This vibrant Cucumber Salad, with thinly sliced cucumber, red and green onions, and fresh dill, tossed in a tangy lemon dressing, is the perfect crisp and refreshing addition to any summer menu.
For more cucumber recipes try this Shrimp Cucumber Salad and this delicious Tuna Cucumber Cups too. They’re so fresh, easy and perfect for summer!
You know the phrase “As cool as a cucumber?” That’s exactly what comes to mind when I think about this Cucumber Salad. Cool, fresh, flavorful, and SO easy to make – everything I’m looking for in a summer salad.
The combination of crunchy cucumbers with fresh dill and the lemony dressing really hits the spot on a hot day. And you can whip it up in less than 10 minutes with just 6 main ingredients.
Because cucumber salad is so simple, it’s the perfect side dish for summer just like my chicken salad, potato salad and pasta salad. You can pair it with just about anything. We love it as a side dish for grilling, but it’s also the perfect summertime appetizer or refreshing snack. Trust me, you’ll want to bring this dish to every cookout, BBQ, and pool hang this summer!
Ingredients & Notes
- Cucumbers — I recommend using English cucumbers or mini Persian cucumbers because they have a thin skin and fewer seeds than other varieties. This is also a great recipe to use up cucumbers from the garden!
- Red onion — Adds a pop of color and a nice bite that balances the cucumbers.
- Olive oil — I recommend using good-quality olive oil for a simple salad like this.
- Lemon juice — Freshly squeezed lemon juice will give the best flavor for the salad dressing. You could also use apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar or red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar instead. If you don’t have any of these types of vinegar, you can use balsamic vinegar instead.
- Green onion — Milder than red onion, but adds just enough zing.
- Fresh dill — The perfect herb for cucumber salad! If you don’t have fresh dill on hand, you can use dried dill or sub for other fresh herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro, or even mint.
- Seasonings — Salt and pepper to bring all the flavors together.
How to Make Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Use a sharp knife or mandoline to *thinly* slice the cucumbers and red onions.
- In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Place the salad ingredients in a mixing large bowl along with the dressing and toss until everything is well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings before transferring the salad to a serving bowl.
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend using a mandoline to get perfectly thin and uniform slices with minimal effort.
- If your cucumber has thick or waxy skin I recommend peeling it first.
- You can use just the red or the green onion instead of both if you don’t like a strong onion flavor.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds or crumbled feta cheese for added flavor and texture.
You can store cucumber salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because cucumbers have a high water content, the salad may get watery as it sits. Just give it a good stir or drain some of the liquid before serving.
Why is my cucumber salad watery?
Cucumbers are mostly water, so they naturally release moisture over time. To manage this, you can salt the cucumbers in a colander set in a sink to draw out excess moisture. Or, simply drain the liquid and give the cucumber salad a good stir before serving.
This is the perfect grilling side dish, and it’s especially good with grilled shrimp. It also pairs perfectly well with my go-to grilled chicken thighs, baked pork chops and baked chicken breast.
Since this salad gives major pickle flavors, I like to pile it on a juicy hamburger.
When I need a quick and easy meal, I’ll serve this cucumber salad up with air fryer chicken or my favorite oven-baked salmon in foil recipe.
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know in the comments below! And be sure to check out the full collection of Salad Recipes here at Primavera Kitchen.
Summer Salad Recipes
Cucumber Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 mini cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber thinly sliced
- ¼ large red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill roughly chopped
Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers and red onions thinly using a knife or mandoline. I find a mandoline particularly efficient for quick, uniform slices.
- Combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- In a medium glass bowl, toss together cucumber, red onions, green onion, dill, and the prepared dressing. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and add a sprinkle of extra salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
Notes
- You can chill the salad before serving to make it extra crisp.
- This recipe is best with fresh, perfectly ripe cucumbers.
- If the red onions are too strong, soak them in ice water to soften the flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?
Follow @primaverakitchen on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #primaverakitchen. We’d love to see your recreation.
I prepared this dish when we had the family round for a cold cuts buffet, just to jazz up the salad dish. So rather than add cucumber to the salad I did this as a side. I should have done three times the amount. What a hit! Everyone loved it. Really different side dish. Highly recommend.
That makes me so happy to hear! 😊 I love how you served it as a side for your cold cuts buffet—such a great idea! I’m thrilled everyone enjoyed it. Thanks so much for sharing and for the kind recommendation! 💛
Excellent side dish.
So happy you liked it! We love this recipe too. It’s so fresh, crispy and so easy to make 😉