Sweet and Tangy Marinated Cucumbers

Tart and sweet, marinated cucumbers can be made ahead with ingredients you already have on-hand. No cooking required. Serve this fresh side dish with heartier main dishes, rice-based meals, grilled proteins, burgers, or with any summer meal.

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:

• Sweet And Tangy Marinated Cucumbers (featured here)
• Crisp Corn Fritters
• Pan-Seared Zucchini with Garlic and Basil
• Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes
• Spicy Szechuan-Style Green Beans

What You’ll Love About This Side Dish

Marinated cucumbers have all the sweet-tart crunch of pickles but can go from garden to table in just 30 minutes. Whisk up the sweet and tangy marinade, fold in those cucumbers, and refrigerate before serving to let those flavors shine. 

What to Serve with Marinated Cucumbers

• Salmon Burgers with Creamy Lemon Herb Sauce
• Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders with Hot Honey
• Sheet Pan Sausage and Peppers
• Maple Barbecue Grilled Chicken 

Favorite Tools

• 6-inch Global Knife
• Cutting Board
• Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls
• Whisk

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

4.50 from 4 votes

Sweet and Tangy Marinated Cucumbers

Tart and sweet, this fresh summer side can be made ahead with no cooking required. Serve with heartier main dishes, rice and a grilled protein, or as an easy refreshing side dish to any summer meal.

To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Total Time15 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: dairy free, easy side dish, gluten free, no cook recipe, potluck recipe, summer

Servings: 4

Calories: 83kcal

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $5.00

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon minced Red or White Onion
• 3 tablespoon Rice Vinegar (substitute white wine vinegar)
• 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt (see note)
• 1 lb 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, sugar, 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

Kosher Salt - I use Morton’s Kosher Salt to test recipes. If using table salt, reduce by about half. If using Diamond Kosher Salt, increase by about 25%. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to salt, so be sure to taste and adjust as you go. 

Nutrition

Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

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