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Pickled Cucumber Salad

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Quick pickled cucumber salad with the tangy taste of apple cider vinegar paired with fresh cucumbers and red onions is not just for summer salad sides. Delicious and healthy, this light side dish recipe pairs well with just about every menu you have planned this year. 

quick pickled cucumber slices with red onions.

Why you will love making this salad

If you adore the taste of tang in your cucumber dill salad, look no further. A simple base of quick-pickled cucumbers and a spattering of pretty diced red onion packs a punch. Prepped in minutes and ready in an hour, this is a can’t go wrong way to use up the rest of the fresh garden produce to create the perfect side dish. 

Ingredients for Pickled Cucumber Salad

  • 3 cucumbers, sliced 1/8″ thick (or if you want to get creative, create spiral cucumbers)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • pinch of salt and black pepper

Tip: To keep cucumber slices uniform, I recommend using a mandolin slicer (carefully).

pickling brine in a mixing bowl.
Pickling brine.

How to make Pickled Cucumber Salad

Add slices of cucumbers to a bowl and set aside.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, dill and red onions. Whisk well. Pour on top of cucumbers and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and mix.

Combine brine and sliced cucumbers together to marinate for at least an hour.

Cover and refrigerate for one hour or overnight until ready to serve. Mix well before serving and serve with additional salt and pepper if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container. 

This salad recipe is an easy cucumber side dish and is sitting in a mixing bowl.
  • Make sure to try this onion salad recipe too! I really cannot get enough of it!

Variations

Simple ingredients like this really have a lot of room for variations. Switching up the cucumber types (English, Persian, Japanese) and adding diced traditional pickle pieces mixed with the diced red onion are all good choices. You can easily add other raw vegetables – if you want some color and crunch, try bell peppers (we do this in the cucumber bell pepper salad and its so good).

I also love adding the tiniest bit of minced garlic and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes as well. Another simple change is to cut the cucumbers like the spiral cucumber salad – that’s a fun way to eat and looks beautiful.

pile of pickled sliced onions.

Can other vinegar flavors be used in this recipe? 

I am a big fan of getting to know flavors you love and using what is in the pantry, so try this quick pickled method with other vinegar mixtures like white wine vinegar or rice vinegar. 

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Pickled Cucumber Salad


Prep Time 10 minutes
Marinating/chilling 1 hour
Quick pickled cucumber salad, a light and refreshing side dish recipe.

Ingredients
 

  • 3 cucumbers sliced 1/8″ thick
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.
    3 cucumbers
  • In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, dill, and diced red onion until well combined.
    1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • Pour the brine dressing over the cucumbers and toss to evenly coat.
  • Season with salt and pepper, then mix again.
    salt and pepper
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, or overnight for the best flavor.
  • Before serving, give the salad a good stir and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if desired.
    salt and pepper

Notes

This salad can be made a day ahead. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 75kcal

Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.

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