yes yes! The beauty of this recipe is that the cucumbers won’t get soggy as they sit. The vinaigrette marinates the cucumbers, so you get more flavor while they still hold their texture. Store it, covered, in the fridge. The flavor will improve overnight up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, it will slowly lose its crisp texture, but you can still serve it straight from the fridge for up to 3 days.
What to Serve with Cucumber Salad
FAQs
The keys are 1) not to salt the cucumbers ahead of time 2) to keep the cucumbers slightly thicker (don’t slice with a mandolin) and 3) use a vinegar-based dressing instead of a mayo-based one. If you make your cucumber salad using this recipe, it will stay crisp for 24 hours in the fridge.
Absolutely. Make it up to 24 hours ahead for best results.
Yes! Try variations to find the one you prefer. I love rice vinegar with cucumbers, but I also sometimes use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. I just stay away from a darker vinegar (like red wine vinegar) because it will mess with the bright, green color of the cucumbers.
Your choice, but if the cucumber peels are thick and tough, I’d peel the cucumbers before making the salad.
I can’t believe I actually got this question, but absolutely not. You cannot freeze cucumber salad.
Simple Summer Sides
All this week we’re celebrating simple summer sides! It’s hot outside and beautiful produce is in-season, so I know we’re all looking for more ways to prepare those vegetables.
Follow along as I share my five current favorite summer sides that use one vegetable, pantry staples, and maybe a few herbs or aromatics to round things out. This includes:
- Crisp and Tangy Cucumber Salad (featured here)
- Crisp Corn Fritters
- Pan-Seared Zucchini with Garlic and Basil
- Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes
- Spicy Szechuan-Style Green Beans
Pin this now to save it for later
Pin It Now
Crisp and Tangy Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon minced Red or White Onion
- 3 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar (substitute apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Honey (or 1/2 teaspoon sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt (see note)
- 1 pound Cucumbers, thinly sliced (look for small or seedless cucumbers, if using larger cucumbers, peel first)
- Chopped Fresh Mint or Parsley (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together onion, vinegar, olive oil, honey, and kosher salt until sugar and salt dissolve.
- Add cucumbers to dressing and gently fold to coat all of the cucumbers in dressing.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve (these are best if they’ve had at least 30 minutes in the fridge and can be made up to a day ahead).
- Optional: Just before serving, drain liquid off cucumbers. (This will likely depend on what you are serving with the cucumbers. The flavorful marinde is great if you are serving the cucumbers over rice or another grain that will soak it up.)
- Stir in fresh mint or parsley. Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It came out delicious, I only used avocado 🥑 oil instead. Perfect taste.
Perfect – so glad you enjoyed it!