In just 10 minutes, this most nutritious, healthy cucumber salad can be yours to enjoy!
Perfect for hot summer days or as a refreshing side dish, this easy cucumber salad comes with only fresh produce, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and simple seasoning.
This healthy cucumber salad is always a staple summer meal here.
It's crunchy, healthily creamy, and refreshing, with a touch of sweetness from the pickles, and super nutritious.
All the flavors perfectly melt together in this balanced healthy salad.
It's also incredibly filling as a meal on its own—serve it with these gluten-free biscuits or some leftovers from my healthy chicken salad.
As a side salad, we often pair it with these stovetop juicy hamburgers or healthy chicken drumsticks or serve it with whatever you put on the grill.
Let's make it!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Delicious Salad
- Simple and easy: This healthy cucumber salad recipe is incredibly easy to prepare.
- Refreshing and flavorful: Simple Mediterranean flavors like olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs add a refreshing, delicious touch perfect for a summer meal.
- Nutritious and healthy: This salad bowl is Vegan, Whole30, and Paleo-friendly and also low in calories and perfect for weight loss diets.
- Versatile and customizable: You can easily customize this recipe by adding more of your favorite ingredients, such as avocado or sweet pickles, for an extra creamy or crunchy texture.
Ingredients, Notes & Substitutions
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- English cucumber—I prefer European or small Persian cucumbers for the best result. They are crunchier and naturally sweeter than your regular cucumbers and are, therefore, perfect in this simple salad.
- Ripe avocado—Texture-wise, it contrasts the crunchy cucumber and adds a delicious buttery bite.
- Green onions—A milder-tasting onion, adding a refreshing peppery bite to fresh cucumbers. Scallions are a great alternative.
- Cilantro—It adds a citrusy touch, but feel free to replace it with fresh Parsley leaves.
- Pickles (bread and butter pickles)—They add a subtle sweet crunch.
- Cloves or broccoli sprouts (optional): I love to add those to the mixed greens to make this salad extra nutritious. But I understand that not everyone loves them.
- Roasted sunflower seeds: Go for salted seeds. You can also add some pumpkin seeds to the mix. They add a lovely flavor and crunchy bite, and you can use any leftovers in my mango and avocado salad.
- Dressing: lemon juice, olive oil, and a little salt. This is all you need to make a tasty and healthy cucumber salad.
How to Make This Simple Cucumber Salad Recipe
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Step 1: In a large bowl, add chopped vegetables, avocado, herbs, and pickles. Add in the sprouts and seeds.
Step 2: Toss cucumber together with the rest of the ingredients. Then season with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Let the salad sit for a few minutes before serving. It allows the flavors to melt together.
- English cucumbers have thin skin and don't require peeling, but I always peel them for this salad to avoid any bitter flavors. Of course, always wash the cucumber first if you keep the peel.
- Chop the crisp cucumber instead of cutting it into thin slices. Cucumber slices create a different texture and, thus, flavor—unsuitable for this simple salad.
- Chop also the pickles. I'm adding a fairly small amount, so chopping them allows for better distribution in the salad.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the most delicious flavor.
- Add a handful of your favorite chopped hard cheese (like cheddar or Parmesan) to add a new flavor.
- If you have it, round off this healthy cucumber salad with fresh basil—delish.
Recipe FAQs
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days.
You can make it a few hours in advance.
Chop all the ingredients, toss, and store in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, toss in the seeds (and cheese, if using) and season with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
What to Serve With This Cucumber Salad
This healthy cucumber salad recipe can be enjoyed as a light, refreshing lunch option. But it's also the perfect summer side dish that can complement various dishes.
Here are some suggestions for what to serve it with:
- Meats: It's a great accompaniment to grilled meats, Cast-Iron Roast Chicken, Juicy Turkey burgers, or Bison Meatballs. Cool cucumbers always balance out the richness of meat dishes.
- Seafood: It always goes well with seafood dishes, such as garlic shrimp or oven-baked salmon.
- Italian Mediterranean dishes: It can be served alongside dishes such as sausage broccoli rabe pasta, Sicilain-style pizza, and polenta pizza.
- Appetizers: It also can be a great addition to any appetizer spread like this Mezze board.
More Healthy Salads You Might Like
Don't forget to subscribe to my Monthly Newsletter!
Your shares and ratings are valuable to me and so much appreciated. It'll help me create more free content you and others can enjoy!
This healthy cucumber salad is a flavorful and nutritious quick meal. Also, check out this ricotta salad to switch up your summer meals.
📖 Recipe
The Best Healthy Cucumber Salad (Fresh and Easy)
Mariska RamondinoIngredients
- 1 large English cucumber, peeled and chopped about 320 grams
- 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and chopped about 220 grams
- 2 large green onions or spring onions, chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped about 25 grams
- ½ cup bread and butter pickles, chopped 70 grams
- 1 cup cloves or broccoli sprouts (optional) 30 grams
- ¼ cup Roasted and salted sunflower seeds 35 grams
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup chopped hard cheese optional
Instructions
- Combine the chopped cucumber, avocado, onions, cilantro leaves, pickles, sprouts, and seeds in a large salad bowl.1 large English cucumber, peeled and chopped, 1 large ripe avocado, peeled and chopped, 2 large green onions or spring onions, chopped, 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, ½ cup bread and butter pickles, chopped, 1 cup cloves or broccoli sprouts (optional) , ¼ cup Roasted and salted sunflower seeds
- Season with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste.2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Toss the salad to ensure that the dressing is evenly distributed.
- Toss in chopped hard cheese (optional).
- Let the salad sit for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Let the salad sit for a few minutes before serving. It allows the flavors to melt together.
- English cucumbers have thin skin and don't require peeling, but I always peel them for this salad to avoid any bitter flavors. Of course, always wash the cucumber first if you keep the peel.
- Persian cucumbers are a great alternative.
- Chop the crisp cucumber instead of cutting it into thin slices. Cucumber slices create a different texture and, thus, flavor—unsuitable for this simple salad.
- Chop also the pickles. I'm adding a fairly small amount, so chopping them allows for better distribution in the salad.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the most delicious flavor.
- Add a handful of your favorite chopped hard cheese (like cheddar or Parmesan) to add a new flavor.
- If you have it, round off this healthy cucumber salad with fresh basil—delish.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days.
Add your own private notes
Whenever you come back to this recipe, you’ll be able to see your notes.
Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
Leave a Reply