Name: Cucumber and Onion Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 11 min
Ingredients: 6 cups cucumbers, thinly sliced ({3 regular cucumbers or 6 pickling}); 1 1/2 cup white vinegar; 2 tbsp sugar ({you can leave out if desired}); 1/2 cup water; 1/4 tsp dried dill; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 3/4 tsp celery seed ({NOT celery salt}); 1/2 onion, thinly sliced

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This make-ahead Cucumber and Onion Salad is a summertime superstar. Simple and delicious, the fresh ingredients let the garden-fresh produce shine in this easy vinegar-based cucumber salad.

cucumber and onion salad in two bowls with cucumbers and a fork on a white background

This cucumber and onion salad in vinegar is delicious, but more importantly, I think it is so popular because it reminds people of childhood picnics, potlucks, and backyard BBQs.

Do you love make-ahead salads? Sure you do! You have to check out Greek yogurt chicken salad, pea salad recipe, Instant Pot potato salad, vegan quinoa salad, and Greek yogurt egg salad.

sliced onions, cucumbers, and other ingredients on a white board.

Sustainability Tip

Save the leftover onion scraps for making chicken bone broth or turkey bone broth. Stick them in a freezer bag and pop the bag in the freezer until you have accumulated enough veggie scraps.

And if you want to take things to the next level, learn how to can your chicken stock.

What is the Best Vinegar for Cucumber and Onion Salad?

I use plain ol’ white vinegar but have also had great success with apple cider vinegar. Rice vinegar is also pretty dang delicious. In my experience, red wine vinegar and flavored vinegars are not ideal.

process shots for cucumber and onion salad

How to Store

Keep the salad in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

This recipe improves after 12 hours in the fridge, so if you have the time, definitely make it at least a half day ahead of time.

Variations

If you want to turn this into a creamy cucumber salad, add 1/3 cup of sour cream with 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the seasoning. Do not include the water listed in the recipe card.
To make this a cucumber tomato and salad, add thinly sliced tomatoes just prior to serving.
Sub in pickled shallots instead of the onion for a milder flavor.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

You can leave out the sugar if you’d like.
Unpeeled cucumbers become tough. If you peel the cucumbers all the way, they get mushy. If you’re going to be using regular cucumbers, peel a few strips off (will give a cool tiger striped effect) and it is the perfect texture compromise.
I use a mandoline to slice the cucumbers so that they’re all the same size.
The brine (liquid) won’t cover all the cucumbers completely. That’s ok! As the cucumbers sit in the brine, they will release their own liquids. Give everything a stir after a few hours and you’ll be good to go.

More Delicious Vegetable Side Dishes

A white bowl full of cucumber and onion slices, and small bowls full of salt and dill

5 from 24 ratings