Easy Cucumber Salad
Published Jun 18, 2025
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Ready in 10 minutes, this easy cucumber salad recipe comes together with no salting, no draining, and no waiting around. Crisp, tangy, and endlessly customizable, it’s great to serve as-is for a quick side, but just as easy to dress up with herbs, spices, protein, or a little heat. All you need are a handful of ingredients and a large bowl!
This is the kind of salad I make on repeat all summer long. It’s quick, crunchy, and goes with just about everything from Thai-Style Grilled Chicken to Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches to Greek Meatball Orzo Bowls. There are no fancy steps and no resting time required, meaning it’s perfect for busy weeknights. I just toss everything together, and it’s ready to go. It’s my go-to dish when I want something fresh and impressive without any hassle.
Love fresh, colorful salads? Me too. Try my Napa Cabbage Salad, Pizza Salad, and Greek Goddess Salad next.
Ingredients
- Cucumbers – The star of the show! Seedless cucumbers like Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers are best, but any kind will work.
- Dressing – Skip store-bought options, and combine apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar (or honey), and kosher salt for a sweet, refreshing salad dressing.
- Salad Mix-Ins – I like to add red pepper flakes for a touch of heat. Then, I include two tablespoons of various mix-ins like minced red or white onion, chopped fresh dill, sesame seeds, mustard seeds, celery seeds, or any fresh herbs. It’s totally optional but adds a little extra oomph, making this easy cucumber salad even better!
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Peel the cucumbers – I like to peel my cucumbers, especially if they have thick skins. You don’t have to, but it makes them easier to eat. Then, slice or cube them into bite-sized pieces.
Create the dressing – Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
Combine and serve – Add the cucumbers to the dressing, and stir to combine. Add any mix-ins, and enjoy right away!
Possible Variations and Additions
- Produce – Include any extra fruit and veggies you have on hand. Shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, blueberries, and blackberries all make tasty additions.
- Dressing – Use any store-bought or homemade dressing you like best, such as Lemon Vinaigrette or Poppyseed Dressing.
- Mix-Ins – Add even more taste and texture with additions like crumbled feta, Parmesan, or goat cheese, chopped nuts, or sliced avocado.
- Protein – Transform this easy cucumber salad into a complete meal by adding Blackened Chicken, Sweet Chili Salmon, or Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp.
Ways to Serve
I like to serve this cucumber salad as a side or appetizer with main courses like Lemongrass Chicken, Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers, and Salmon Burgers. It’s a family favorite for summer barbecues and potlucks. Don’t forget to add a side of No-Knead French Bread or Crispy Baked Breadsticks, too!
FAQs
Be sure to use seedless cucumbers. Then, for the best taste and texture, serve this recipe right away!
As mentioned, this recipe is best served right away. However, if needed, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. I find that it’s usually delicious for days, but the cucumbers lose some of their crunch the longer they sit.
More Easy Summer Salad Recipes
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Easy Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Knife
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound cucumbers (seedless cucumbers like Persian work best, but any type of cucumbers are fine)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons mix-ins (totally optional but feel free to add minced red or white onion, chopped dill, sesame seeds, mustard seeds, celery seeds, or any fresh herbs)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- If the cucumbers have thick skins, peel them first. Thinly slice or cube the cucumbers.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, sugar / honey, and salt. Add the cucumbers and stir well. You can serve this right away, but it will be best if refrigerated for at least an hour.
- Just before serving, stir in the mixins of choice and red pepper flakes (if using).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
