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This Cucumber Dill Salad is crisp, delicious & made with only 5 ingredients! The perfect vegan & gluten-free side for barbecues, potlucks, & summer picnics.
Sunshine and warm weather call for cool, refreshing salads — and I don’t know if there’s a more accurate way to describe this Cucumber Dill Salad. It’s crunchy freshness and bright, robust flavor come together to create the perfect warm weather side for any meal. I also wouldn’t blame you if you enjoyed it on its own, no main dish required ????
INGREDIENTS FOR CUCUMBER DILL SALAD
You only need 5 ingredients need much to whip up this cucumber salad. Minimal ingredients for maximum flavor here, my friends.
- Cucumber: the star of the show — and believe me, for good reason! You may have forgotten how versatile and delicious cucumbers really are, but they make the perfect crunchy salad base, staying crisp while still absorbing all of the marinade’s yummy flavors.
- Thinly sliced Red Onion softens in the marinade to add a nice textural contrast. Feel free to add or swap my Quick Pickled Red Onions for an extra pop, though!
- Red Wine Vinegar gives this recipe the *zing* it must have to pass the cucumber salad test.
- Fresh Dill: has a bright, tangy, almost lemon-y flavor that pairs so nicely with the crisp, refreshing taste of cucumbers and the robust flavor of red wine vinegar. If dill isn’t for you, feel free to swap basil, parsley, mint, or cilantro here.
- Yellow Mustard Seeds add an extra element of crunch and a delicious, spicy kick. If you don’t have mustard seeds on hand, no worries — just sub with some grainy mustard.
HOW TO MAKE CUCUMBER DILL SALAD
Like the list of ingredients for this recipe, the instructions are short and sweet. It’ll only take you about 10 minutes to enjoy this Cucumber Dill Salad – just follow these simple steps:
- Toss all of the ingredients in a bowl and fold in the dressing
- Marinate for 5-10 minutes
- Serve & enjoy fresh!
This quick & easy recipe is perfect as a side for just about any meal – burgers, pizza, pasta, backyard barbecue skewers – basically any dish you want to add some fresh veggies to. This would also be a great snack if you’re in the mood for something crunchy, tangy, and super flavorful. It’s easy to prep and make while you’re cooking other entrees, making it a fuss-free and tasty way to chow down on raw veggies without sacrificing on maximum flavor.
To ensure the crunch factor stays intact, this recipe is best served fresh, on the day you make it. This will keep the cucumbers from getting soggy. And nobody wants a soggy cucumber salad. So the next time you’re craving some extra veggies, or simply need a cant-stop-eating-this side for your main dish, this recipe is a no-brainer. One try, and you’ll understand why it’s been on repeat in my house!
If you’re looking for more salad recipes like this one, you’ll also love this Tempeh “Tuna” Salad, this Everything Bagel Potato Salad, and this Crunchy Broccoli Salad!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
Crunchy Cucumber Dill Salad
This Cucumber Dill Salad is crisp, delicious, & made with only 5 ingredients! The perfect vegan & gluten-free side for barbecues, potlucks, & summer picnics.
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 5 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2-4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (or sub Pickled Red Onions for an extra kick)
- 1/3 cup (5 g) fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon high-quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed (or 2 tsp grainy mustard)
- large pinch of flaky salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Add the vinegar, oil, mustard, and salt to the base of a medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Toss in the cucumber, onion, and dill and fold into the dressing until everything is well incorporated.
- Allow to sit and marinate at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to combine. You can also let this marinate in the frige for up to 1 hour before serving.
- Serve as desired; this salad is best served fresh, as leftovers will become soggy over time.
Notes
- I recommend using a mandoline to slice the cucumber and red onion as thinly as possible
- Red wine vinegar can be replaced with balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or another vinegar of your choice
- Oil-Free: the oil in this recipe helps to coat the vegetables and allow the vinegar and seasonings to stick; you can omit it if you’d like, but don’t be surprised if everything slides to the bottom of the bowl.
Keywords: cucumber salad, spring cucumber salad, easy cucumber salad, cucumber dill salad, vegan cucumber salad
Super easy with normal ingredients I can find during the pandemic, thanks Caitlin! Our family lunched it up!
Glad it’s an easy recipe for you during these weird times!