As you might imagine, cucumber salad is a great option for cool weather. Cucumbers’ cool and refreshing taste goes well with a tangy dressing, perfect for warm outdoor gatherings.
While many traditional recipes mix sliced cucumbers with salt, sugar, and vinegar, which adds a few more exciting flavors to make your picnics stand out, it is fun.
Contents
Why Choose English Cucumbers?
In this recipe, I will use English cucumber. This variety is the best for salads compared to typical cucumbers. Its milder taste, extra-crisp texture, and fewer seeds make it perfect for salads. This way, it remains refreshing and crunchy.
I cut the cucumbers thicker than usual to give it extra crunch, adding crispness. And by sprinkling a little salt, they become watery and remain moist and fresh.
Other Preferences for Cucumber Salad Recipe
I picked a tangy mustard vinaigrette instead of the usual mayonnaise for the dressing. I also mixed some herbs and spices to give it more flavor and a nice kick.
These simple adjustments turn a regular cucumber salad into a refreshing side dish for any BBQ or outdoor event.
What You’ll Need
- Cucumber: 2 types of cucumbers are generally used for salads.
- Persian cucumbers are considered VIP because they are crispy and have almost no seeds.
- The other type I will use in this recipe is English cucumbers; they are less famous, but I think they are awesome.
- Red Onion: for a zesty flavor.
- Pro Tip: If your red onion is too strong, you can also use sweet onion; it won’t affect the taste, but you’ll miss out on the purple color.
- Dressing Ingredients
- Apple Cider Vinegar: For amazing taste
- Lemon Juice: Adds a sunny brightness that makes your taste buds better
- Whole-Grain Mustard: Brings little flavor explosions to every bite
- Honey: The peacekeeper that calms down the crazy intense flavors
- Red Pepper Flakes: for those who like spicy kicks
- Fresh Dill: For Freshness
Detailed Cooking Instructions: A Cucumber Salad
Step 1: Onion Preparation
Before this, we need to prepare the onion; I just remembered that I should mention red onion. Its purple color attracts the onlooker. A medium bowl should be filled halfway with cold water, and the onion should be left in it for fifteen minutes.
Why do we soak onions in cold water? Have you ever wondered?There are some really good benefits to it:
- Eases the strong taste of onions
- makes them crisp and refreshing
- prevents your salad from being too intense or spicy
After soaking in cold water for 15 minutes, you will get softer, gentler, more salad-friendly onions.
Step 2: Cucumber Preparation (Salt Technique)
Cucumbers need to be cut uniformly in half. One thing to keep in mind is that no piece should be too thick or too thin. All pieces should be cut to the same thickness to absorb the dressing equally.
After that, you need to sprinkle salt on them. As I mentioned, this will keep them moist but remove any excess moisture.
- When cucumbers are wet, they can make your salad mushy.
- Removing some moisture helps bring out the cucumber’s natural taste.
- It also helps the dressing stick to the cucumbers better.
Let the cucumbers sit for about 15 minutes to make things work.
Step 3: The Dressing
During this period we should prepare the dressing as both onions rest in the refrigerator and cucumbers stand in a mixing bowl. Preparation of this dish involves more than simple mixing processes because it develops a harmonious mix of flavors.
In a medium bowl, combine your ingredients:
- First, beat the apple cider vinegar and the lemon juice together.
- Stir in honey, gradually stirring the mixture simultaneously.
- Here, you could add whole-grain mustard.
- Sprinkle in red pepper flakes.
- Add a pinch of black pepper.
What matters is to whisk until all ingredients combine into a single mass. The art of combining flavors so that one component does not completely overpower the other is more than simply blending.
The Final Assembly
Finally, the most important and exciting, more complex part comes.
First of all, make sure your onions are dehydrated. Strain carefully using a fine mesh sieve, then give the sieve a little shake to push the last juice through. Those onions should be crisp, not swimming in their juices or sauce.
Next, pat your cucumbers dry. Either way, whether you direct it to a salad spinner or on paper towels, you must remove as much moisture as possible.
Lastly, combine all the ingredients into a bowl. But do not just throw it away – fold it nicely. It’s essential to make sure that each cucumber slice and piece of onion receives an equal amount of dressing. Let the salad sit for about another 15 minutes.
I always recommend not skipping this part; that’s when the flavors begin to interact and form connections.
Serving Suggestions for Cucumber Salad Recipe
This salad is my favorite! The combination of its crispy texture and tangy flavor is ideal. You can use it in various unique dishes, too.
Perfect Meal Pairings
- As a main dish, this salad is perfect when accompanied by grilled chicken breast, garlic butter salmon fillet, or juicy pork chops.
- Due to its vibrant, citrusy taste, the salad provides the much-needed contrasting flavor to balance the proteins, making it a delightful feast.
- In multi-course celebrations like holiday dinners, where Easter dinner is famous, it adds a fresh & ‘pop’ of energy to the roasted lamb or honey-glazed ham.
Cucumber Salad Recipe: Preparation and Storage
Flexibility in preparation is one of the greatest strengths of this cucumber salad. In fact, you can chop the cucumbers and onions beforehand and keep them in sealed containers until required. For the best texture, it might be advisable to use salt to reduce the water content for the cucumbers and soak the onions to reduce sharpness.
The vinaigrette should ideally be prepared several hours ahead of time and can be kept in the refrigerator. There is no need to prepare this repeatedly because just before using it, shake or stir the dressing to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Sometimes, preparing the vegetables and salad dressing ahead of time makes the dish taste worse. It is best to prepare them right before serving the food.
Additional Tips
First, prepare the salad and then chill it served to get the best results. The salad preparation occurs two days in advance for convenient use in meal planning and hosting guests.
Adjust the spiciness by adding greater amounts of red pepper flakes and accommodate a sweeter taste by adding more honey. The cucumber salad serves functions beyond being a side dish.
It is an addition to your cooking list, making your meal exciting. The salad could be ideal for a summer BBQ, a lazy lunch, or a holiday meal.
FAQs
For how long do I refrigerate cucumber salad to serve?
Just let the salad cool in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes. It makes it mix the flavors, making serving it all the more refreshing.
Can I pre-make cucumber salad?
Yes, you can prep it several hours in advance. If you sit on it, it might be watery.
Can I replace cucumbers with different vegetables while preparing my salad?
Yes! Tasty and nutritious crunches come from chickpeas or bell peppers or tomatoes when added to the salad.
Final Words
You can have this with any food. The recipe for cucumber salad is a great salad and a healthy one too. The good thing is that you can have it while dieting. With heavy diners, you should try something light-weight like this salad.