Recipe: Crisp Cucumber Salad
Description: This Crisp Cucumber Salad is a delightful combination of refreshing cucumbers, zesty red onions, crunchy radishes, and aromatic dill, all dressed in a tangy yet slightly sweet vinaigrette. It’s the perfect dish to bring to potlucks, picnics, or simply enjoy as a light and flavorful side. Plus, it requires no cooking, making it a breeze to prepare in under 60 minutes!
Ingredients:
| Quantity | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 4 | cucumbers |
| 2 | rice vinegar |
| 1 | coarse salt |
| 1/2 | sugar |
| 1 | red onion |
| 1 | red radish |
| 1 | bunch fresh dill |
| 1 – 3 | white wine vinegar |
| 2/3 | sugar |
| 3 | cloves garlic |
| 2 | cups water |
| 1 | tablespoon olive oil |
Instructions:
-
Begin by preparing the vegetables. Slice the cucumbers, red onion, and radishes into thin, uniform pieces. Chop the fresh dill finely and set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers, red onion, radishes, and chopped dill. Toss gently to evenly distribute the ingredients.
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In a separate small bowl, prepare the dressing. Whisk together the rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, coarse salt, sugar, minced garlic, and olive oil until well combined. Adjust the sweetness and acidity to taste, adding more sugar or vinegar if desired.
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Pour the prepared dressing over the cucumber mixture in the large bowl. Use a spatula or spoon to gently toss everything together, ensuring that the vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
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Season the salad with additional salt and pepper to taste, enhancing the flavors to your liking.
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Allow the salad to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. This resting period allows the flavors to meld together and develop, resulting in a more flavorful dish.
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Once the salad has marinated, serve it at room temperature or slightly chilled, depending on your preference. Garnish with additional fresh dill if desired, and enjoy this crisp and refreshing salad as a side dish or light meal.
Nutritional Information (per serving):
- Calories: 124.8
- Fat Content: 7g
- Saturated Fat Content: 1g
- Cholesterol Content: 0mg
- Sodium Content: 400.1mg
- Carbohydrate Content: 16g
- Fiber Content: 1.5g
- Sugar Content: 10.8g
- Protein Content: 1.6g
Recipe Notes:
- For added freshness, consider chilling the cucumbers in the refrigerator before slicing and assembling the salad.
- Feel free to customize the salad by adding other crunchy vegetables such as bell peppers or carrots.
- This salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Just be sure to give it a gentle toss before serving to redistribute the dressing.
- If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, you can finely mince the garlic cloves or use a garlic press to extract more garlic essence into the dressing.
- To make the salad more visually appealing, you can peel the cucumbers partially in a striped pattern before slicing, leaving some of the peel intact for color and texture.
