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This Cucumber Vinegar Salad is one of my favorite quick summer side dishes. It is cool, crisp, tangy, a little sweet, and made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. It is the kind of recipe that tastes right at home next to burgers, grilled chicken, pulled pork, hot dogs, or anything coming off the grill.
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Excellent recipe! I tripled it after making 1 batch – shared it with family and friends! The rating continues to be a 5 from all who are sharing in the amazingly, cool, crisp, refreshing taste of summer all year around!” – Elaine
“This is so good! Tastes just like what my mom used to make! Thank You so much!” – Tamara
“My hubby and I absolutely love this recipe! I can’t wait to make this again. Such a great side for dinner and went well with our burgers the other night!” – Beth
Why I Love This Salad
This cucumber vinegar salad brings back so many memories from my childhood. My mom made it every summer, and I remember sneaking bites straight from the fridge because it was so cold, crisp, and good. Now I make it for my own family, especially when I need a quick side dish that goes with just about anything.
I love this recipe because it is simple but still has so much flavor. The cucumbers soak up the sweet and tangy vinegar dressing, the red onion adds a little bite, and the whole salad gets better as it chills. It is light enough for a hot day but flavorful enough to hold its own next to heavier main dishes.
🩷 Erica
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cucumbers: Fresh cucumbers are the base of the salad, and thin slices soak up the dressing best.
- Red onion: Adds color, crunch, and a little sharpness that balances the sweet vinegar dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar: Gives the salad its tangy flavor with a slightly fruity taste.
- Sugar: Balances the vinegar so the salad tastes tangy but not too sharp.
- Water: Softens the vinegar mixture so the dressing is bright without being overpowering.
- Salt: Brings out the flavor of the cucumbers and helps season the whole salad.
- Pepper: Adds a little extra flavor right before serving.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
This cucumber vinegar salad is easy to adjust depending on what you have on hand.
- Use a different vinegar – White vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice vinegar all work well. Apple cider vinegar gives it a classic, slightly sweet tang.
- Try sweet onion – If you want a milder onion flavor, use Vidalia or another sweet onion instead of red onion.
- Add fresh herbs – Fresh dill, parsley, basil, or chives add fresh flavor and make the salad look pretty.
- Make it less sweet – Start with less sugar, taste the dressing, and add more if needed.
- Make it keto-friendly – Use monk fruit or another sugar substitute in place of the sugar.
- Add tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes add color and make it more like a cucumber tomato salad.
- Add feta – A little feta cheese gives the salad a salty, creamy bite.
- Add heat – A pinch of red pepper flakes adds just a little kick.
- Use English or Persian cucumbers – These have thin skins and smaller seeds, so they work especially well if you do not want to peel the cucumbers.
How to Make Cucumber Vinegar Salad
- Slice the cucumbers. Peel the cucumbers if needed, then slice them into thin rounds. Thin slices soak up the dressing best.
- Slice the onion. Cut the red onion in half, then slice it very thin so it blends evenly with the cucumbers.
- Make the dressing. In a separate medium bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar, water, salt, and pepper until the sugar dissolves.
- Combine and chill. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions, then stir until everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Slice the cucumbers thin. Thin slices absorb the dressing faster and give the salad the best texture.
- Use a mandoline if you have one. It keeps the cucumber and onion slices even, which helps everything marinate at the same rate.
- Taste the dressing before adding it. If it tastes too strong, add a little more water or sugar. If you want more tang, add a splash more vinegar.
- Use fresh, firm cucumbers. Soft cucumbers will get limp faster once they sit in the dressing.
- Peel regular cucumbers if needed. If the peel is thick, tough, or waxy, peeling makes the salad much better.
- Do not worry if the salad gets more liquid as it sits. Cucumbers naturally release water as they marinate.
- For a prettier serving bowl, use a slotted spoon. This keeps extra dressing from pooling on the table or plate.
- Make it ahead for better flavor. It is good after 20 minutes, but I like it best after it has chilled for at least an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this cucumber vinegar salad is naturally gluten-free. Just double-check any vinegar or sugar substitute labels if you are cooking for someone with a severe allergy or sensitivity.
Not always. If you are using English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers, you can leave the peel on. If you are using regular grocery store cucumbers with thick or waxy skin, I like to peel them first.
English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers, garden cucumbers, or regular slicing cucumbers all work. English and Persian cucumbers are nice because they have thin skins and fewer seeds. Regular cucumbers are great too, especially if you peel them first.
Yes. Apple cider vinegar is my favorite for this recipe, but white vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice vinegar can all be used. Each one changes the flavor a little, so use what you like best.
Cucumbers naturally release water as they sit in the dressing. This is normal. If you want a less watery salad, lightly salt the sliced cucumbers and let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then drain off the liquid before adding the dressing.
At least 20 minutes is enough for a quick side dish, but 1 to 4 hours gives it even better flavor. The cucumbers will continue to soften the longer they sit.
You can serve it either way. I usually give it a good stir and serve it with some of the dressing, but if I am taking it to a potluck or want a cleaner presentation, I use a slotted spoon.
It depends on the size of the cucumbers, but 5 medium cucumbers usually gives you about 6 to 8 cups sliced. If your cucumbers are large, you may need fewer.
Yes. Start with less sugar, taste the dressing, and add more as needed. You can also add a little extra vinegar if you want it more tangy.
I don’t recommend reusing the dressing too many times because the cucumbers release water as they sit. If you want to stretch it, you can add a fresh cucumber or two within a day, but the flavor and texture are best with a fresh batch.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: This salad is great to make ahead because the cucumbers need time to soak up the dressing. For the best balance of crisp texture and flavor, make it 1 to 4 hours before serving.
Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cucumbers will soften as they sit, but the flavor will still be good.
Serving after storing: Stir well before serving. If there is more liquid than you want, use a slotted spoon to lift the cucumbers and onions out of the dressing.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this salad. Cucumbers have a high water content and will turn mushy after thawing.
Pairing Ideas
This Cucumber Vinegar Salad is one of those side dishes that goes with almost anything, especially rich, smoky, grilled, or saucy main dishes. I love serving it with Blue Cheese Burgers, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Honey BBQ Chicken, BBQ Hot Dogs, Grilled Hamburgers, Crock Pot Pork Chops, Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, or Grilled Carne Asada. It also works really well with pulled pork sandwiches, picnic foods, and simple weeknight dinners.
More Cucumber Salad Recipes
This Cucumber Vinegar Salad is crisp, tangy, easy, and perfect for summer dinners, BBQs, potlucks, and quick lunches. It uses simple ingredients, comes together in minutes, and tastes even better after a little time in the fridge. If you try it, leave a comment and let me know if you kept it classic or added your own twist! 🥒💚
Cucumber Vinegar Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 3 English cucumbers
- 1 red onion
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup sugar, (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers into thin slices.
- Cut onion in half and cut into very thin slices.
- Combine onions and cucumbers in a large bowl.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers and onions. Stir until the cucumbers are evenly coated in the dressing.*
- Refrigerate at least 20 minutes. Before serving, drain liquid and place in a serving bowl to serve.
Notes
- Thin cucumber slices soak up the dressing best.
- English, Persian, garden, or regular slicing cucumbers all work.
- Peel regular cucumbers if the skin is thick or waxy.
- Apple cider vinegar can be swapped with white vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice vinegar.
- Adjust the sugar to make the salad more or less sweet.
- Add a little more water if the vinegar flavor tastes too strong.
- Fresh dill, parsley, chives, tomatoes, feta, or red pepper flakes are easy add-ins.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Easy and versatile. Tastes great adding your own herbs or additions as suggested.
I made this and it’s been in my refrigerator now for a month, the cucumbers and onions are still crisp and so infused with flavor i put it on my salad along with spoonfuls of the vinegar. Sooo refreshing.
So delicious, for the life of me, I had totally forgotten this one….haven’t made this in almost 15 years!
thanks for bringing it back to mind! BTW, your blog is beautiful & great!
Excellent base recipe. I use about a teaspoon of sugar and the salad is really delicious and so quick and easy to prepare.
Thank you, Sharon! I’m glad you enjoyed!
Very good. I put 1/4 cup sugar and less sweet,more to our liking.
Great idea!
I have eaten these a few times at restaurants around Baltimore and I grew a lot of cumbers this year, so…
This tastes excellent!
Thank you so much Lawrence! So glad you liked this recipe!
Yummy! I follow the recipe exactly and it was so good! Thank you.
I’m so glad you liked it, thanks for the review!
Can I use regular vinegar?
Easy to do tastes great!
My mom always added crushed red pepper!
Soo…. I’ve been making this since last summer when I needed to change things up. Made if for Labor Day, Thanksgiving, a family reunion, basically at least once or twice a week… It’s THAT AMAZING! However the second time I made it, I mistakenly grabbed the wrong bottle and switched the apple cider vinegar with RED WINE vinegar!! It made the perfect sweet/tart combination… and I also added cherry tomatoes sliced in half… and now, all anyone asks when they are come over is if I made any of the Cherry Tomato Cucumer Onion Salad!?! All the rest of the ingredients stay the same!!!
#HugeHit
Mark
Hi Mark– red wine vinegar would be delicious! I also love the idea of adding some cherry tomatoes. So glad it was such a hit for you and your friends/family! Thanks for the nice comment and 5 stars!
Looks good
As others have said, this recipe is quite close to what my mother made growing up. The only difference is that after slicing the cucumbers, she would heavily salt the slices and let them sit for a few hours. The cucumbers were not crisp, but somehow I think it brought out the flavor. Before marinating she would rinse and drain the cucumbers. Delicious!
That sounds great! I’ll have to try that next time!
I am 70 and remember this as made by my grandmother and mother, so it goes back a ways. Both of them salted the cucumber slices after slicing to “sweat” the cucumber. They cucumbers were not crisp, but they tasted great. They did not rinse the cucumbers, but did not have salt in the rest of the recipe.
My mother always used wine vinegar, it has a more refined taste. This is something that doesn’t require a recipe, it’s so simple, second nature and so yummy!
Loved this recipe. I didn’t have any Apple Cider Vinegar so I substituted with Balsamic Vinegar. It came out great with a slightly darker color and a bit sweeter taste. I think I will keep doing it with Balsamic.
Yum! That sounds delicious! I love a good balsamic. Will definitely try it that way next time, just for fun!
Try this recipe with white balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar (I buy both of these at Trader Joe’s). I also put in a teaspoon of sesame oil and a few green onions, sliced diagonally. For a little heat, put in as much or as little crushed peppers as you would like.
When storing in frig for a few days, should you drain the marinade?
I like to keep it in the marinade when storing. It gets a more infused flavor that is delicious!
After searching Pinterest for a cucumber/onion salad~I stumbled upon your recipe. I am taking the plunge as will follow the recipe as written, then add make a comment. I can not wait to make, also making cucumber/lemon water as well. Now I need to find a recipe for rhubarb since my friends have gifted me an abundance of this sweet treat. I also am now a “follower”!!!.
Hi Sue! Welcome to Favorite Family Recipes! We are so excited that you found us 😀 We don’t have many rhubarb recipes (in fact I don’t think we have any on the site yet) we will have to put it on our “to-do” list. Our mom has a great strawberry rhubarb pie recipe but none of us have made it in years. Maybe we need to pull it out and get it on the site!
My mom use to make this but without the onions. I read in comments about rubarb recipe. I have a simple one. Just take rubarb(washed well) cut up into pieses anout a inch long. Put into a pot and add enough water to get rubarb to start to boil. Ten stalks about 2 cups water. Bring water to boil add rubarb. After it softens stir and boil till starts to get stringy. Add about a 1/2 cip of sugar and boil till it gets thick. Sweeten to your liking. Serve and enjoy. You can add sliced strawberys to your liking and about a 1/4 cup of corn starch mixed with cold water till corn starch is thick. Add to sweetened rubarb and bake in a pastry pie shell.
325° oven till crust is lightly browned. Strawberry rubarb pie. If you want no strawberries just leave them out. Yum
Thanks for sharing your delicious rhubarb recipe, YUM!
I hadn’t made these for a while, and forgot ratios of ingredients– your post is easy to follow and perfect. I don’t peel the cucumbers, just wash well. Thanks!!
Love it, one of my kids favorites and so easy! Try cucumbers with tajin seasoning too! Just sprinkle some on some sliced or diced cucumbers and enjoy! Sooooooo good! It’s also really good on fresh fruit.
Google rhubarb cake. I was not a rhubarb fan, but rhubarb cake converted me.
My mother made this recipe for years and now I have done the same. I double the water and use 2 T of sugar. One comment and request. I’m on an anti-plastic campaign after seeing a documentary about the plastic island in the Pacific Ocean. Could we find other ways to marinate than using a plastic bag?
Sure, you can absolutely marinate it in a glass bowl if you would prefer. Or glass jars.
Use a glass bowl with fitted lid that seals.
Yes , you can use a glass mason jar……..
Hi, use a plastic bowl with a lid. Still plastic but reusable!
Great idea Lynn!
My mom would make this yummy cucumber salad every summer, all summer long. That was many many moons ago. Your recipe is as close to my mom’s as you can get! I’m going to make this for Memorial Day. Brings back so many memories.
So glad this beings back happy memories for you! That is what FFR is all about! So so happy you like this recipe!
This is excellent as I love the vinegar flavor. Another spice I found good is adding mustard seed and some garlic cloves then you really have something. lol.
I love it with the sugar. My mom used to make this when we were kids. What a treat, and great memories to boot!
We love these kind of comments! We love it when our recipes bring happy memories to our readers! Thank you for sharing!
Excellent! Tastes great & so easy to make.
My mother made this all the time when we were growing up, minus the sugar which frankly doesn’t appeal to me – I dislike sweet pickles. Without sugar, 5 stars! A great side dish, and a nice addition to other kinds of salad.
My mother always made this without the sugar also. I love the vinegar taste with the salt and pepper.
Same here. No sugar and with salt, pepper and Walla Walla sweet onions too. Mmm!
I grew up with these and still make the cucumbers, no sugar!! But you may want to finish them off in a day or two. The longer they sit the stronger the vinegar taste. I do sometimes add sliced or chopped tomatoes. Tried onions a couple of times, but don’t care for them, so I don’t add anymore. In mine I add cucumbers, with generous seasonings of salt, pepper, onion powder and a couple tablespoons of minced garlic.
Put all in a decent size bowl that has its own top, add cider vinegar. Put quite a bit of cider vinegar in, trying to cover the cucumbers. Put lid on shake vigorously. Put in refrigerator, shake often. When you want them for a side, pull out of the fridge and put bowl on the table. YUM YUM!!!
Hi Lynn- Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions! I love the idea of using garlic and tomatoes. I bet that adds such a good flavor. YUM!
I was hoping to find a recipe without the sugar… maybe I can use sugar substitute
Have you tried Stevia? Stevia works great in this recipe, but it is much sweeter than sugar. According to the Stevia website, you only need 1/2 teaspoon of powdered Stevia or Stevia liquid concentrate to replace 1/2 cup of sugar. https://www.stevia.net/conversion.html
The sugar offsets the acidity of the vinegar. I usually find adding the sugar doesn’t actually sweeten it. I add a little sugar to my tomato sauces and chili. Never sweetens it.
Your exactly right about the sugar! It definitely adds to the flavor and my mom always added the sugar. I don’t like sweet pickles either as another comment was made and feel these still taste like vinegar, onion and cucumbers. Also can use white vinegar too. Delicious!
Very good!!! I added diced tomatoes! Made exactly by the recipe.
Thank you!
Can I use malt vinegar to soak cucumbers in?
Do not ever put radishes in it ruins the batch totally.
This looks delicious! It almost reminds me of a type of greek salad if you add tomatoes and feta! Thank you for sharing, I can’t wait to make this at home! Sounds so refreshing.
I used Truvia instead of sugar. Fantastic.
This recipe reminds me of Sunday dinner at grandma’s.
Easy to make and very good in taste