A Bright and Refreshing Southern Cucumber Salad

Cold and crunchy cucumber slices mingle with punchy slivers of onion (either Vidalia or red), a splash of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and lots of herbs and poppy seeds in this stunningly simple Southern Cucumber Salad. This is a truly perfect side dish recipe to keep around for just about any occasion. It works just as well next to a club sandwich as it does beside say, a big dish of my rich braised Red Velvet Short Ribs.

Why We Love This Southern Cucumber Salad

This Southern Cucumber Salad might just be the perfect side dish. I mean honestly. It’s essentially season-less (though especially great in the hot summer months). It is cheap as can be to throw together. It is also very quick and easy to throw together. It is super healthy and fresh. And let’s be real – she’s quite pretty to look at.

I am absolutely stacking this website with fresh cucumber salads. Reason(s) being: people love them and I personally think it’s fascinating to see how a core recipe concept (here, a simple cucumber salad) morphs a bit as it travels around the world. From a beautiful Persian Shirazi salad and a Japanese Sunomono, to a bright and herbaceous Turkish Choban salad and spicy East African cucumber and mango salad – the world is bursting with many fantastic iterations of this simple-but-perfect idea.

Southern Cucumber Salad FAQ’s

What You’ll Need to Make this Southern Cucumber Salad

There are about as many versions of Southern Cucumber salad as there are kitchens in the South. Every home cook puts their own spin on the dish, weaving in their personal preferences and lifelong memories until they create the perfect salad for them. This one is mine, I suppose, and it’s a balanced salad that hits all the notes. I’ll add the totally optional addition of half a seeded and minced jalapeno pepper, if you like a little heat with yours.

Red onion is a star in this recipe, of course. I don’t use tomatoes in mine, because that sort of takes it to a totally different place, you know? I also get a little extra when I make cucumber salads and I use both English cucumbers and tiny, cute little mini cucumbers. The effect is just very pleasing to the eyes I have to say. But you certainly don’t have to do that with your Southern Cucumber salad. Go ahead and just pick one kind and you’ll be all set.

Southern Cucumber Salad INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil (can sub olive oil, if you want that flavor)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds (1/8-inch is pretty good)
• 3 or 4 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced (optional, you can just use more English cukes)
• ¼ large red onion, thinly diced
• 2 to 3 teaspoons poppy seeds
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

What makes this Cucumber Salad Southern?

For starters, plates of freshly sliced cucumbers and onion have been served on Southern tables for basically forever. Southern cooks are especially adept at making beautiful use of their produce. Simple, tasty presentations of all the goodness that is grown in Southern ground – that’s where the magic of Southern cooking lives.

I have a recipe in my second cookbook, Southern Lights, that is called “Thunder and Lightning.” This is essentially a cucumber, tomato and onion salad that has its roots in my home state of Kentucky. The lore is that, when people could tell a big thunderstorm was coming, they’d go grab all of the ripe cucumbers and tomatoes from their gardens, to ensure they’d get good use before any storm could knock them off their vines.

Anyway, the use of Vidalia onions would be especially Southern of you, should you choose to go with that type as you make this Southern Cucumber Salad . But I do so love the look of a red onion as well. Just use what you like there. Poppyseeds are a beloved ingredient in the South, and I love the micro crunch they add to this simple Southern Cucumber Salad.

Apple cider vinegar is used in all sorts of Southern cooking, from Barbecue sauce recipes to the pot likker in a big mess of cooked-to-death greens.

How to Make this Southern Cucumber Salad

This take all of five minutes to whip up. Easy as can be. You just chop and drop, essentially, and it’s important that you taste and adjust the amounts of things to suit your preferences. Want more onion? You should definitely add more onion. Want a hint of garlic? A little bit of garlic powder (not fresh) is a nice way to accomplish that here. Don’t want to use apple cider vinegar? You can use white or red wine vinegars, or the totally classic white distilled vinegar. Sherry vinegar or champagne vinegars are great, too

Southern Cucumber Salad Directions

1. In a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and oil until well-combined. Taste and adjust as you like (more sugar if you want it sweeter, etc.). Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cucumber and onion slices, tossing gently to mix. Pour over the dressing and add the poppy seeds, tossing to coat everything really well. If you like more dressing, feel free to add a splash more of oil and vinegar as needed (you can dress the salad right in the bowl – this is casual stuff).
3. This can be enjoyed right away, topped with the freshly chopped dill. But it really is best when it can sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. This will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days for you, and for a couple of months in the freezer.

If you like the looks of this Southern Cucumber Salad, you might also want to check out:

How to Make as Great Salad with Iceberg Lettuce

Easy Pepperoni Pizza Salad

Watermelon Caprese Salad with Candied Bacon

Summer’s Favorite BLT

Southern Killed Lettuces

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