Crunchy, tangy, and refreshing Cucumber Salad recipe – with only 4-Ingredients!

We’ve got less than a handful of ingredients that come together quickly to result in this tangy Cucumber Salad.
I spent about 10 minutes one evening trying to find a quick (and delicious) cucumber salad recipe that would be well received by my kids and this was the end result as I didn’t want to dive into a simple cucumber salad recipe that had 10 plus ingredients. A big no thanks to that when everyone is already hangry.
My kids enjoyed it so much I’ve made it a lot recently for BBQs, potlucks, etc. with great success. The tang keeps kids into it, and the crunch is tasty.
Plus, I find kids are more likely to enjoy a salad like this, versus a huge leafy salad.
How do you drain cucumbers for cucumber salad?
I’ve found it easiest to spiral the cucumber. Using a spiralizer takes the seeds and middle section out of the cucumbers – these sections hold the most water so it skips the draining process.
If you don’t own a spiralizer, then I’d recommend slicing the cucumber thinly and placing in a large colander with a pinch or two of salt. Let sit for 15-20 minutes and then gently pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel (I’m trying to use less paper towel so I keep a dish towel handy to dry vegetables and fruit that I’ve washed).
I have a version of this spiralizer that I love. I use it almost weekly now and we don’t eat zucchini noodles very often so I am using it for a wide variety of slicing.
How long does cucumber salad stay good for?
Not very long – this isn’t a big make ahead salad. I usually keep the cucumbers and dill in one bowl (that can be covered with a lid) and the dressing in a separate container.
The cucumbers will stay fresh for a couple of hours if separated from the dressing.
Once the cucumbers are mixed with the dressing there’s a shelf life of about 30-60 minutes before the cucumbers start to lose their vigour.
Other delicious Cucumber Salads:
- Watermelon and Cucumber Salad
- Pineapple Cucumber Salad
- Strawberry Cucumber Salad
- Cucumber Salad with Basil and Lemon Vinaigrette
Other kid-approved salad recipes:
This easy to whip up Cucumber Salad recipe is crunchy, tangy, and ideal for BBQs and dinners all summer long.
- 2 long English cucumbers
- 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
- 2-4 tsp granulated sugar*
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
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Slice cucumbers using a sprializer (discarding aka eating the seeds that aren't used) or thinly slice cucumbers and drain (see post notes above).
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In a large bowl, mix together sugar and vinegar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add dill and stir in.
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Add cucumbers to bowl and gently toss to coat in dressing.
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Serve immediately (see notes in blog post above on keeping salad fresh).
* we like our vinaigrettes very tangy in our house so we only use 2 tsp of sugar. If your house prefers more mild vinaigrettes I’d go with the 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Enjoy! xo