This cucumber vinegar salad is easy to make and absolutely delightful! It’s fresh-tasting and pairs well with any main course you can think of.
The prep time is just ten minutes, but the salad needs to be marinated in the fridge for three hours.
My Dutch-born dad used to make what he called “komkommersalade” almost weekly. Translating to “cucumber salad,” it was by far one of my favorite side dishes. I couldn’t get enough of it!
Dad used to marinate the cucumber slices in a mixture of white vinegar, salt, and sugar. I omit the sugar, use gentler vinegar, and dilute it in water. The result is just as good as my childhood salad. Here’s how to make it.
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Ingredients
Here’s a look at the ingredients needed to make this salad. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Vinegar: I use white wine vinegar. Other good options include rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar. I don’t recommend using distilled white vinegar. It’s too acidic.
- Water: I add a small amount of water to dilute the vinegar. This prevents the salad from being too acidic.
- Sea salt: You can also add ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, but I usually don’t.
- Cucumber: I use one English cucumber. It should be thinly sliced – ⅛-inch thick if possible and certainly no thicker than ¼ inch.
Variations
I prefer the basic salad, but there are countless ways you can vary it. Here are a few ideas:
- Add ¼ cup of thinly sliced onions (yellow or red).
- Add ¼ cup of chopped scallions.
- Sometimes, I add ½ cup of sliced cherry tomatoes or thinly sliced Roma tomatoes.
- For a richer dressing, you can add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Make it spicy with a generous pinch of red pepper flakes, which also add a splash of color to the salad.
- After draining, mix in ½ cup of sour cream to turn it into a creamy cucumber salad.
- Add 2 tablespoons of minced dill. As you can see in the photos below, I was out of fresh dill today, so I used about ½ teaspoon of dried dill.
Instructions
Here’s an overview of the steps for making this salad. The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below.
Mix the vinegar, water, and salt in a small glass bowl.
Add the cucumber slices and stir to ensure they are covered in the vinegar mixture.
Expert Tips
- Your goal is to marinate the cucumber slices in the vinegar mixture until they slightly soften and absorb the vinegary flavor. That’s why the salad needs to spend three hours in the fridge. This is also the reason I recommend remixing it midway, to ensure all the cucumber slices are well coated.
- I don’t feel the need to add sugar to the marinade. But if you try this salad and determine it’s too acidic for your taste, next time, try adding just one teaspoon of sugar or honey.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. An English cucumber will be better because it has a firmer texture, but a regular cucumber will work fine if that’s all you have.
Sugar is added in this type of recipe to balance out the acidity of the vinegar. I feel it’s unnecessary. However, you can add a teaspoon of sugar or honey if you wish.
I don’t recommend that for aesthetic reasons. It will discolor the cucumbers.
If using an English cucumber, you can keep the peel, as it’s thin. If using a regular cucumber, which has a thicker skin, it’s up to you. I typically leave it on.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to four days. I don’t recommend freezing this salad.
More Cucumber Recipes
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Refreshing Cucumber Vinegar Salad
This cucumber vinegar salad is easy to make and absolutely delightful! It’s fresh-tasting and pairs well with any main course you can think of.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 14kcal
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Notes
- English cucumbers work best in this recipe. These are the elongated cucumbers sold wrapped in plastic to protect their delicate skin. They are seedless, flavorful, firmer, and less watery than regular cucumbers. Having said that, if you can’t find English cucumbers, it’s fine to use regular ones.
- You can add 2 tablespoons of minced dill or ½ teaspoon of dried dill.
- Your goal is to marinate the cucumber slices in the vinegar mixture until they slightly soften and absorb the vinegary flavor. That’s why the salad needs to spend three hours in the fridge. This is also the reason I recommend remixing it midway, to ensure all the cucumber slices are well coated.
- I don’t feel the need to add sugar to the marinade. But if you try this salad and determine it’s too acidic for your taste, next time, try adding just one teaspoon of sugar or honey.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to four days. I don’t recommend freezing this salad.
Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 0.5 cup | Calories: 14 kcal | Carbohydrates: 3 g | Protein: 0.5 g | Fat: 0.1 g | Sodium: 148 mg | Fiber: 0.4 g | Sugar: 1 g
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