Cucumber Onion Salad Recipe

Last Updated on February 16, 2022 by Anne-Marie

This cucumber onion salad recipe is the ideal side dish to bring to a potluck or a picnic. Goes great with a variety of dishes.

A bowl of Cucumber Onion Salad on a checkered napkin with serving spoon.

Why this recipe works

This cucumber onion salad recipe is the ideal side dish for a quick and easy dinner.

Serve it with grilled chicken, steak or burgers.

This cucumber salad recipe is terrific to bring to a potluck or barbecue party since it can be made in advance in only 20 minutes!

A bowl of Cucumber Onion Salad with serving spoon and napkin.

How to make this easy cucumber salad

Here are some tips on how to make this cucumber onion salad recipe a snap:

Cutting the cucumbers. I usually cut the cucumber and onion by hand with a sharp knife.

However, if you have a mandolin slicer, use that to slice the cucumber and onion into very thin slices.

What type of onion? Red (purple) onion is best since it makes a pretty contrast to the green cucumber.

However, you could also use sweet (yellow) onions, which would be just as tasty.

What type of vinegar? While I used white distilled vinegar, you can use plain rice vinegar to make an Asian cucumber salad.

Apple cider vinegar would also work in a pinch if that’s all you have on hand.

(Red wine vinegar may turn your cucumbers a bit pink, but will taste just fine.)

What type of sweetener? You can substitute Swerve or powdered monk fruit sweetener for the sugar.

Both no calorie sweeteners will make this cucumber onion salad recipe more low carb and keto friendly.

Don’t have celery seed? If you have celery salt, add 3 teaspoons of celery salt and NO salt to this recipe. Then give it a taste.

If you think it needs more celery flavor or salt, add another teaspoon until you think it’s “just right.”

Can this salad be made in advance? Of course! You can make this salad recipe up to 3 or 4 days before serving.

Closeup of a bowl of Cucumber and Red Onion Salad.

What are the best cucumbers for this pickled onion salad?

Use whatever cucumbers you like in this recipe.

If using regular cucumbers, you should peel the skins since they can be thick and rather tough to eat. You should also remove the seeds.

You may prefer to use English cucumbers in this salad, since they have fewer seeds and a thinner skin than regular cucumbers.

Japanese and Persian cucumbers are crunchier and have a thinner skin that you can leave on. They also don’t have any seeds.

You can find Japanese and Persian cucumbers in Asian markets or better stocked grocery stores.

A spoonful of Cucumber Onion Salad.

Try these cucumber salad variations

Use pickled onion instead of fresh onion in this cucumber onion salad.

Add tomatoes to make a cucumber tomato onion salad.

Use Japanese cucumbers, (unsweetened) rice vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon black sesame seeds to make a Japanese cucumber salad.

Add 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt and 3 tablespoons mayonnaise to make a creamy cucumber salad.

Instead of water, use olive oil to make a vinaigrette-like cucumber and onion salad.

Add slices or chunks of avocado and make an avocado cucumber salad.

A bowl of Cucumber Onion Salad with white bowls, forks and green napkins in the background.

What to serve with your cucumber and onion salad

There’s nothing better than a Bagel Burger with Miso Sauce and a side of cucumber salad.

I’d recommend Copycat Popeyes Blackened Chicken Tenders Recipe (Keto), Chicken Shawarma Appetizers, or Sriracha Chicken Kabobs as spicy keto-friendly chicken dishes that would go well with this side salad dish.

Finally, if you’re a steak lover, check out this Grilled Soy-Lemon Flank Steak with Arugula recipe.

Yield: 6 SERVINGS

Cucumber Onion Salad Recipe

Closeup of a bowl of Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

Cucumber Onion Salad recipe is the ideal side dish for a quick and easy dinner. Bring this cucumber salad recipe to a potluck or picnic.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 regular cucumbers or 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup white distilled vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3/4 cup sugar, Swerve or powdered monk fruit sweetener

Instructions

  1. Slice cucumbers and onions and place in a large bowl.
  2. Sprinkle on celery seed and salt.
  3. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, water, and sugar to boil and stir until sugar or sweetener is dissolved.
  4. Carefully pour mixture over cucumbers and mix well.
  5. Place in an airtight container, cover, and seal.
  6. Place Cucumber Onion Salad in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 162Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 361mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 2gSugar: 32gProtein: 2g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.

3 thoughts on “Cucumber Onion Salad Recipe

  1. Brittany

    Excellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 stars
    I love the way cucumber pairs with onion. I’ve never thought of adding sugar to a cucumber salad before!

    Reply
    1. Sandi Watson

      Excellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 starsExcellent - 5 stars
      I love this…taste just like Grandma used to make…always cucumbers, onions and the seasonings!…

      Reply

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Recipe rating: 5 4 3 2 1