Creamy Marinated Cucumber Salad

By Terri Wuerthner

Updated 06/29/18

Marinated Cucumbers
Marinated Cucumbers. Diana Rattray
Ratings (7)
  • Total: 10 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings

Summertime salads are the best. They are super simple, require few ingredients, can usually be put together in a matter of minutes, and are open to many variations. Next time your garden yields a bumper crop of cucumbers, you stock up at the farmers market, or you are in a pinch for a potluck summer party, look no further than this recipe. These marinated cucumbers are surprisingly flavorful for such a simple salad. Refrigerate the salad for a few hours prior to serving for the best flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 large cucumbers (about 2 pounds, peeled, if desired, and thinly sliced)
  • 1 large red (or other sweet) onion (about ½ pound, peeled, halved vertically, and thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 cup top-quality mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Steps to Make It

  1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours before serving.

Tips

  • You can sometimes purchase already sliced (or chopped) onions in the produce section of your market, but they aren’t likely to taste as fresh.

  • If you feel that the raw onions will have too much of a bite,  thinly slice the onions and then put them in a bowl of ice water for 30 minutes. Drain the onions from the ice water bath and then proceed with the recipe. This cold water soak will remove some of their spice, without dulling the flavor. 

  • There will be extra dressing, as the cucumbers release a lot of their water. This dressing can be saved and refrigerated for use as a dressing for salad greens.

  • Serve the cucumber and onion mixture over lettuce leaves or spring greens at an elegant summer luncheon.

  • If you are serving this salad at an outdoor event in the summertime, or on a day with warm temperatures, only keep it outside for about one to hours. Since the cucumber salad is mayonnaise-based, the sun and warm temperatures can spoil it.

Variations and Meal Ideas

  • Top the salad with chopped chives, green onion tops, or some freshly chopped dill weed.

  • Add sliced cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes just before serving to include some bright color and acidic taste.

  • If desired, feel free to substitute freshly ground black pepper for the white pepper. It will slightly alter the taste, but do note that the black pepper will be obvious whereas the white pepper will blend into the salad.

  • If you want to make an easy meal out of this salad, open a can of tuna fish and mix the tuna into the cucumber salad.

  • Since this salad is light and refreshing, it can stand up to bold flavors and spices. For a quick summer dinner, grill a piece of spicy fish or chicken and serve it alongside this cooling salad.