Cucumber Salad (cucumbers onion vinegar sugar recipe) - NINNESCAH HOMESTEAD (2024)

This old-fashionedcucumber salad recipeis made with a simple vinegar and sour cream dressing poured over thinly sliced cucumbers and onions. It's a creamy and delicious summer classic with a hint of nostalgia in every bite. If you've been searching high and low for acucumbers onion vinegar sugar recipejust like grandma used to make, this is it!

To make this recipe easier for you, I've broken it down into bite-sized pieces and included a helpful jump-to table of contents (below) and a jump-to recipe button (located at the top of this post).

Take what you need, and please don't feel bad about skipping the rest. I hope this helps!

Why this creamy cucumber salad recipe is the BEST!

This healthy recipe is a staple at church suppers, funerals, or backyard get togethers in the midwest. It's popular all through the summer when gardens are bursting with fresh cucumbers. If you are looking for a flexible and fast summer salad, this is it! Add fresh herbs or garden tomatoes to make this salad unique to your tastes!

Best part? This easy salad comes together quickly with just 8 simple ingredients and is the perfect side dish to take to a backyard barbecue!

What is cucumber salad?

This simple side dish is made with thinly sliced skinless cucumbers, sweet onions cut into rings and a mildly sweet vinegar and sour cream dressing. Some people call it vinegar cucumbers or old fashioned cucumbers. If you are searching for the perfect cucumber onion salad recipe, this is it!

When you search for an easy cucumber salad recipe, you'll find so many versions online. It can be overwhelming! This easy cucumber onion salad is a very simple version that is popular at backyard parties all throughout the midwest. It's simple and low-fuss, and can be made with ingredients you already have in your garden or refrigerator.

Ingredients for cucumber salad

Cucumbers |The best cucumbers for cucumber salad are going to be cucumbers that are picked fresh and have not grown too big for their variety.

White Vinegar |I've included variations for this recipe that discuss using other vinegar types, but for a tasty and easy cucumber salad, nothing beats regular old white vinegar.

Sour Cream| This is the secret ingredient! If you like it saucier, you can double the vinegar and sour cream in this recipe!

Yellow Onion| The kind of onion you use will determine the flavor profile of this recipe. For a milder salad that will please a broader range of guests, choose a sweet yellow onion.

Salt & Pepper| Fresh ground black pepper and sea salt are just what this recipe needs! I've included recommendations for how much to use, but you can adjust it to taste. My husband firmly believes that this recipe needs 2 teaspoons of each. I like to go a little lighter.

Sugar | I like to add between one teaspoon and one tablespoon of sugar to this recipe. When my grandma makes it, she adds up to ⅓ of a cup, but I think it's a bit too sweet for my taste. I recommend tasting the cucumbers before deciding how much sugar to add. Mild and sweet flavored cucumbers won't need as much sugar as a larger or bitter cucumber.

How to make cucumber salad

Use a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the cucumber skin. If the variety of cucumber you are using has a tender and thinner skin, it can be left on if you want to. Next, cut or use a mandolin slicer to chop the cucumbers into thin slices and put the cucumber slices in a medium bowl. Slice the onions into rings and add them to the bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and sour cream and whisk until smooth. If you are adding fresh herbs, such as dill, add it here.

Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until suppertime. It's best to eat this salad right away, but can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Hint: If you are using really large cucumbers that have big seeds, remove the seeds. Just trust me on this one. If you are using regular or small cucumbers, the seeds will be totally fine to leave in.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead

Recipe

As an amazon associate, this post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosurehere.

What variety of cucumbers are best in a cucumber salad?

The best cucumbers for cucumber salad are going to be cucumbers that are picked fresh and have not grown too large for their variety. We all have a different flavor and texture that we find appealing in cucumbers, so choose the slicers you love! My favorite varieties are Marketmore 76, Chicago Pickler, English Cucumbers, Tendergreen Burpless, Muncher and Lemon Cucumbers.

For this crunchy salad, I recommend soaking the cucumbers in an ice bath for 20 minutes before skinning and slicing. If your cucumber happens to have big seeds, I would remove them. The fewer seeds, the better!

Below is our most recent cucumber harvest from the garden. Pictured here are Marketmore 76, Chicago Pickler and Muncher.

How to cut a cucumber

I generally like to cut my cumbers in thin circles for this recipe, just like the photos above. If the cucumber has tender and smooth skin, I don't mind leaving it on. When the cucumber is bumpy, blemished or has thick skin, it's best to peel it before slicing.

A creative way to make this salad unique is by slicing the cucumbers and onions in different ways. Julienned (aka match sticks), grated, or even small squares are all fun variations. I like to use my handy veggie chopper to cut my cucs into uniform little squares.

Serve this cucumber salad with...

This fresh and light cucumber salad pairs well with any summer meals! I like to serve it with Pulled Pork in the Instant Pot for a quick weeknight supper. It is also delicious when paired with a Tabouli Salad served on lettuce greens. Wash it down with a refreshing Ranch Water and grab a slice of Rhubarb Sour Cream Cake for dessert!

Easy cucumber salad recipe variations

Red Onions– For a spicier cucumber salad, try swapping the sweet onion for red or white onion. Yellow onions, like vidalia onion, will make a sweeter and milder salad.

Apple Cider Vinegar–Apple cider vinegar is a great alternative to white vinegar if you are wanting to make a slightly milder and less acidic salad. Red wine vinegar or rice vinegar would also be options for adding your own spin on this recipe. Try creating your own vinegar mixture with a little bit of this, a little bit of that to create your own vinegar dressing!

Fresh Herbs & Fresh Veggies– This salad can be taken to a new level by adding fresh garden herbs. While we prefer to keep it simple and just use dried or fresh dill, other herbs like fresh basil, green onions, a little celery seed, or cherry tomatoes would be delicious in this simple salad. There are so many different ways to make this salad!

Cucumbers– Crisp cucumbers are key for making a refreshing cucumber salad. When you are planting your garden, choose a type of cucumber that is smaller than your hand and thinner than a banana. The larger the garden cucumber, the bigger the seeds. The type of fresh cucumber will determine how large it can grow before the flesh begins to taste bitter. I always remove the cucumber peels because they can add a tough texture to this salad that isn't our personal preference.

Pasta Salad– For a heartier version of this salad, add 2 cups of cooked and cooled pasta to make your very own garden fresh pasta salad recipe.

Cucumber Salad Tea Cakes - Remember those old fashioned crustless cucumber sandwiches served with white bread, butter and cucumbers? Choose your favorite bread, I recommend a long baguette, and cut it like a sandwich and top with this cucumber salad.

​How to store cucumber salad

After preparing the salad, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Place it in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Store the cucumber salad in the refrigerator at a temperature below 40°F (4°C). This will help retain its crispness and flavors.

This cucumber salad is best consumed within 1-2 days for optimal taste and texture. As time passes, the cucumbers will lose their crunch and may become softer. It's recommended to make smaller batches if you anticipate leftovers.

If you're planning to serve the salad outdoors or at a picnic, keep it in a cooler with ice packs to maintain its freshness. The ingredients in this salad won't stand up to freezing.

FAQ

Still hungry?

Looking for other tasty recipes like this? Try these: