Refreshing Pickled Cucumber Salad (it goes with everything!)

A perfect companion with veggie burgers, sandwiches, and wraps, this refreshing pickled cucumber salad can be served with just about anything. A small serving of this salad on its own goes a long way, or, you can mix it into a lettuce-and-tomato salad for adding a nice pop of flavor.

If I do say so myself, I really enjoy my recipe for quick and easy refrigerator pickles (link to this recipe at the bottom of the post). Not too salty, not too tart, it’s so good that I decided to turn it into a salad.

Please use organic cucumbers. Conventional cucumbers are often high on the pesticide list; and unwaxed, please. Though this salad is easy to make, it does require a bit of patience — the veggies need to marinate in the gentle brine for about 24 hours.

Mini cucumbers (photo: Abel and Cole, UK)

What kind of cucumbers to use

This is fantastic to make with mini-cucumbers, which are most always flavorful and crisp. The success of this salad, simple as it is, depends on cucumbers that are firm and not filled with watery seeds.

You can also use hothouse cucumbers, quartered or halved lengthwise. Kirby cucumbers are perfectly fine, too, and quite appropriate, since, after all, that’s the kind that is most often used to make pickles.

Explore more …

• Quick and Easy Refrigerator Pickles
• Refreshing and easy cucumber salads
• Asian-Style Sesame Cucumber Salad

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Yield: 4 to 6

Refreshing Pickled Cucumber Salad

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This easy, refreshing pickled cucumber salad is a perfect companion with veggie burgers, sandwiches, and wraps. But honestly, you can serve it with just about anything.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 1 day

Total Time 1 day 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 or 6 mini-cucumbers or Kirbys, or 1 long hothouse cucumber
• 1 cup grated carrots (use pre-grated for extra convenience)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 
2 tablespoons natural granulated sugar

• 1 clove garlic, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

• 1 to 2 teaspoons pickling spice or black peppercorns, optional

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (preferably organic raw ACV, such as Bragg)

• Several sprigs fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

1. Slice the mini or Kirby cucumbers thinly; or if using a hothouse cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise and slice thinly.
2. Combine the cucumber and carrots in a wide, shallow container and set aside.
3. Combine the salt and sugar in a cup of hot water and stir until dissolved. Pour over the cucumber and carrots. 
4. Add the garlic, optional pickling spice or peppercorns, and vinegar and stir together. Pour enough water into the container to just cover the vegetables.
5. Cover and store in the refrigerator. After at least 24 hours, drain (you can reserve the liquid to make a batch of pickles) and transfer to a serving bowl.
6. Stir in the dill and serve.

Notes

Variations

In place of carrots, try adding any of these:

• 1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• Several small radishes, trimmed and cut in half

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 40Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 473mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

Nutrition data is always an estimate depending on program used to calculate and exact products used.

Explore more plant-rich salads & sides.