Easy Cucumber Onion Salad is a tangy side salad made with simple ingredients in just 10 minutes! Use your garden-fresh cucumbers for a healthy snack that stays fresh for up to a month.
This year, I was inundated with a full harvest of cucumbers- much more than ever before. Running out of options to use them all or give them away, my husband recounted a recipe for Cucumber Onion Salad from his childhood summers with such a sense of nostalgia that I knew I’d have to track it down.
After a warm chat with his spunky yet genteel grandmother, this recipe was a sure-fire winner. We have been enjoying it all summer as a tangy and refreshing accompaniment to grilled chicken thighs, grilled pork chops, and summer barbeque!
Ingredients and Notes
Which onions do I use? Choose a sweet onion like Vidalia onions. I don’t recommend old-fashioned white onions. If I know I will be using it that day, I’ll use a red onion for color and milder flavor.
Optional: Red Pepper Flakes, Black Pepper, or Fresh Herbs: Add in fresh dill or basil for a refreshing twist. I advise to keep the add-ins minimal. This classic recipe is a classic for a reason!
Do I need a dressing? This recipe can be served straight out of the jar as is. You can also make a creamy version with a dollop of sour cream and lemon juice. Or mix Greek yogurt with fresh dill to make a simple dressing.
How To Choose Cucumbers
The best garden variety cucumbers are pickling varieties because they remain crisp rather than watery. Persian and english cucumbers taste wonderful but won’t last quite as long.
Do peel cucumber varieties with thick/tough skin. Thin skin and thin slices are ideal here!
Quick Tip! Once prepped, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. This salad is best served well chilled!
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Serving: Serve straight out of the jar as an accompaniment to blackened chicken, grilled pork chop, seafood and more!
Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator with the cucumbers submerged. English cucumbers last about a week before they lose their crispness. However, pickling cucumbers can have a shelf-life up to a few months.
Changes in color, an unpleasant odor, changes in brine texture, bubbling in the jar, or bulging of the lid, are all indicators that your salad has expired.
Looking for more easy veggie-packed recipes? Check out some of these:
- Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
- Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
- Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Frequently asked questions
If you’re following a low-carb or low-sugar diet, you can still enjoy this salad. Simply replace the sugar with equal parts Splenda or whatever ratio is equivalent for your sweetener alternative.
Any basic vinegar such as white vinegar, apple cider, rice, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar can be used for pickling. The flavor will be different, but some people prefer other varieties. If you prefer apple cider vinegar, it will alter the color slightly. Avoid aged or distilled vinegar such as malt or balsamic.
My best advice is to choose your cucumbers wisely. Stay away from watery, thick-skinned garden cucumbers if you want to keep the salad for a while. Only use that type if you intend to eat the salad shortly after making it. You can also salt them before adding them to the mixture.
You don’t have to if the skin is thin. This is all about personal preference!
Do you have a garden? How do you use extra cucumbers or other extra veggies? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments.
Not Sure
What's For Dinner?
Signup for recipe updates and get a free cookbook of Easy Weeknight Supper Solutions!
More Great Recipes to Try!
PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.
Cucumber Onion Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups Sliced or chunked cucumbers *See note about varieties
- 1 cup Sweet onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cups Sugar
- 1 ½ cups White distilled vinegar
- 3 cups Water
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- dash Salt
- dash Red pepper flakes Optional
Instructions
- Slice or chunk 3 cups Sliced or chunked cucumbers and thinly slice 1 cup Sweet onion with a sharp knife.
- In a bowl, add ¼ cups Sugar, dash Salt, 1 ½ cups White distilled vinegar, 3 cups Water, and 2 cloves Garlic. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Add the cucumber slices and onion to mason jar or other container of your choice (I used two 500ml mason jars).
- Pour vinegar-garlic mixture over top to fill the jars. Close and shake or stir to coat all the cucumbers.
- Refrigerate overnight. Mixture is good for at least 1 month in the refrigerator.
Jamie says
I used red onions. Very simple to make.
Linda says
I used to have this as a kid too. So easy to make!
Mel says
Loved it came out perfectly!
Zoe says
This salad was so delicious
Jessica says
Tangy and not too sweet.
Bridget says
Was just the old fashioned recipe I was looking for!
Jo Ellen says
I use cucumbers in my green juice every day. Like you I was getting inundated with cucs during the summer and I wished I could save them to me through the winter. Organic cucs are $2-$3 each. Then I had and idea. Since I was turning them to liquid anyway, I threw some in my Ninja with some lemon juice and froze the juice! Genius! I now how great cucumber juice all winter. And it smells like summer when I open each bag.
Rachel says
That is a great idea! I will have to try it because I planted too many cucumbers this year.
Tressa says
Please I need help with this salad. I want to can my cucumber and onion salad but keep longer so I can give as gifts. Canning is no problem but I can’t find any recipe that say the jars of salad won’t last more than could months. Can you please help as my cucumbers are sitting on counter. Thanks
Rachel says
Oh no! Sorry, I have been on vacation for the fourth. Let me think. I love canning, but mostly tomatoes and some jams from my garden. Since the recipe contains so much vinegar, its acidic enough for old-fashioned canning, so keep it sealed and shelf stable. The main problem is that I don’t think that the cucumbers will survive boiling well, unless you use pickling cucumbers. Pickling cucumbers are firmer, but even then I have personally had a tough time getting a super crisp pickle like you find at the store. People tell me homemade pickles are different. You could try adding some pickling crisper and see if that helps, and then use a pickle method.
Brent says
My grandmother used to make this and I’ve been looking for a similar recipe. Thanks!