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Our Cucumber Onion Salad has crisp cucumbers and sweet onion tossed in a tangy vinegar marinade that gets better the longer it sits. It takes just 10 minutes to throw together, making it the perfect make-ahead recipe for BBQs, potlucks, and summer gatherings.
Every Generation Loves a Good Cucumber Onion Salad.
This Cucumber Onion was a staple of my childhood, just as it was for my mom, and her mom. Probably because it pairs well with literally everything off the grill, and it takes 10 minutes to make. The longer it sits in that tangy marinade, the better it gets, so I almost always make it a few hours ahead and let the fridge do the work for me.
Pro Tips: I recommend English (hothouse) or Persian cucumbers (because of their thin, non-waxy skins and small seeds) and you can choose to peel them or not! For onionsI always use either sweet Visalia onions, or red onions if you want a slightly more peppery bite.
Try my other side dishes, like Baked Beans, Broccoli Apple Salad, Cauliflower Salad, Orzo Salad, Watermelon Salad, and Frog Eye Salad!
How to make Cucumber Salad:
Chop Veggies: Slice cucumbers and sweet onion into thin slices. and place in bowl.
Add Dressing: Combine dressing ingredients then pour over the cucumbers and onion. Toss the veggies to coat in dressing. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. I love to serve this salad with Grilled Chicken, BBQ Drumsticks, Ribs, or Steak Kabobs! If you love this recipe, try my Tomato Cucumber Salad!
How to Make Cucumber Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 mini cucumbers, or 1 English cucumber
- 1/4 or a large sweet onion, , or red onion
- 3 Tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers into thin slices. Slice the wedge of sweet onion into very thin slices. Place veggies in a large bowl.6 mini cucumbers, ¼ or a large sweet onion
- Marinade: 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.3 Tablespoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe July 2017. Updated March 2020, June 2022 and June 2026.
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.
Yum!!
This has always been my favorite. Sometimes ill add green bell pepper and tomatoes.
The best cucumber and onion recipe – two parts cucumber, not peeled, one part onion – approximately, mix with Heinz vinegar and salt and pepper. That’s all you need takes less than 2 mins. If you have sliced tomatoes on the side, you can put a couple in there and let them soak for a while. but the above slaw recipe I just mentioned, is the best. Plus you can drink the vinegar after the slaw is gone.
I am thinking about making this dish tomorrow for a potluck. “You could also soak the cucumbers in water first, to reduce their “bite”, but it’s not required.” Do you mean to say you can soak the onions to reduce their bite?
Thank you for catching that! Yes, we meant onions: I’ve fixed the wording. We’d love to hear how the salad is enjoyed tomorrow!
Not only is this a wonderful, delicious recipe, it just makes a small batch which is good for a family of one or two. Thank you so much,
Instead of using the vinegars, could you use fresh lemon or lime juice or both?
really easy and delicious.
Great summer salad!
I made cucumber salad. I love tomatoes and cucumber. Everyone enjoyed the salad. Highly recommend. Delicious.
Thanks for the quick and easy side idea. I love the mini cucumbers.
I make the salad all year around. I just don’t make it for the summer