Marinated Cucumber and Red Onion Salad recipe

There are some recipes that are so deeply woven into the fabric of summer that the season wouldn’t feel complete without them. For my family, this Marinated Cucumber and Red Onion Salad is one of those culinary traditions. I can still vividly recall the giant glass bowl of it that my grandmother would bring to every single barbecue and potluck. The vibrant green of the cucumbers and the jewel-toned purple of the onions swimming in a clear, glistening marinade was a sight to behold on a checkered picnic blanket. The first bite was always a revelation—an electrifying crunch, followed by a wave of tangy, sweet, and savory flavors that instantly cut through the summer heat. It was, and still is, the ultimate palate cleanser and the most refreshing side dish imaginable. I’ve since taken over the tradition of making this salad, and it brings me so much joy to see my own kids’ faces light up when they see the familiar bowl on the dinner table. It’s a recipe that’s more than just a list of ingredients; it’s a taste of nostalgia, a celebration of simplicity, and the undisputed champion of summer side dishes.

The Ultimate Marinated Cucumber and Red Onion Salad Recipe

This recipe honors the classic version while providing detailed tips to ensure you achieve the crispiest cucumbers and the most perfectly balanced marinade every single time. It’s a testament to how a few simple, fresh ingredients can create something truly spectacular.

Ingredients

• 2 large English Cucumbers (or 5-6 medium Kirby or Persian cucumbers)
• 1 large Red Onion
• 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, divided
• 1 cup (240ml) Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar
• ½ cup (120ml) Water
• ½ cup (100g) Granulated Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
• ½ cup Fresh Dill, loosely packed and finely chopped

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Perfect Cucumber Salad

The magic of this salad lies in the technique. Following these steps carefully will yield a salad that is incredibly crisp and flavorful, avoiding the common pitfall of becoming watery and limp.

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables
The foundation of this salad is uniformly sliced vegetables, which ensures they marinate evenly and provide a consistent texture in every bite.

• Wash and dry your cucumbers thoroughly. Since we are using thin-skinned English or Persian cucumbers, there is no need to peel them. The dark green peel adds beautiful color and a pleasant texture. If you are using standard garden cucumbers with thicker, waxy skins, you may want to peel them fully or create stripes by peeling alternating strips.
• Using a very sharp chef’s knife or, for best results, a mandoline slicer, slice the cucumbers into thin, uniform rounds about 1/8-inch thick. A mandoline is the secret weapon for achieving paper-thin, consistent slices that absorb the marinade beautifully.
• Peel the red onion and slice it in half from root to tip. Lay the flat, cut side down on your cutting board and slice it into equally thin half-moons.

Step 2: “Sweat” the Cucumbers and Onions
This is the most crucial step for ensuring a crunchy, not watery, final product. We are drawing out the excess water from the vegetables before they go into the marinade.

• Place the sliced cucumbers and red onions into a large colander.
• Sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of the Kosher salt.
• Using your hands, gently toss the vegetables to ensure the salt is evenly distributed.
• Place the colander in the sink or over a large bowl to catch the liquid.
• Let the vegetables sit and “sweat” for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour. During this time, the salt will pull a significant amount of water out of the cucumbers. You will see the liquid dripping into the sink or pooling in the bowl below.
• After 30-60 minutes, gently press down on the vegetables in the colander to release any remaining liquid. Do NOT rinse the vegetables; the residual salt is needed for flavor. You can give them a gentle pat with a paper towel if they seem excessively wet, but it’s not strictly necessary.

Step 3: Prepare the Marinade
While the vegetables are sweating, you can prepare the simple yet potent marinade.

• In a large, non-reactive bowl (glass or stainless steel is perfect), combine the apple cider vinegar, water, granulated sugar, the remaining ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt, and the freshly ground black pepper.
• Whisk the mixture vigorously for a minute or two, until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved into the liquid. You shouldn’t feel any grit or granules at the bottom of the bowl. This clear, balanced brine is what will pickle and preserve the vegetables.

Step 4: Combine and Marinate
This is where the flavors begin to meld and the magic happens.

• Add the drained, “sweated” cucumber and red onion slices to the bowl with the marinade.
• Add the finely chopped fresh dill.
• Gently stir everything together with a large spoon, ensuring all the vegetable slices are submerged and coated in the marinade.
• Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid.
• Place the bowl in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. However, for the best, most developed flavor, allow it to marinate for 2 to 4 hours. This gives the marinade enough time to fully penetrate the vegetables, infusing them with that signature tangy and sweet flavor.

Step 5: Serve Chilled

• Before serving, give the salad another gentle stir to redistribute the marinade and dill.
• Serve the salad cold, straight from the refrigerator, using a slotted spoon to leave excess liquid behind in the bowl.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings: This recipe makes approximately 8 side-dish servings.
• Calories per serving: Approximately 75-90 calories.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is an estimate and can vary based on the exact ingredients, portion sizes, and specific types of vinegar or sugar used.

Preparation Time

• Active Preparation Time: 15 minutes (for slicing and mixing)
• Passive Time (for sweating and marinating): Minimum of 1 hour, ideally 2.5+ hours
• Total Time: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes (minimum)

How to Serve Your Marinated Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

This versatile salad is the perfect counterpoint to a wide variety of main courses. Its bright, acidic flavor profile is designed to cut through rich, savory, and smoky foods. Here are some ideal ways to serve it:

• The Ultimate Barbecue Side Dish: This salad is a non-negotiable at any cookout. Its cool, crisp nature is the perfect complement to:
  • Smoky pulled pork or beef brisket sandwiches.
  • Classic grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.
  • Char-grilled chicken breasts or thighs.
  • Rich, fall-off-the-bone BBQ ribs.
• A Refreshing Companion to Grilled Fish: The zesty marinade pairs beautifully with seafood. Serve it alongside:
  • Grilled salmon or trout.
  • Pan-seared cod or halibut.
  • Simple shrimp skewers.
• The Star of a Potluck or Picnic Spread: It holds up well for a few hours, making it perfect for gatherings. Place it on the buffet table next to other classic salads like:
  • Creamy potato salad.
  • Coleslaw.
  • Pasta salad.
• As a Zesty Topping or Relish: Don’t just think of it as a side dish. Use a fork to pile it onto:
  • Bratwursts or sausages in a bun.
  • Spicy fried chicken sandwiches.
  • Tuna salad or chicken salad sandwiches for a crunchy, pickled kick.
• A Light and Healthy Lunch: For a simple and refreshing meal, serve a generous bowl of the cucumber salad with a side of cottage cheese or a piece of hearty, crusty bread to soak up the delicious marinade.

Additional Tips for Salad Perfection

These five expert tips will help you troubleshoot common issues and customize this classic recipe to make it your own.

1. Mandoline for the Win: While a sharp knife works, a mandoline slicer is the single best tool for this recipe. It creates flawlessly uniform, paper-thin slices in a fraction of the time. This uniformity is not just for looks; it ensures every single slice has the same texture and absorbs the marinade at the same rate, resulting in a perfectly consistent salad. Always use the safety guard provided with the mandoline.
2. Choose Your Cucumber Wisely: The type of cucumber you choose matters. English (or hothouse) cucumbers are ideal because they have thin, delicate skin, very few seeds, and a crisp texture. Persian or Kirby cucumbers are also excellent choices for the same reasons. If you use a standard garden cucumber, which has a thick, waxy skin and large seeds, it’s best to peel it and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before slicing.
3. Don’t Rush the Marinade: While the salad is technically edible after 30 minutes, its flavor deepens and becomes significantly more complex with time. The 2-to-4-hour marinating window is the sweet spot where the vegetables are fully infused with flavor but still retain a fantastic crunch. It can even be made a day in advance, though it may lose a bit of its initial crispness by day two.
4. Fresh Dill is Non-Negotiable: This is one recipe where you cannot substitute dried dill for fresh. The flavor of fresh dill is bright, grassy, and slightly anise-like, which is essential for the salad’s signature taste. Dried dill has a much duller, hay-like flavor that won’t provide the same fresh, vibrant lift. If you absolutely cannot find fresh dill, fresh parsley or chives could work as an alternative, though they will change the flavor profile.
5. Balance Your Brine: The 1:2 ratio of sugar to vinegar in this recipe creates a classic sweet-and-sour profile. Feel free to adjust it to your personal taste. If you prefer a more tangy salad, reduce the sugar to ⅓ cup. If you like it sweeter, you can increase it slightly. You can also experiment with different vinegars. Rice vinegar will give a milder, less acidic flavor, while red wine vinegar can add a different kind of fruity tang.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. My cucumber salad always ends up watery. What am I doing wrong?
This is the most common issue, and the solution lies in Step 2: “sweating” the cucumbers. By salting the sliced cucumbers and letting them sit in a colander, you draw out a large percentage of their natural water content before they are combined with the marinade. If you skip this step, the cucumbers will release all that water directly into your marinade, diluting the flavor and resulting in a soggy, watery salad.

2. Can I use a different type of onion?
You can, but red onion is the classic choice for a reason. It has a milder, sweeter flavor than yellow or white onions, which can be overly pungent and overpowering in a raw preparation like this. Red onions also add a beautiful pop of purple color that makes the salad visually stunning. If you must substitute, a sweet Vidalia onion or shallots would be the next best choice.

3. How long will this salad last in the refrigerator?
This salad is best enjoyed within 2 days of making it. Thanks to the “sweating” step, it will remain surprisingly crisp for the first 24-48 hours. After the second day, the cucumbers will begin to soften as they continue to pickle in the vinegar marinade. While it will still be safe and tasty to eat for up to 4-5 days, it will have lost its signature crunch.

4. Can I make this recipe sugar-free?
Yes, you can make a sugar-free version, but it will have a very different flavor profile. The sugar’s primary role is to balance the sharp acidity of the vinegar, creating the classic sweet-and-sour taste. If you omit it entirely, you will have a very tangy, purely pickled salad. If you want a sweet flavor without using granulated sugar, you could try dissolving a tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup into the vinegar, or using a sugar substitute like Stevia, though you will need to adjust the amount to taste.

5. I don’t have fresh dill. What can I use instead?
As mentioned in the tips, fresh dill is strongly recommended for its unique, classic flavor. However, if you can’t find it, you can substitute other fresh, soft herbs. The best alternatives would be finely chopped fresh parsley, which adds a clean, grassy flavor, or snipped fresh chives for a mild oniony note. Some people also enjoy fresh mint in this salad for a different kind of refreshing twist. Avoid strong, woody herbs like rosemary or thyme, as their flavors are too overpowering.

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