Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad

This recipe is: dairy freeegg freegluten freenut freevegan

This sweet and spicy cucumber salad has quite the kick, but it’s delicious and packed with flavor. This vinegar based cucumber salad is perfect for a summer side dish, and something you could easily bring to a barbecue or potluck. Makes 8 servings.

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overhead view of a woman's hand reaching for a bowl of sweet and spicy cucumber salad, a small plate, striped napkin and two vintage forks surrounding the large gray bowl.

I grew up eating creamy, sour cream based cucumber salad. It was always a favorite of mine, and, if I’m being honest, it still is, but sour cream is off the table now.

Since I always to use natural dairy free alternatives when possible, I wanted to make this cucumber salad vinegar based.

What I love about this cucumber salad is that it’s so refreshing. The spiciness balances out the sweetness and the vinegar dressing pulls everything together.

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More dairy free salad recipes: Mediterranean chickpea salad / apple fennel salad

closeup view of sweet and spicy cucumber salad in a large gray bowl (cucumbers are in half moon shapes and sprinkled with a vinegar based dressing and diced pieces of pickled red onions, seasoning with fresh cracked pepper
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Here’s what you’ll need to make this cucumber salad recipe

spicy cucumber salad before being mixed in a clear glass bowl

How to make cucumber salad

Drain your cucumbers

For this recipe, you’ll want to drain the water from your cucumbers by salting them liberally and letting them sit for an hour in a colander or strainer in your sink. It’s not a hard process, but it does take a little bit of planning.

If you skip this step, you’ll end up with a really watery cucumber salad, that might be okay right away, but if it sits for any length of time the water will come out of the cucumbers and create a really watery, bland salad.

overhead view of sweet and spicy cucumber salad in a large gray bowl (cucumbers are in half moon shapes and sprinkled with a vinegar based dressing and diced pieces of pickled red onions, seasoning with fresh cracked pepper, striped napkin and small plate with a vintage for to the right
Make your cucumber salad vinegar dressing

While the cucumbers are draining, I like to make my dressing. Combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium.

Allow the liquid to reduce to about 2/3 cup. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool until the cucumbers are ready.

Marinate the cucumbers.

Mix everything together in a large bowl and cover. Refrigerate your cucumber salad for at least 30 minutes before serving.

overhead shot of sweet and spicy cucumber salad in a large gray bowl on a light gray background, with a blue and cream striped linen napkin in the above it, a small plate with a vintage fork below it

This recipe would be a great side for:

More summer salad recipes:

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overhead view of sweet and spicy cucumber salad in a large gray bowl (cucumbers are in half moon shapes and sprinkled with a vinegar based dressing and diced pieces of pickled red onions, seasoning with fresh cracked pepper, striped napkin and small plate with a vintage for to the right

Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad

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Sweet & Spicy Cucumber Salad – This easy vinegar based cucumber salad is a healthy vegan side dish recipe that’s perfect for spring and summer. 

  • Author: Melissa Belanger
  • Prep Time: 1 hours 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 English cucumbers, halved and sliced
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion

Instructions

  1. In a large colander, sprinkle the cucumbers with salt.
  2. Allow the cucumbers to sit with the salt so that the juices drain.
  3. Meanwhile, simmer the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  4. Reduce the liquid to 2/3 cup and remove from heat.
  5. Toss the cucumbers with the cooled dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: Mixing
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 34
  • Sugar: 5.3 g
  • Sodium: 584.8 mg
  • Fat: 0.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Fiber: 0.5 g
  • Protein: 0.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: sweet and spicy cucumber recipe, spicy cucumber salad, cucumber salad recipe, cucumber salad, cucumber onion salad,

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Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites.

Last Updated on December 15, 2022 by Melissa Belanger

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