This easy Cucumber Onion Salad recipe is a delicious combination of cool cucumber, sweet onion, and tangy marinade that can be made in advance and is perfect for any BBQ or Summer party.
Looking for more salads? You need to try my Burrata Salad, Caprese Salad, or Brussels Sprouts Salad!
Why I love this recipe:
- Fresh and Simple – With only a few ingredients and 3 easy steps, this is the salad of summer! The fresh cool cucumbers are perfectly complimented with the sweet onion and simple vinegar dressing.
- Make Ahead – I love that I can throw this salad together hours before a party. I love to take it to BBQ's, potlucks, or any summer party.
Ingredients:
- Cucumbers: Use mini cucumbers or English cucumbers because you don't need to peel them, they have fewer seeds and are less watery. Any cucumbers will work, but regular, cucumbers have a thicker skin that you may want to peel first.
- Onion: I recommend using a sweet onion or red onion so that the flavor doesn't overwhelm the cucumbers. You could also soak the onions in water first, to reduce their “bite”, but it's not required.
- Vinegar: I used a combination of white vinegar and red vinegar, but you can use what you have on hand including cider vinegar, or rice wine vinegar.
- Salt and pepper
- Sugar
How to make Cucumber Salad:
Chop vegetables: Slice the sweet onion and cucumbers into thin slices and place in a bowl.
Mix Dressing: Combine the vinegar, red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper.
Toss Together: Toss dressing over veggies and stir to combine. Refrigerate cucumber onion salad until ready to serve.
Make Ahead Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Prepare salad and store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Variations:
- Add tomato, basil and avocado, or try my Tomato Cucumber Salad.
- Watermelon Cucumber Salad: Add cubed watermelon, feta cheese, and some fresh basil before serving.
Serve With:
- Grilled Chicken
- BBQ Drumsticks
- Slow Cooker Ribs
- Salmon
- Grilled Fish Tacos
- Grilled Chicken Burgers
- Steak Kabobs
- Chicken Kabobs
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Recipe
Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 6 mini cucumbers or 1 English cucumber
- 1/4 or a large sweet onion
- 3 Tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the cucumbers into thin slices. Slice the wedge of sweet onion into very thin slices. Place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Taste the dressing–it's easy to adapt it if you want it to be a little sweeter or more tangy.
- Pour dressing over veggies and toss to combine. For best results, allow the mixture to marinate for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe July 2017. Updated March 2020 and June 2022.
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I just took this to a church dinner. Two ladies asked for the recipe which I had tripled. Anywhere I take this, it is a hit. It seems that with so few ingredients it wouldn’t be so good. The only thing I leave out is the pepper. I don’t like the black specs. Last time I used red onion sliced thin and soaked in ice water.
My go to cucumber salad recipe!