Mom's recipe for Cucumber Salad with Vinegar is a healthy and easy side dish to pair with any summer meal. Thinly-sliced, fresh cucumbers are marinated in a sweet and tangy dressing made with vinegar, sugar and a touch of fresh herbs. Refreshing, easy and absolutely delicious!
These are Mom’s Marinated Cucumbers – the ones that I grew up eating. It's truly the best cucumber salad, as the simple dressing allows the cool, crisp cucumbers to shine!
How to marinate cucumbers in vinegar:
The easy cucumber salad with vinegar and sugar is incredibly fast and can be prepared in advance. You will need the following ingredients:
- Cucumbers
- White vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- Water
- Sugar
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh dill or parsley
First, slice the cucumbers into very thin rounds. I like to use this mandoline slicer to keep the slices even and to make the prep work very fast. You can peel the cucumbers first, if desired, but it's not necessary.
Place the sliced cucumbers in a large bowl.
In a small separate bowl or jar with a lid, whisk or shake together the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper and dill.
Pour the marinade over the cucumbers, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Drain cucumbers and serve!
What to serve with Cucumber Salad with Vinegar:
These marinated cucumbers go well with a variety of entrées. Here are a few meal ideas to get you started:
- Lemon Garlic Herb Grilled Shrimp
- Stuffed Cabbage Roll in a Bowl
- Grilled Steak
- Dump-and-Bake Parmesan Pasta with Chicken
- Garlic and Herb Grilled Chicken Breast
- Perfect 15-Minute Grilled Salmon
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Optional additions to the salad: you can add thinly sliced shallots, red onions, or sweet onions to the salad. My mom has also added thinly sliced mini sweet bell peppers, which add a nice touch of color.
- Prep ahead! You need at least 1 hour to chill this salad, but you can prepare it far in advance, as necessary.
- How long can you keep cucumbers in vinegar? The cucumber salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least 1 week. The cucumbers will get softer as they sit, but they'll still be good!
- Are cucumbers with vinegar good for you? Yes! This salad is a delicious way to encourage your family to eat more cucumbers. Cucumbers are low in calories but high in many important vitamins and minerals. They contain antioxidants, they promote hydration, and may lower blood sugar (source).
What else can I do with cucumber? Here are a few ideas:
- 10-Minute Creamy Cucumber Salad with sour cream
- Cucumber Dill Greek Yogurt Dip
- Classic Pasta Salad
- Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles
- Lower Sugar Bread and Butter Refrigerator Pickles
Cucumber Salad with Vinegar
Ingredients
- 2 seedless English cucumbers (or about 3 regular cucumbers), peeled if desired (about 1.75 lbs. or 6 cups total)
- ½ cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Chopped fresh dill or chopped fresh parsley, to taste
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers very thinly and place in a large bowl. I like to use a mandoline to keep the slices even and to make the process very fast, but you can just use a knife if you prefer.
- In a separate small bowl or in a jar, whisk or shake together vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper and herbs. Pour over cucumbers. Cover; chill at least one hour or overnight. Drain cucumbers and serve!
Notes
- Optional additions to the salad: you can add thinly sliced shallots, red onions, or sweet onions to the salad. My mom has also added thinly sliced mini sweet bell peppers, which add a nice touch of color.
- Prep ahead! You need at least 1 hour to chill this salad, but you can prepare it far in advance, as necessary.
- How long can you keep cucumbers in vinegar? The cucumber salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least 1 week. The cucumbers will get softer as they sit, but they'll still be good!
- Exact nutrition information is difficult to calculate, since most of the dressing is drained off before consumption. For purposes of calculating nutrition facts, I assumed that ½ of the dressing is consumed, while the other half is drained.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in August, 2013. The photos were updated in July, 2019.
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Suzanne
Very good and refreshing for summer as well as being quick and easy to prepare.
Suzanne
Very good and refreshing for summer as well as being quick and easy to prepare.
Blair
Thanks, Suzanne!