Our 20 Best Cucumber Salads
Updated: Mar. 15, 2024
Cool cucumber salads are just the side dish you need for summertime potlucks and backyard bashes.
In July and August, farmers markets are brimming with cucumbers. And if you’re lucky, your garden is producing a bounty, too.
While there’s no doubt that pickling is a great way to use up these veggies, slicing and serving them up in a salad is so refreshing. These salad recipes pair cucumbers with other summertime favorites like tomatoes, fresh herbs and even grains like quinoa. They’ll be welcome at any summer meal.
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Sour Cream Cucumber Salad
Many cultures make sour cream cucumber salads. Folks from Hungary to Poland to Austria and beyond have their version of this refreshing side. We’re glad this recipe has made its way to the US, too! It’s the perfect way to use up extra cukes from the garden, and it makes a great addition to serve up at backyard barbecues.
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Garden Tomato Salad
Who needs lettuce? This rustic salad proves that sliced tomato, onion and cucumber are delicious on their own.
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Crunchy Lemon-Pesto Garden Salad
Use veggies fresh from the garden or farmers market for this salad. Small summer squash and cucumbers are the perfect base. Add some bacon bits for crunch and peas for extra color.
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Khmer Pickled Vegetable Salad
This Cambodian cucumber salad uses vinegar to quickly pickle all the ingredients. The result is a cool side dish with a little bite. It also looks stunning on any summer dinner table.
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Vegan Quinoa Salad
If you’re looking for cucumber salads that are a bit more filling, incorporate grains into the recipe. Our Test Kitchen uses quinoa in this recipe, but you could also try it with farro or even orzo.
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Cucumber and Red Onion Salad
A fuss-free salad is always welcome at a summer potluck. This cucumber side gets a bit of bite thanks to thinly sliced red onions. To get thin slices without a lot of effort, try a mandoline slicer.
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Minty Watermelon-Cucumber Salad
This cucumber salad recipe really captures the flavors of summer thanks to fresh mint (this herb is so easy to grow yourself!) and watermelon.
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Ribbon Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Does it get any prettier than this ribbon salad? Use a spiralizer or classic Y-peeler to cut thin strips of zucchini, cucumber and carrots. Finished with a light citrus dressing, this is sure to be a hit at summer parties. Be prepared to share the recipe!
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Sesame-Ginger Cucumber Salad
This Japanese-inspired cucumber salad gets loads of flavor thanks to fresh ginger and a squeeze of sriracha. Don’t forget to toast the sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.
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Shaved Fennel Salad
Love a salad with crunch? This recipe is for you! Cucumbers, radishes and apples all add crisp texture. Fresh fennel fronds add the faintest hint of licorice flavor. If you’re new to this aromatic, check out some other fennel recipes for inspiration.
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Kohlrabi, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Kohlrabi is a slightly unusual vegetable. If you have some in your garden or pick it up at the outdoor market, we suggest pairing it with other veggies like tomato and—you guessed it—cucumber. The finished salad is crunchy and satisfying on a summer afternoon.
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Cucumbers with Dill
The secret to this cucumber salad: Sprinkle the cucumber slices with salt and let them stand in a colander. This helps draw out excess water so they stay crisp when set on a barbecue buffet. Try this cucumber dill salad alongside any grilled dinner.
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Fattoush Salad
Fattoush, a bread salad, is very popular in the Middle East. Our version uses pita bread along with plenty of fresh veggies, including cucumber. A touch of lemon juice and sumac add plenty of brightness to this dish.
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Asian Cucumber Salad
This five-star recipe is wonderfully crunchy. Bell pepper and cucumber are the stars of the show, but the Asian-style dressing really makes this side sing.
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Cucumber Coleslaw
We’re so used to seeing slaw recipes that start with cabbage, but this recipe encourages you to do things differently. Use shaved cucumber as the base for this slaw and layer on flavor with arugula, toasted almonds and a citrusy dressing.
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Crisp & Spicy Cucumber Salad
Looking for cucumber salads with a kick? Here’s a contest-winning recipe! This crisp salad gets delicious heat thanks to thinly sliced jalapenos along with cayenne stirred into the dressing. Paired with cooling cucumbers, you’ve got a perfect match.
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Dad’s Greek Salad
Serve up a bounty of Greek flavors with this salad. Slices of crisp cucumber paired with briny olives and juicy tomatoes is a combination your guests will hardly be able to resist. Try this salad alongside some of our Test Kitchen’s favorite Greek recipes.
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Corn ‘n’ Cucumbers Salad
At the height of summer, corn and cucumbers are both in season. Why not put them together in a sunny salad? This recipe is so simple to make. Just be sure to let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavors can marinate.
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Balsamic Cucumber Salad
Five ingredients are all you need for this swift salad. Dice up a pint of cherry tomatoes, slice some fresh cucumbers and finish with balsamic, onion and feta. It’s the perfect last-minute side dish for summer celebrations.
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Chickpea Cucumber Salad
Need a filling but refreshing side? This Greek-inspired salad uses chickpeas as a base and gets plenty of flavor from fresh cucumbers, feta, red onion and fresh dill.Originally Published: June 01, 2018
