Easy Cucumber Salad (with Onions and Vinegar) + Video

Cucumbers and Onions make a delicious side dish when drenched in a tangy and sweet vinegar dressing. A Southern favorite, this easy summer salad will knock your socks off. Make it for picnics and potlucks! Everyone will love this fresh side dish! 

I think that this is the perfect side dish! I love eating this on a hot summer day, as this easy cucumber salad is so nice and refreshing!

Once the summer months are here, literally all I think about and crave are fresh veggies – so this salad hits the mark! 

Even though it’s a super simple classic recipe, it’s one of those great recipes that pairs with just about anything.

You can make this easy recipe to serve with pork chops, grilled chicken breast, hot dogs, or even as a snack on its own!

Adding some fresh herbs and black pepper can easily make me forget that I should be eating anything else but this! 

To find out how to make this easy cucumber onion salad recipe, check out the simple steps on the printable recipe card below! 

Cucumbers and Onions

Slightly sweet and ultra tangy with plenty of crunch, this fresh salad is everything you want on a hot day!

It takes a bit of planning ahead — you really want to make it the night before — but it lasts for up to two weeks in the fridge after that.

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy fresh cucumbers. I know I’ve shared several with you in the past.

Whether paired with tomatoes in lemon poppyseed dressing or tossed with juicy watermelon and feta cheese, it’s easy to make a fresh salad that is perfect for summer potlucks and more!

To see us make salad with cucumbers and onions, watch the video in this post!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• English Cucumbers – These have thin skins and delicate seeds, making them perfect for salads. 
  
  Any seedless cucumber variety will work, or use thinly sliced zucchini in the summertime! You could even use mini cucumbers for tiny bites! 
  
• Red Onion – The only onion I recommend eating raw! I make sure that I use thinner onion slices, but you can do what works best for you. 
  
  It’s a bit sweeter than yellow onions and doesn’t have the same sharp bite as white onions, though sweet Vidalia onions are a good swap. 
  
  If you’re extra sensitive, soak the slices in water for a little bit, then rinse with clean water.
  
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Plenty of tart flavor and acidity but mellower than white vinegar, this is my first choice for cucumber onion vinegar salad
  
  Rice vinegar is a bit sweeter and not quite so tart, and you can also use white balsamic vinegar if you prefer. 
  
  As a note, using a darker variety like red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar may discolor the cucumbers.
  
  But I do think that the flavor of vinegar cucumber onion salad is key to that tanginess that we all love! 
  
• Sugar – Use a couple of tablespoons to cut through the bite of the vinegar! You can certainly leave it out if you want to. (or add a little sugar and then adjust as needed)
  
  Or, you can try an alternative sweetener like stevia, monk fruit, or erythritol if you want to watch your sugar content.
  
• Fresh Dill – Subtly sweet with grassy undertones and a fresh citrus-like taste, it’s an easy way to round out the flavors in this cucumber and onion recipe. 
  
  Fennel or tarragon leaves are most similar, or used a pinch of dried dill instead.

Tips and Tricks for Soaking Cucumbers and Onions in Vinegar

• Decide whether you want the peel on or off — or a bit of both!

I like to peel one and leave the skin on the other for different textures, but you can leave both unpeeled if you’d like. 

Or, run a fork down the sides for more visual interest!

• Salt before tossing cucumbers in vinegar dressing.

This extra step is really important to get the best consistency for cucumbers and onions salad.

Salting draws excess liquid out of the slices, keeping the final dish crispy and not soggy. 

Plan ahead, because you’ll want to let them sit for about 2 hours in the fridge. No need to rinse — toss cucumbers and onion in vinegar dressing right in the same bowl!

• Don’t cook the dressing for too long.

Warm over medium heat just until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. It’s fine if it comes to a light simmer, but don’t let it boil.

Then, pour over sliced cucumbers and onions right away so the sugar crystals don’t resolidify. Everything will cool down in the refrigerator overnight.

Prep Ahead

• Salt and chill cucumber slices
• Chop fresh dill
• Slice red onion

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

• Mandoline – This is the easiest way to ensure that each cucumber slice will be uniform and as thin as possible. If you don’t have one, a large Sharp Knife will do the job!
• Cutting Board – A big solid cutting board makes prepping a breeze. I use mine daily, so it’s worth the investment to get a good quality one.
• A Small Saucepan is the perfect size for making dressings, sauces, or individual servings of oatmeal!
• Mixing Bowls – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all. And because they’re clear, they double as serving bowls!

Serving Suggestions

This cucumber and onion recipe makes a refreshing side dish to any meal, though I’ve been known to snack on it by itself!

It’s particularly tasty with a spicy main dish such as Bang Bang Shrimp or this Spicy Buffalo Chicken Burger. 

Or, serve tangy cucumbers and onions with my famous Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Wings!

Storing Leftover Cucumbers in Vinegar

You can keep cucumbers and onions in vinegar dressing in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  

The longer you store this salad, the more of a pickled taste the cucumbers will have. Of course, it never lasts that long in my house!

Cucumber Onion Vinegar Salad FAQ

Enjoy!

With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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Originally published June 2016, updated and republished March 2025

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