Cucumber Salad
A crisp, tangy refrigerator-marinated salad.
refrigeratorsaladmarinated
veganpescatarianvegetariandairy-freenut-freeegg-freegluten-free
dinner
Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/8 cup dill weed (2 Tbsp)
- 1/2 cup granulated salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 quart white wine vinegar (4 cups)
📦Other(2)
- 15 cucumbers, sliced
- 4 red onions, sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
82
Protein
2g
Carbs
19g
Fat
0g
Fiber 2g·Sugar 14g·Sodium 4593mg
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice the cucumbers and red onions. Place them in a large food-safe container.
- 2
Stir together the white wine vinegar, salt, sugar, and dill weed until the sugar and salt are mostly dissolved.
- 3
Pour the mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Slice cucumbers to 1/4-inch thickness and salt them separately for 30 minutes before assembling, which draws out 15-20% of their water content via osmosis and prevents a soggy salad after 24 hours of brining.technique1/4-inch thickness|30 minutes|15-20% water loss
- ✓Heat your pickling liquid to 180°F before pouring over cucumbers to speed up flavor penetration and ensure the salt fully dissolves, reducing grittiness that occurs when granules remain undissolved in cold liquid.timing180°F
- ✓Use a 1:1 salt-to-sugar ratio by weight (8 oz salt to 8 oz sugar) instead of your current volume ratio, because volume measurements of granulated salt vary by 20% depending on how densely packed they are, affecting brine osmolarity.ingredient1:1 weight ratio|20% variance in volume
- ✓Cut red onions into 1/8-inch rings and submerge them in ice water for 15 minutes before adding to the brine; this reduces their pungent sulfur compounds by 30% through leaching while maintaining crispness.technique1/8-inch rings|15 minutes ice bath|30% sulfur reduction
- ✓Store the finished salad at 38-40°F and consume within 10 days, as the acidity (4% from vinegar) eventually softens cell walls; longer storage converts the crisp texture to mushy after pectin breakdown accelerates past day 14.timing38-40°F|10-14 day window|4% acidity
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Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Be the first to rate
Share this recipe
Cucumber Salad
A crisp, tangy refrigerator-marinated salad.
refrigeratorsaladmarinated
veganpescatarianvegetariandairy-freenut-freeegg-freegluten-free
dinner
📝 Ingredients
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 1/8 cup dill weed (2 Tbsp)
- 1/2 cup granulated salt
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1 quart white wine vinegar (4 cups)
📦Other(2)
- 15 cucumbers, sliced
- 4 red onions, sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
82
Protein
2g
Carbs
19g
Fat
0g
Fiber 2g·Sugar 14g·Sodium 4593mg
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice the cucumbers and red onions. Place them in a large food-safe container.
- 2
Stir together the white wine vinegar, salt, sugar, and dill weed until the sugar and salt are mostly dissolved.
- 3
Pour the mixture over the vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Slice cucumbers to 1/4-inch thickness and salt them separately for 30 minutes before assembling, which draws out 15-20% of their water content via osmosis and prevents a soggy salad after 24 hours of brining.technique1/4-inch thickness|30 minutes|15-20% water loss
- ✓Heat your pickling liquid to 180°F before pouring over cucumbers to speed up flavor penetration and ensure the salt fully dissolves, reducing grittiness that occurs when granules remain undissolved in cold liquid.timing180°F
- ✓Use a 1:1 salt-to-sugar ratio by weight (8 oz salt to 8 oz sugar) instead of your current volume ratio, because volume measurements of granulated salt vary by 20% depending on how densely packed they are, affecting brine osmolarity.ingredient1:1 weight ratio|20% variance in volume
- ✓Cut red onions into 1/8-inch rings and submerge them in ice water for 15 minutes before adding to the brine; this reduces their pungent sulfur compounds by 30% through leaching while maintaining crispness.technique1/8-inch rings|15 minutes ice bath|30% sulfur reduction
- ✓Store the finished salad at 38-40°F and consume within 10 days, as the acidity (4% from vinegar) eventually softens cell walls; longer storage converts the crisp texture to mushy after pectin breakdown accelerates past day 14.timing38-40°F|10-14 day window|4% acidity