18 Quick Cucumber Salad Recipes Full of Fresh Flavors (2024)

One of the veggies kids and adults can usually agree on, cucumbers are great alone or dunked in dips. But when combined with a few other ingredients to create a fresh, quick cucumber salad, they're irresistible! Try a classic tomato cucumber salad or an inspired fruit (yes, fruit!) cucumber salad.

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Creamy Cucumbers

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18 Quick Cucumber Salad Recipes Full of Fresh Flavors (1)

Say hello to your new favorite make-ahead quick cucumber salad side dish. In just 15 minutes, this fresh side will be whipped up and ready to chill for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days! Peel the cucumbers first if you're feeding picky eaters, or keep peels on for the biggest fiber boost.

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Cucumber-Honeydew Salad with Feta

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A little chopping and whisking are all it takes to create this pretty and healthy side dish. The honeydew and cucumber combo might seem odd to some, but with a honey-lemon dressing and feta cheese to tie everything together, you'll wonder why you haven't paired them before.

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Cucumber Kimchi

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Fermented foods such as Korean kimchi bring the heat and are packed with probiotics, contributing to gut health. Whip up this spicy quick cucumber salad and serve it alongside Korean barbecue or to top off a bowl of bibimbap.

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Radish and Cucumber Salad

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This radish and cucumber salad is just the thing for a potluck gathering. None of the fresh ingredients require refrigeration, so this side dish can sit out longer than dairy-containing sides. It makes a nice change of pace from all the heavier barbecue foods, too, so guests can enjoy your backyard bash with a taste from the garden.

Cucumber, Tomatoes, and Mint

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Yes, you read that right. Mint, not basil, gives this quick cucumber salad its unique flavor twist. The fresh veggie side is a perfect pairing for virtually any dinner: Burgers, pasta, chicken, you name it.

Grilled Vegetables

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Cucumber, Olive, and Dill Salad

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The recipe name says it all. If you like those three ingredients, you'll love this salad! And if you like recipes that take only 15 minutes to prep, you'll extra love this quick cucumber salad with fresh dill. We added just a dash of sugar to balance the briny Kalamata olives and pungent red onion.

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Chopped Green Salad

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Get all your greens in one bowl with this chopped salad recipe. In addition to the cucumbers, we've got spinach, broccoli, green beans, and edamame. Thanks to juicy green grapes, you'll also get a serving of fruit in this salad.

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Citrus-Cucumber Slaw with Pickled Shallots

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The citrus wedges may catch your eye, but this salad has an entire English cucumber, too. The citrus-cucumber combination makes it an ideal recipe for late winter or early spring when citrus is still in season, since you can find delicious cucumbers year-round.

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Chicken, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad

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Elevate this quick cucumber salad to an entrée by adding chicken and cheese to pump the protein up to 25 grams per serving. The dressing for this cucumber and tomato salad is a simple vinaigrette with a bit of fresh thyme for good measure. It pairs delightfully with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and tangy-salty feta.

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Cucumber-Radish Slaw

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We call it a slaw because it's excellent on burgers, hot dogs, and other cookout favorites, but it eats like a yummy veggie salad all on its own. Make it up to 2 hours ahead to pack this quick cucumber salad for a potluck.

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Spicy Watermelon Salad

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Technically, watermelon is the star of this show, but cucumber plays a solid supporting role. You've seen the cucumber-watermelon pairing before, but in this kicked-up healthy side salad, there are serrano chiles to spice it up. Yuzu juice (if you can't find it, lime juice works, too) and lime zest add a little lip-puckering flavor.

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Corn and Blueberry Salad

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This fast and fresh salad tastes like summer in a bowl! We let cucumbers take a backseat to fresh sweet corn and added juicy blueberries for an unexpected twist that we promise you'll love.

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Cucumber-Tomato Salad

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You can't beat a classic tomato-cucumber salad! This one looks unique with a mix of pear, cherry, and grape tomatoes, but you can use any tomatoes you want. Vinaigrette infused with ginger brings a big flavor to this make-ahead side dish.

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Ginger-Spiced Cucumbers

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Give this quick cucumber salad Asian flavors from rice vinegar, mirin (aka rice wine), and fresh ginger. It takes just 15 minutes to slice some cucumber and onion and whisk together the dressing to make this speedy side. Let it marinate to let the flavors meld while you whip up the entrée.

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Horiatiki (Greek Village Salad)

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This Greek salad recipe is filled with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and feta cheese. A drizzle of red wine vinegar brightens up the salad and brings out the fresh flavors. Finish the platter with capers, coarse salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Herbed Garden Couscous

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Add a serving of whole grains to your quick cucumber salad recipe by adding whole wheat couscous. And if you want to make a meal of it, simply add a portion of your favorite protein (beef and chicken would be wonderful) on top of this salad for an all-in-one dinner.

Chicken, Spinach, and Pasta Salad

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Marinated Veggie-Orzo Salad

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Whip up this pasta salad using in-season summer produce like radishes, asparagus, and of course, cucumbers. The tangy dressing uses fresh herbs like dill, basil, mint, or chives, to add fresh flavor to each bite.

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Greek-Inspired Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Feta Dressing

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Cooked quinoa adds heartiness to this quick cucumber salad recipe. Round it out with fresh veggies, crunchy pita chips, and feta cheese. Add fiber and texture with a can of chickpeas.

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18 Quick Cucumber Salad Recipes Full of Fresh Flavors (2024)

FAQs

What flavors go well with cucumbers? ›

Spices: Cucumbers pair well with spices such as black pepper, cumin, and coriander. Fruits: Cucumbers pair well with fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon, and berries. Meats: Cucumbers pair well with meats such as chicken, salmon, and tuna. Seafood: Cucumbers pair well with seafood such as shrimp, crab, and oysters.

How to make tastier cucumbers? ›

Salt can bring out the natural flavours of cucumbers and make them taste more vibrant. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over sliced cucumbers and let them sit for a few minutes to draw out excess moisture. Rinse the cucumbers with water to remove the salt and pat them dry. The result will be a crisper and tastier cucumber.

How do you keep cucumbers crisp in cucumber salad? ›

Salt the slices first. No matter the salad recipe you're making, salt the cut-up cucumber beforehand. The extra step allows them to release some of their water — keeping them extra crisp even when they get tossed with the dressing.

How do you keep cucumber salad from getting watery? ›

The solution: The standard recommendation for ridding watery vegetable such as cucumbers of unwanted moisture is to salt them. The salt draws out the liquid from the vegetable because of the natural tendency of salt water solutions to equalize when mixed together.

What not to mix cucumbers with? ›

Therefore, most of the time, the combination of cucumber and tomato is advised to be avoided. Additionally, they both have a completely different way of digestion, so this combination must be avoided as it can lead to stomach upset."

What should not be mixed with cucumber? ›

Cucumber and tomato are both eaten together in salads. But this is not the right food combination in terms of health. Actually, the way these two are digested is completely different, so eating them together should be avoided.

What cucumber has the best flavor? ›

A few favorites include 'Beit Alpha,' which is grown for its sweet flavor and exceptionally thin skin. 'Suyo Long' is a seedless, mild-flavored variety from northern China that grows about 18 inches long. 'China Jade' has striking yellow-green flesh and long, thin-skinned fruit.

What not to store cucumbers with? ›

Ensure that the cucumbers are stored away from ethylene-producing fruits like tomatoes, apples, and bananas. Ethylene can cause cucumbers to ripen and spoil more quickly. Avoid placing cucumbers near foods with strong odors as they absorb odors easily.

Why is my cucumber salad bitter? ›

A cucumber's bitterness is caused by cucurbitacin, a bitter chemical that protects the plant from predators. Usually, cucurbitacin stays in the stem and leaves, but it can work its way into the fruit. A cucumber's bitterness is caused by cucurbitacin, a bitter chemical that protects the plant from predators.

Why are my cucumbers slimy in my salad? ›

Why Are My Cucumbers Slimy? The light-white or clear coating of slime you may find on your cucumbers is a sign that the rotting process has begun, and it's just matter of time before they totally spoil.

How to make cucumbers extra crunchy? ›

The secret to making sure the cucumber stays nice and crunchy is to draw out the excess water. Some people like only to use salt, but I find using half salt and half sugar help flavor the cucumber while ensuring that the cucumber stays nice and crunchy! Add 1 Tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of salt to the cut-up cucumber.

Does salting cucumbers make them crunchier? ›

The salt can act as a natural preservative, slowing down the fermentation process and helping to keep the cucumbers fresh for a longer period of time. Salt can also help to firm up the cucumbers, giving them a crisp texture.

What is the best thing to eat with cucumber? ›

Cucumber recipes
  • Grilled salmon teriyaki with cucumber salad. ...
  • Cucumber salad with pickled red onions. ...
  • Crunchy watercress, cucumber & radish salad. ...
  • Greek salad. ...
  • Salmon, samphire & charred cucumber salad. ...
  • Courgette fritters with dill & cucumber sauce. ...
  • Thai salad. ...
  • Cod with cucumber, avocado & mango salsa salad.

What is the flavor profile of cucumber? ›

Cucumbers have a mild, lightly sweet flavour due to their high water content. They are crisp, cool and refreshing to eat raw—hence the saying “cool as a cucumber.” Cucumber skin has an earthier taste, but many people leave it on for its texture, flavor and health benefits.

What does cucumber taste good dipped in? ›

Cucumbers are great when dipped in vinegar espcially from coconut vinegar and add a little salt to it. Sometimes salt will do. Homemade dill dip, homemade ranch and homemade salsa………if its homemade your have fresh ingredients and you can control the salt and sugar.

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