An all time favorite cucumber salad recipe! Embrace the bounty of summer with this refreshingly crunchy salad with cucumber, rice vinegar and chopped fresh herbs.
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This easy cucumber salad is made with nothing more than the cucumbers, some rice vinegar, either dill or basil, and salt and pepper.
I like to add a mix of regular basil and Thai basil (the one that tastes a bit like liquorice).
Use of garden cucumbers with cucumber salad
Around this time of year we start eating a simple cucumber salad for dinner almost every night. If you’re a gardener, you know how fertile cucumbers are, right? They can easily get out of control and climb up the tomato cages and any other plants we may have in the garden bed.
Every other day, I bring in a handful, peel and chop for this easy, light cucumber salad to serve as a side dish.
To sow or not to sow cucumbers
With cucumbers, you can either sow them or not. Some varieties have thicker seeds that can be a little harder to digest or a little bitter when the cucumber is on the ripe side.
To peel or not to peel cucumbers
Should You Peel Your Cucumbers for Cucumber Salad? Here, too, it depends on the variety and ripeness of the cucumber. English or Persian cucumbers have a thin skin that you don’t need to peel.
Commercially available cucumbers can have thicker skins that can be tough and bitter, so it’s best to peel these.
How to determine the bitterness of a cucumber
Cucumbers can vary in their degree of bitterness. Usually, the older they are, the more bitter they are – and the seeds are often more bitter than the pulp. Once you’ve cut a cucumber, taste it.
If bitter, scrape or cut away the seeds. You can also soak the chopped cucumber in salted water to balance out the bitterness. The pickles we get are usually that good, but I’ve had a few bitter ones.
Make ahead and chill
This salad is great to prepare and eat right away, or you can make ahead and chill in the fridge. Note that if you let the cucumber salad refrigerate or sit at room temperature for more than an hour or two, the cucumbers will lose their crispness.
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Check out this easy cucumber salad recipe
Suggestions & Substitutions
So many of you have made this salad over the years and sent us notes on how you changed or added to the recipe. Here are a few favourites!
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds
- Add thinly sliced red onions, sweet onions, or scallions
- Sprinkle with feta cheese
- Add chopped summer tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
- For a creamy version, add a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise or sour cream, or even a dollop of whipped cream
- Add a few pinches of sugar if needed
Stay cool as a cucumber with these 5 salads
- Cucumber salad with mint and feta
- Cucumber salad with grapes and almonds
- Sesame cucumber salad
- Cucumber Yoghurt Salad (Tzatziki)
- Chinese chicken salad with mashed cucumber
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Simple cucumber salad
Cucumbers can vary in their degree of bitterness. Usually, the older they are, the more bitter they are – and the seeds are often more bitter than the pulp. Once you’ve cut a cucumber, taste it. Scrape away any bitter pits or soak the chopped cucumber in salted water to balance out the bitterness.
We almost always peel thick-skinned cucumbers, but there are some varieties with thin, mild skins that you don’t need to peel. Try first if there is any question.
To chop the basilchiffon it by stacking the leaves on top of each other, rolling them up like a cigar and taking thin slices from end to end.
ingredients
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1 to 2 big cucumbers (or 4 to 5 smaller cucumbers)
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1 to 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, basil or Thai basil (see recipe note)
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2 to 3 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
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salt and pepper to taste
method
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Prepare cucumbers:
If using thick-skinned cucumbers, peel them. Seed them when they are very shabby. There’s a lot of flavor around the seed, so if the seeds of the cucumber are still small and tender, you can just leave them in.
Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, then slice crosswise.
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Prepare the salad:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and toss to coat.
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Serve Salad:
You can serve this immediately or prepare it ahead (up to a few hours) and refrigerate.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 24 | calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 5g | carbohydrates |
| 1g | protein |
