Description
Crisp cucumber pickles dance with zesty herbs in this refreshing Polish-inspired Fresh Pickled Cucumber Salad that brings cool summer flavors to your plate. Tangy and light, you will discover a perfect side dish that complements grilled meats and adds bright notes to any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Pickling Liquid:
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Herbs:
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
Instructions
- Carefully slice cucumbers into translucent, uniform rounds using a sharp mandoline or knife, ensuring consistent thickness. Simultaneously, create delicate, whisper-thin red onion rings.
- Craft a vibrant pickling liquid by combining vinegar, water, sugar, salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes in a mixing vessel. Whisk energetically until sugar and salt completely dissolve.
- Transfer cucumber and onion slices into a spacious mixing bowl, gently cascading the prepared brine over the vegetables. Carefully toss to ensure complete and even coating.
- Sprinkle fragrant, freshly chopped dill across the salad, folding gently to distribute the herbaceous notes throughout the mixture.
- Seal the bowl with a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, allowing flavors to harmonize and intensify. For optimal taste, allow 2-4 hours of marination or preferably overnight.
- When ready to serve, retrieve from refrigerator and give a quick, gentle stir. Present chilled as a refreshing accompaniment to grilled proteins, hearty sandwiches, or classic Southern cuisine.
Notes
- Slice cucumbers consistently using a mandoline for uniform, professional-looking pickled salad texture.
- Adjust sugar and vinegar ratio based on personal taste preference for sweet or tangy flavor profile.
- For low-carb version, replace sugar with stevia or monk fruit sweetener to reduce overall carbohydrate content.
- Enhance nutrient density by adding fresh herbs like parsley or mint alongside dill for complex, vibrant flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Pickling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 15 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg