This Cucumber & Onion Salad makes a healthy side or main lunch dish!

Tired of the same old green leaf lettuce salad? It is simple to shake things up a bit with this easy to make onion and cucumber salad recipe. Thinly sliced cucumbers and onions are tossed with a lightly sweetened vinaigrette and then refrigerated before serving. This is a great way to use up that summer cucumber harvest.

cucumber onion salad in a bowl

Cucumber & Onion Salad

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Easy Onion Cucumber Salad!

  • Cucumbers are a cool and refreshing vegetable. They are easy to find in the produce section of the supermarket, even during the winter months.
  • A dash of pepper, some salt, and sugar are simple additions to the vinaigrette.
  • Onions are sliced and added to the salad for a sharp contrast to the mellow flavors of the cucumber. These two pair so well together.
ingredients assembled to make cucumber onion salad

Salad Ingredients

CUCUMBER: The main cucumbers that are found in grocery stores are long English cucumbers and field cucumbers. The field cucumber tends to have a waxier and thicker skin compared to its English counterpart, but there is not much difference in flavor. Both will taste good with this vinaigrette. Check out the local farmer’s markets for different varieties. A fresh cucumber is firm, slightly sweet, with delicious undertones. It requires just a little vinaigrette to make it shine!

ONION: White onion is a basic addition to this salad. Pungent and sharp, this vegetable will add a deeper flavor to the mild cucumber. Don’t hesitate to replace it with sweeter varieties of onions like colorful red onions, or Vidalia sweet onions.

VINAIGRETTE: The base for any vinaigrette is oil and vinegar. The vegetable oil can be replaced with some first cold-pressed olive oil or even some avocado oil. There are many options for vinegar. Plain white vinegar is the cheapest and easiest option, but for a deeper flavor replace it with an apple cider vinegar or balsamic.

VARIATIONS: Turn this into a creamy salad with this creamy vinaigrette or a low-carb ranch dressing made with mayonnaise and sour cream. Add some tomatoes or add a little fresh dill to the salad. Dress it up with some feta cheese and avocado.

sliced cucumber and onions on a cutting board

How to Make a Cucumber And Onion Salad

Onion cucumber salad is a simple and easy side dish.

  1. Slice cucumber and onion (as per the recipe below).
  2. Mix the vinaigrette ingredients.
  3. Pour vinaigrette over the cucumber and onion.
  4. Toss, then chill & serve.

Serving Suggestions

A salad like this is a great stand-alone for lunch, but it is also so mild flavored that it would pair well with almost any main meal.  Serve it with some creamy dijon chicken breasts, beef rouladen, Caprese chicken, chicken pot pie or baked crack chicken. For a more filling lunch serve with some low carb chicken soup.

Recipe Tips & Tricks!

  • Make this salad ahead of time and have it ready for lunch at work or school.
  • In an air-tight container, it will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
  • For a super fresh and crunchy make-ahead salad, just double the batch of vinaigrette and have it ready to toss with salads or more sliced onions and cucumbers.
  • Make this vinaigrette and use as a marinade for meats or other veggies. It would be delicious with a medley of crisp cauliflower, broccoli and carrots!

sliced cucumber and onions in a bowl

 

Other Summertime Salads

cucumber onion salad in a bowl
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Cucumber & Onion Salad

Crunchy cucumbers combine with zesty onions in a tangy-sweet vinaigrette!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Refrigerate 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Holly

Equipment

Ingredients  

  • 2 English cucumbers thinly sliced
  • ½ white onion thinly sliced
  • cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • teaspoon pepper

Instructions 

  • Wash cucumbers and pat dry. Slice cucumber and onion, then place in a large bowl.
  • Stir together remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Pour dressing over cucumber and onions and mix until coated.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes

  • Make this salad ahead of time, ready to take for a healthy lunch.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an air-tight container for 3-5 days.
  • Double the vinaigrette recipe and store in the refrigerator to use in other salads or as a marinade for meat dishes.
5 from 44 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American

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About the author

At Easy Low Carb® we believe that every meal should be full of big bold flavor! From amazing main dishes and simple sides to the best party snacks, reducing carbs doesn’t mean giving up your favorites!
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Comments

  1. No need for water in dressing, as enough water will come out of cucumber when sliced thinly.

    1. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Pam. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!