Healthy Cucumber Vinegar Salad

This vinegar-based cucumber and onion salad is not only healthy, but quick to make and serves as the perfect side dish for all the meals you'll enjoy this summer.

Update: This recipe was originally posted in June 2016. The recipe and photos have been updated and republished in June 2021.

I have probably eaten this cucumber salad over a thousand times in my lifetime. There was one summer when I was a kid, when my mom decided she wanted to grow cucumbers. The plant did really well and we basically had to eat cucumbers with dinner each night to get through them.

I actually planted some cucumbers myself this year, from seed, which usually spells disaster for me. But there's a plant so I hope that means that cucumbers are going to follow. The dill however...well, lets just say I caught a squirrel running off with the whole plant.

What is healthy cucumber vinegar salad?

This old-fashioned cucumber salad is a great side dish to burgers, chicken, ribs and just about everything else you can think of. Cucumber and onions are thinly sliced and marinated in a bowl with apple cider vinegar, sugar, fresh dill, salt and pepper.

🥘 Ingredients for this recipe

• Cucumber: choose a seedless variety if possible, they're usually called English cucumbers
• Onion: I like a sweet onion, like a Vidalia in this salad. If you are using a white or yellow onion, see the tip below in the FAQ section to make the onion less strong
• Apple Cider Vinegar: my mom used white vinegar, but I found that apple cider vinegar has a better taste
• Sugar: balance out the vinegar by adding some sugar
• Dill: fresh or dried is great, you can also skip it like my mom used to
• Salt: bring out the water content in the cucumbers by adding salt

🔪Instructions for this recipe

• First, prep your cucumbers and onion. Thinly slice cucumbers and onion. If desired, use a vegetable peeler to cut strips down the cucumber for a prettier salad.
• Next, add all of your ingredients together. Place the cucumbers, onion, apple cider vinegar, sugar, dill and salt in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
• Then, refrigerate the salad to marinate the cucumbers. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until ready to eat. This will allow the cucumbers and onions to marinate in the vinegar mixture.
• Finally, taste test and serve. Before serving, taste the salad to see if it needs more sugar, vinegar or salt. Adjust according to your tastes and serve.

FAQ's for cucumber salad

• How long can you keep cucumbers in vinegar? This salad will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. After that the cucumbers will lose their crispness.
• Should I peel my cucumbers for a salad? It depends on the type. An English cucumber has a thin skin which you won't notice in the salad. But a regular cucumber has a thicker skin, so either cut stripes down the cucumber before slicing, or remove all of the skin.
• What is the best vinegar to use in cucumber salad? Pretty much any vinegar works. As a kid, my mom used white vinegar. I use apple cider vinegar, but white wine vinegar or even rice vinegar or red wine vinegar would all work.
• How do I make my onion less strong? If you can't find a Vidalia onion and using a white or yellow cooking onion, soak the sliced onion in cold water for 15 minutes before draining and adding to the salad.
• How long can you keep cucumbers in vinegar? This salad will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. After that the cucumbers will lose their crispness.
• Should I peel my cucumbers for a salad? It depends on the type. An English cucumber has a thin skin which you won't notice in the salad. But a regular cucumber has a thicker skin, so either cut stripes down the cucumber before slicing, or remove all of the skin.
• What is the best vinegar to use in cucumber salad? Pretty much any vinegar works. As a kid, my mom used white vinegar. I use apple cider vinegar, but white wine vinegar or even rice vinegar or red wine vinegar would all work.
• How do I make my onion less strong? If you can't find a Vidalia onion and using a white or yellow cooking onion, soak the sliced onion in cold water for 15 minutes before draining and adding to the salad.

What goes well with cucumber salad?

• Burgers - Pepperjack Pineapple Turkey Burgers
• Chicken - Fried Chicken BLT
• Pork - Slow Cooker Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey BBQ Sauce Pulled Pork
• Ribs, Hot Dogs, Fish...just about anything!

Want to save this recipe for later? Follow me on Pinterest! Rather watch a video? See if I've made this recipe by following me on Tiktok!

Recipe