Easy Cucumber Salad
This cucumber salad recipe comes together quickly and with just a few ingredients. A refreshing and tangy side salad it’s a great accompaniment to chicken, grilled meat, seafood and so much more! Easy Cucumber Onion Salad is a must make for any Summer get together.
2 large cucumbers
1 red onion, sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
I recommend you use apple cider vinegar in this recipe rather than white as it’s less acidic, but if you are in a real pinch, you can use white.
Slice each cucumber in ¼-inch slices and add to a large bowl.
Add in the sliced red onion (sliced into half-moon) and toss to combine.
In a mason jar or small bowl whisk together the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing mixture over the cucumber and onion and toss to fully coat/combine.
Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Sesame Noodle Salad with Cucumbers
16 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or light olive oil
6 tablespoons lime juice
Dash of Cayenne
3 cucumbers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated; or 6 radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
3 green onions, minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare a dressing by whisking together the soy sauce, oils, lime juice, and cayenne.
When the noodles are cool, toss with the dressing to coat.
Stir in the cucumbers, additional vegetables (if desired), green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds.
Serve this Asian-inspired salad alone or as a bed for marinated, grilled chicken thighs or flank steak.
Chilled Cucumber-Mint Soup with Yogurt or Sour Cream
4 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 4 cups)
1 to 2 cups water
2 cups plain yogurt (or 1 cup plain yogurt combined with 1 cup sour cream)
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
Several fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill
1 tablespoon honey
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
2 scallions, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
Combine the chopped cucumber, 1 cup of water, yogurt, garlic, mint, dill, honey, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor.
Puree the ingredients, adding more of the water until the soup is the consistency you like.
Season with more salt to taste.
Transfer the soup to a large bowl and chill for several hours.
Garnish each serving with chopped scallions.
Yogurt Cucumber Dip
2 cups plain yogurt
3 large cucumbers, diced into small cubes
1 clove garlic, minced finely
3 tablespoon chopped mint, dill, parsley, or your herb of choice
Combine all ingredients.
Cucumber Buttermilk Soup
6 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumbers
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
½ cup diced scallions
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro, mint, or dill
Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender.
Process until smooth.
Garnish with grated cucumber if desired.
Serve cold.
This soup freezes and thaws quite well
Serves 6-8.
Cucumber-Pineapple Sambal
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and cut into small cubes
1 medium-sized pineapple, skinned, cored, and cut into small cubes
½ cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 or 2 red chili peppers of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Will keep for 3 to 4 days.
Serve this with grilled meat, fish, or vegetables.
Fresh Cucumber Kimchi Salad
3 unpeeled cucumbers, cut into thirds, then into finger-sized pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut into finger sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ cup salt
1 bunch watercress, well washed and trimmed of stems
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon minced red or green chili pepper of your choice
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted at 350 degrees for 5 minutes
1 teaspoon crushed white pepper
Rub the cucumbers, carrots, and strips of bell pepper all over with salt and allow to stand, covered and refrigerated, for 2 hours.
Rinse very well and drain.
In a large bowl, combine the salted vegetables with all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
This will keep about 6 days in the refrigerator.
Good as a side dish or a salad.
Refrigerator Pickles
3 pounds medium pickling cucumbers
5 cups water
1 ¼ cup white or cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup salt
2 dill flower heads
3 or more cloves of garlic
1 chili pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon pickling spices (whole pepper, coriander seed, bay leaf)
Note: In the field where the cilantro has gone to seed, you can find coriander seed!
Boil water, vinegar, sugar, and salt together for a minute or two, then let cool.
Place the rest of the ingredients in sterilized jars and pour cooled liquid over them.
Put in refrigerator, eat after 2 or 3 days and within 1 to 2 weeks.
Open Hands Farm 