We may earn a commission when you click on the affiliate links in this post.
When the summer heat kicks in I start craving all things light and refreshing, this Cucumber Vinegar Salad is one of the first recipes I turn to. It’s crisp, tangy, a little sweet, and comes together in just 10 minutes. Whether I’m firing up the grill or heading to a potluck, this simple cucumber salad always finds a place on my table.
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 will with our burgers the other night!” – Beth
Why I Love This Cucumber Salad
This salad brings back so many memories from my childhood. My mom used to make it every summer, and I remember sneaking forkfuls straight from the fridge because it was just that good. Now I keep the tradition alive and make it for my own family—especially when I need something quick, light, and full of flavor.
The cucumbers soak up the sweet-tart vinegar dressing, and the red onions add just enough bite. It’s the perfect refreshing side dish for everything from Hawaiian Grilled Teriyaki Chicken to simple grilled BBQ Hot Dogs.
🩷 Erica
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
The best part about this salad is you only need a few fresh ingredients and a couple pantry staples.
- Cucumbers – I usually go for about 5 fresh ones. If the skin is thick or waxy, I peel them first.
- Red Onion – Adds a beautiful pop of color and a little sharpness. You can also use sweet onion if you prefer.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – My favorite for its fruity tang, but white vinegar, rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar work great too.
- Sugar – Balances the acidity. Feel free to adjust the amount to taste.
What Kind of Cucumbers Work Best?
Honestly, most slicing cucumbers will do the trick, but these are my favorites:
- English Cucumbers – No need to peel, and they’re nice and crisp.
- Persian Cucumbers – Small, crunchy, and perfect for salads.
- Garden Cucumbers – If you grow your own, definitely use them! Just peel if the skins are tough.
If using regular grocery store cucumbers, I recommend peeling them if the skin is thick and waxy.
Salad Variations
Want to make this cucumber vinegar salad your own? Here are some easy ways to mix things up:
- Add halved cherry or grape tomatoes for extra color.
- Toss in feta cheese for a creamy, salty contrast.
- Sprinkle with fresh dill, parsley, or basil.
- Try a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- Mix in bell peppers or even chickpeas for more variety.
- And if you’re into sushi flavors, check out my California Roll Cucumber Salad for another fun twist.
How to Make Cucumber Vinegar Salad
- Peel and slice cucumbers into thin rounds.
- Cut onion in half and slice it very thin.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, water, salt, and pepper until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and onions, and stir until everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors soak in.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This salad tastes even better after it sits for a bit. I like to make it at least 20 minutes ahead of time, but it will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Just keep in mind that the cucumbers will soften over time—but that dressing? Still amazing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it can be! Just substitute the sugar with your favorite keto-friendly sweetener like monk fruit or erythritol. It’s also naturally gluten-free and vegan, making it a great side dish for just about any dietary preference.
Definitely! Apple cider vinegar is my go-to, but white vinegar, rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar are all great alternatives.
If they have a thick waxy skin, yes. If they’re thin-skinned, just give them a good wash and slice away.
At least 20 minutes for best flavor, but you can leave it longer—up to 3 days in the fridge.
It pairs perfectly with my Blue Cheese Burgers, Grilled Pork Tenderloin, or Honey BBQ Chicken.
More Cucumber Salad Recipes
Have you tried this Cucumber Vinegar Salad? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how your salad turned out or if you put your own spin on it. 🥒💚
Cucumber Vinegar Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 5 cucumbers
- 1 red onion
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup sugar, (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel and 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
- You can also combine the cucumbers, onions, and dressing in a resealable plastic bag to marinate. Drain liquid from the bag and pour the salad into a bowl to serve.
- You can also use white vinegar, red wine vinegar, or rice vinegar in place of the apple cider vinegar.
- Depending on your personal taste you can adjust the sugar to make it more or less sweet and adjust the water to make the flavor more or less strong.
- Store these vinegar marinated cucumbers in your fridge in a jar or air-tight container for up to three days. Any longer than that and the cucumbers will lose their “crisp-ness” and become limp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe?
We want to hear from you! Please leave a review.
More Summer Salads
Looking for more easy, refreshing side dishes? Check out these favorites:
I only used 1/4 cup sugar. The first time I used 1/2 and it was way to sweet. Otherwise perfect.
I have made this salad with rice vinegar and a teaspoon of sesame seed oil, it bumps up the flavor another notch.
Love this salad. We also like to put tomatoes in with it!
Leave the liquid, at least I do and I been making this for 40 years. The first recipe my Grandmother taught me at 5 yrs old
I made this and it’s DELICIOUS!!! Perfect recipe. I only used 1jumbo cucumber and used apple cider vinegar. Everything else used what was called for. I love it ! Thanks
Relatively tasteless. Texture was nice, flavors came through but definitely needed more spices.
This was delicious! I added halved, cherry tomatoes. Yum. Next time I’d cut back a little on the sugar, though…it was just a tiny bit too sweet for me.
This is so good…. I just made this. I made it with yellow onions(all I had). I didn’t use the water, as I figured the cucumbers and the tomatoes I added would give them enough water. This is a nice change from my sour cream dressing I make. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this, and this hit the spot!!! Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Easy and DELICIOUS!!!!
Loved this recipe! I added an 1/8 tsp.
of dried dill but followed the recipe other than that. Right amount of sweet tart flavor. Thanks for sharing.
Love, love, love, love…… I have an abundance of cucumbers. This recipe is a very tasty solution to my bumper cucumber crop. Thank you.
That is amazing you have so many cucumbers! This is the perfect dish and so easy to make!
Dianna,
My mom used to sprinkle salt on the cucumbers first let’s sit for a few minutes and then with clean hands squeeze the cucumber and you will get lots of juice. So where it says add salt in the recipe you’re going to sprinkle it on the cucumbers and you’re going to use this liquid to make the dressing. Then continue with the recipe
I cut the recipe in half and it’s delicious!
My grandmother use to make this all the time for us for dinner and tasted real good.
I have read other recipes that call for sprinkling kosher salt over the sliced cucumbers and let sit 30 minutes. Then rinse well and pat dry before adding to dressing. This takes out a lot of the water in the cukes. This adds more water. Why is that? Just curious. Haven’t made but hoping to this weekend. It’s so hot to eat hot.
This recipe has a little bit more of a dressing to it, I think.
I have not made it yet, but it is very similar to what I’ve made in the past. I usually, substitute the sugar with Splenda and it tastes just as good.
I will be making this in a couple days.
How much is a serving size?
We don’t have an exact serving size but the whole recipe feeds 10 people as a side dish.
How can this be reduced to 1 or two cucumbers?
You can just reduce all the other ingredients in proportion to the cucumbers!
Recipe calls for 5 cucumbers, just cut everything in half. Once you get it put together you should taste and adjust ingredients to your desired taste. I noticed that it did not indicate salt and pepper. I would definitely add some. Adding some diced fresh tomatoes is always good too.
**On another note I do not use regular sugar. I substitute Splenda instead.
Good Luck
I make cucumber onion salad using zero sugar, then zesty italian dressing w copious amts of fresh ground course black pepper. Always a hit.
This is so good! Tastes just like what my mom used to make! Thank You so much!
This takes me back to summers spent at my grandmothers farm. We would pick the cucumbers, get them sliced, and grandma would make this with cider vinegar, water, sugar, and celery salt instead of regular salt. It was perfection. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Thank you for sharing this – I’m glad it brought back a sweet memory for you!
Yes, heat the liquid then cool. But for crisp cukes and onions, soak in crushed ice in water for an hour or so. Then continue with the recipe. After they are in the fridge, they will keep for a long time – a month or so.
Debbie Claitior,
Interesting tips on heating the liquid and putting the cucumbers in ice. I will be trying it that way.