Easy Cucumber Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why soak cucumbers in salt water before making cucumber salad? ›

The secret to this incredible cucumber salad is salting the cucumbers for 30 minutes. As they sit, the cucumbers become even more “cucumbery” and release extra moisture, which, if not removed, would make the vinegar dressing watery.

But even cucumbers can be elevated to greater deliciousness and versatility with a clever kitchen tip that you may not be aware of—salting. When you salt cucumber pieces or slices and let them sit for 30 minutes in a colander, the salt draws out excess moisture which then drains away.

This cucumber salad recipe features thinly sliced cucumbers, red onion, fresh dill, and a sweet and tangy vinegar dressing. Cooling and refreshing, this summer salad is a perfect BBQ or picnic side dish.

The solution: The standard recommendation for ridding watery vegetable such as cucumbers of unwanted moisture is to salt them. The salt draws out the liquid from the vegetable because of the natural tendency of salt water solutions to equalize when mixed together.

' When we salt vegetables we're actually weakening the cell walls and therefore changing the integrity of the cucumber. Simply rinsing well with water will not add moisture back into the vegetable – so it's ok, rinse away!

Cold Salt Water Brine

The next step is to make a saltwater solution and soak your cucumbers for a minimum of 12 hours (up to 7 days). The beauty of soaking your cucumbers is that you don't need to be ready to make pickles right when you pick your cucumbers (or bring them home from the market).

It lowers your blood pressure.

Potassium is an electrolyte that helps regulate the amount of sodium retained by the kidneys. Cucumbers are a good source of potassium. Drinking cucumber water helps your body get more potassium, potentially helping to lower your blood pressure.

Spices: Cucumbers pair well with spices such as black pepper, cumin, and coriander. Fruits: Cucumbers pair well with fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon, and berries. Meats: Cucumbers pair well with meats such as chicken, salmon, and tuna. Seafood: Cucumbers pair well with seafood such as shrimp, crab, and oysters.

One can eat as much Cucumber as your appetite permits. And nutritionally a daily intake does no harm. It's water content is relatively high enough to prevent dehydration,Contains vitamin c and naturally cools and soothes your body system.

The light-white or clear coating of slime you may find on your cucumbers is a sign that the rotting process has begun, and it's just matter of time before they totally spoil.

What kind of cucumber is best for salads? ›

Long English Cucumber

Long English Cucumbers have a good crunch with thin, delicate skin that's easy to digest. The best part: you don't even need to peel them—just slice 'em up and eat them as the perfect quick snack. This type of Cucumber is great in salads as well as a ton of other things, too!

Cucumbers—and other members of the pumpkin and gourd family—produce a compound called cucurbitacins that can impart a bitter taste. The amount of cucurbitacins a cucumber contains is increased when the plant faces adverse growing conditions, like a lack of water or excessive heat.

The water in the cucumber cells tries to equalise these different concentrations by moving from the cells to the saltwater solution. As a result, the cucumber loses water and becomes a bit squishy. This environment is referred to as hypertonic.

Giving your fruit or vegetables a salt bath (covering them in salt in a bowl) before pickling them helps to draw out any excess water they may be holding. It helps to preserve the crisp texture through the pickling process. Leave them in salt for 30 minutes – 3 hours, depending on how much time you've got.

Cucumber water offers many health benefits that include keeping you hydrated, aiding with weight loss, providing antioxidants, and possibly helping to prevent cancer. Cucumber water isn't just for spas anymore. More people are enjoying this healthy, refreshing drink at home, and why not?