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This Cold Cucumber and Dill Salad is the perfect refreshing, crunchy snack or side dish for a hot summer day. All you need is a handful of simple ingredients. Vegan and gluten free.
Bring that with you Cucumber and Dill Salad to your next summer barbecue or family picnic. Its refreshing coolness complements any dish that could use a spicy, bold and aromatic crunch. It’s on the table in just 10 minutes!
Table of contents
- A cool, refreshing easy salad
- Ingredients for cucumber and dill salad
- How to make cucumber and dill salad
- serving suggestions
- How to store cucumber and dill salad
- Crispy Cucumber Dill Salad Recipe
A cool, refreshing easy salad
As the sun and warm weather return, I’m always on the lookout for new, easy, and delicious ways to eat as many raw veggies as possible. And after trying the crunchy, refreshing cucumber in this delicious Tomato Cucumber Basil Salad, I knew I wanted to find a way to make cucumbers the star of the show.
Believe me when I say you can’t beat this Cucumber Dill Salad. It’s crispy, fresh, light and as flavorful as it gets. Plus, it’s easy to prepare while you’re cooking other main dishes, making this recipe a breeze. After the first bite, you’ll understand why this side dish that I can’t stop eating is a perennial favorite in my home.
Ingredients for cucumber and dill salad
you only need 6 simple ingredients and your favorite salad bowl to make this easy side dish. Minimum ingredients for maximum flavor here, my friends.
- Cucumber: Thin-skinned cucumbers such as English/greenhouse cucumbers or Persian cucumbers are best. Avoid Kirby cucumbers or thick-skinned cucumbers. These are better for pickling or frying.
- Red onion: adds a nice textural contrast. Feel free to add or swap out mine Quick pickled red onions for the extra pop!
- red wine vinegar: gives this fresh cucumber salad that *zing* It has to pass the taste test. If you run out of red wine vinegar, you can replace it with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Oil: A few tablespoons of high quality extra virgin olive oil will help coat the onion and cucumber slices and allow the vinegar and spices to stick. If it is oil free, it can be omitted. Be aware, however, that this will cause the remaining marinade ingredients to slide to the bottom of your salad bowl.
- Fresh dill: This fresh herb has a bright, tangy, almost lemony flavor that pairs beautifully with the crunchy, refreshing cucumber and bold flavor of red wine vinegar. If you’re not a fan of dill, feel free to swap in your favorite fresh herbs like fresh basil, parsley, mint, or cilantro.
- whole grain mustard: adds a delicious, spicy kick that balances the sweetness of the onions. If you don’t have whole wheat mustard on hand, don’t worry — just add in some yellow mustard seeds, spicy brown mustard, or Dijon mustard.
How to make cucumber and dill salad
- whisk Whisk together the vinegar, oil, mustard, and a large pinch of salt until the easy dressing is emulsified.
- Add to in thin slices of cucumber, onion and fresh dill.
- Fold stir together until well blended.
- Marinate for 5-10 minutes or up to 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- surcharge in the room Temperature or chilled, as you wish!
Caitlin’s cooking tips
- Use a mandolin. Thinly slicing the cucumbers and onions not only makes prep a breeze, but we create more surface volume for the dressing to cling to. This allows the marinade to be better absorbed and the salad tastes better overall.
- Buy a quality, flaky sea salt. Learning how to properly salt your home cooking is key to preparing flavorful dishes that will blow your mind. Sprinkling flaky sea salt on fresh, simple salads like this Cucumber and Dill Salad not only adds visual appeal, but also enhances the flavor and texture in ways table salt just can’t. I use Maldon Flaky Sea Salt.
serving suggestions
Like every bright, crunchy salad recipe on the blog, this cucumber salad makes a great side dish for backyard BBQs, potlucks, and summer picnics. It’s also a great 10-minute snack that you can whip up any day of the week on a whim.
Personally, I love serving it up with my falafel burgers, beetroot burgers, BBQ tempeh tacos, and savory sandwiches like this Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich or this Rainbow Vegetable Hummus Sandwich.
If you’re looking for more potluck salad recipes, you’ll also love this Everything Bagel Potato Salad and Mediterranean Pasta Salad!
How to store cucumber and dill salad
After the cucumber slices have marinated, this cucumber and dill salad is best enjoyed right away. However, it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing is not recommended.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to prevent cucumbers from getting soggy in a salad is to dress the salad with crispy, crunchy cucumbers. The firmer the cucumbers, the better the salad. Also, plan to enjoy the salad within 24 hours (ideally within a few hours). The longer the lettuce sits, the more likely it is that the pickles will become soggy Nobody wants a mushy cucumber salad.
No need! English cucumbers have a thin skin and are tender enough to eat without peeling. The skin also contains most of the nutritional values. So keep an eye on them to get the most health benefits.
To maximize the freshness of fresh cucumbers, it’s best to protect them from moisture. Wrap the fresh, unwashed cucumbers in a paper towel, then place them together in an airtight container. The paper towel will help soak up any excess water and keep them as crispy as possible.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and want to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also appreciate if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
- 1 english cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced (or alternatively pickled red onions for an extra kick)
- 1/3 Cup fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon high quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- large pinch of salt flakes or to taste
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Dressing: Place the vinegar, oil, mustard, and salt in the bottom of a medium bowl and stir until an emulsification is formed
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Combine: Add the cucumber, onion and dill and fold into the dressing until well combined. Let marinate at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. You can also let it marinate in the fridge for up to 1 hour before serving.
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Surcharge: Serve at will; This salad is best served fresh, as leftovers will become mushy over time.
- I recommend using a mandolin to slice the cucumber and red onion as thinly as possible.
- Red wine vinegar can be substituted with balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or any other vinegar of your choice.
- Oil free: The oil in this recipe helps coat the veggies and allows the vinegar and spices to stick; You can omit it if you like, but don’t be surprised if it all slides to the bottom of the bowl.
Calories: 81kcalCarbohydrates: 4GProtein: 1GFat: 7GSaturated Fatty Acids: 1GPolyunsaturated fat: 1GMonounsaturated fatty acids: 5GSodium: 32mgPotassium: 156mgFiber: 1GSugar: 2GVitamin A: 383IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg