Marinated Cucumbers

At the height of summer, you want light bites that tap into seasonal aromas and go well with grilled meats, sandwiches or cold meat platters. This marinated cucumber salad is a great place to start. It brings the best out of your spice rack and pairs well with a variety of main dishes.

Choose delicate, thin-skinned English or garden cucumbers so that you’re not stuck with seeds and skins that take over the texture. Marinated cucumbers should have some bite to them. Each slice is coated with seasoning and a tangy, sweet oil and vinegar dressing that you can tweak to your taste.

Ingredients for Marinated Cucumbers

• Cucumbers: You don’t have to peel English or mini cucumbers, but you should cut them into thin slices rather than solid chunks.
• Onion: Pick a medium-sized sweet onion for its assertive flavor.
• White vinegar: Learning how to marinate cucumbers in vinegar provides acidity and bite in these cucumbers.
• Sugar: Add some white or brown sugar for sweetness and to balance the acidity.
• Olive oil: You want a good quality extra virgin olive oil to carry the seasoning flavors.
• Salt: This boosts the other flavors and draws moisture out of the cucumber and onion.
• Dried oregano: Even dried, this herb has a pronounced aroma that’s synonymous with summer.
• Garlic powder: Shake a little into the seasoning to round out the fragrances.
• Marjoram: This dried herb gives a light, citrusy aroma to the cucumbers marinated in dressing.
• Lemon-pepper seasoning: Infused into the olive oil, lemon pepper makes the marinated cucumber salad recipe come alive.
• Mustard: The ground seeds are peppery and spicy but not as strong as the condiment mustard.

Directions

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate

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In a large bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers and onion. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, oregano, garlic, marjoram, lemon-pepper seasoning and ground mustard. Attach the lid and shake well. Pour the dressing over the cucumber and onion mixture, and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours. Serve with a slotted spoon to allow excess liquid to drain off.

Editor’s Tip: You can lightly salt the cucumbers and onions first to draw out some water. Then, discard the liquid for a more intense flavor. 

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Recipe Variations

• Use fresh herbs and garlic: For that straight-out-of-the-garden look, use thinly sliced fresh garlic as well as fresh oregano and marjoram for a more pungent aroma.
• Try honey: Undissolved sugar can make the dressing grainy, whereas smooth honey adds a syrupy warmth.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds: Toasted sesame seeds scattered on top add a nutty finish and enhance the appearance of the marinated cucumber salad.

How to Store Marinated Cucumbers

This is really a recipe to prepare and consume within a narrow window, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You’ll lose the crunch, however, as the vinegar gets to work.

Can you freeze marinated cucumbers?

Because cucumbers are about 96% water, you can probably guess what they’ll do in the freezer. Hint: It’s not crunchy or refreshing. If you want to store cucumbers out of season, try pickling cucumbers, but for this recipe, fresh is best.  

Marinated Cucumber Tips

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What type of cucumbers should you use?

If you have only the short, smooth variety with rubbery skin and a seam of seeds running through the center, you’ll have to peel each cucumber and scoop out the core. This recipe works best with long, ribbed English cucumbers or mini cucumbers that don’t have a bitter peel or much in the way of seeds.

What else can you add to marinated cucumbers?

Don’t stray too far from the recipe above if you want to keep the spotlight on the cucumbers marinated in the delicious dressing. You could add olives or feta cheese, for example, but then you’ve got a Greek salad and no one remembers the cucumber. To lift the recipe a little, try different types of vinegar, onion varieties, or a touch of spice with red pepper flakes or cumin. 

What do you serve with marinated cucumbers?

You can try this marinated cucumber salad on a burger instead of pickles or as a refreshing side to any heavy, spicy grilled meat like smoked pork butt or barbecue beef brisket. It’s also a delicate side dish to serve with steamed fish, sliced meats, or a Mediterranean platter of humus, tzatziki and eggplant dip.