Cucumber Dill Vinegar Salad

This quick and easy marinated cucumber dill vinegar salad soaks sliced cucumbers in a sweet and tangy marinade and serves them with plenty of fresh dill! A perfectly light and refreshing summer salad you’ll love.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

This vegan cucumber salad recipe is easy to make with sliced cucumbers, fresh dill, and a handful of pantry staples. Refer to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.

I recommend using English or Persian cucumbers for this marinated cucumber salad. Both have thin peels, not have many seeds, and won’t fall apart after marinating.

What Else Can I Add to a Marinated Cucumber Salad with Dill?

• More fresh herbs: Add diced green onions, fresh parsley, or chives along with or instead of the dill.
• Onions: Thinly slice a small-medium red onion or white onion. Then marinate them with the cucumbers for an old-fashioned onion and cucumber salad.
• Radishes: Add thinly sliced red radishes or watermelon radishes for a delicious peppery bite.
• Cherry tomatoes: Tomatoes are another summer vegetable you can use in this salad! Simply slice them in half, toss them with the cucumbers before serving, and enjoy.
• Lemon or lime juice: An equal amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice will work in place of either vinegar.
• Extra virgin olive oil: The marinade for this cucumber dill vinegar salad is naturally oil-free but you can toss the salad with 1 or 2 tablespoons of EVOO before serving to give it a silkier mouthfeel.
• Red wine vinegar: Feel free to replace the apple cider vinegar with red wine vinegar for more zing.
• Creamy vegan yogurt dressing: Swap out some of the water with vegan Greek yogurt or vegan sour cream. 
• Protein: Add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas, white beans, or kidney beans for a boost of protein.

How to Make a Marinated Cucumber Salad

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.

To keep the cucumbers crisp and crunchy, combine the vinegar and sugar only, and then add ice cubes to the salad while it marinates. This cools the marinade faster and helps it soak into the cucumbers while keeping the slices crisp.

Before serving, add a few raw cucumber slices to give the dish a burst of extra freshness and a crisper texture to the cucumber dill vinegar salad.

FAQs for Cucumber Dill Vinegar Salad

Toni’s Recipe Tips for Marinated Cucumber Salad

• Slice the cucumbers with a mandoline: It’s a reliable tool that will give you evenly sliced cucumbers every time! Plus, you can adjust the blade to give you thin or thick slices.
• Always drain the cucumbers: It’s a necessary step that will yield the correct texture and prevent the cucumber vinegar salad from turning soggy too soon.
• Allow the marinade to cool: The marinade needs time to cool to at least room temperature before you add the cucumber slices. If you combine the two while the marinade is warm, the cucumber will become soggy or limp faster.
• Give the cucumber time to marinate: The cucumbers need at least 2 hours to soak in those tangy and refreshing flavors.
• If your cucumber is overly seedy: Slice it in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then continue with the recipe as normal.

Serving Suggestions for Cucumber Dill Salad

This light salad pairs well with almost anything, as an opener, side, or palate cleanser! Enjoy it with all kinds of meals, such as:

• Sandwiches: A delightful side for a BBQ Tempeh Sandwich, Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwiches, or Mushroom Sandwich.
• Salads: This light salad perfectly balances a heartier one like Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad, Artichoke Potato Salad, Mediterranean Vegan Pasta Salad, or a Kale Quinoa Salad.
• Pasta Dishes: Complements a heavier meal like Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese, Red Pesto Pasta, and Stuffed Vegan Shells.
• BBQ Dishes: Perfect summer refreshment for Vegan Kabobs with Marinated Tempeh, Southwest Black Bean Burgers, or BBQ Seitan Brisket.

And if you happen to have marinated dilly cucumbers left over, you can layer them in a veggie sandwich (like this buffalo tofu sandwich), wrap (like this hummus tortilla wrap), add them to a leafy green rainbow salad, or snack on them when you need something cool and refreshing.

Storage Instructions

I recommend serving this marinated cucumber salad the day it’s assembled because the leftovers become soggy the longer they sit. Remember to set aside 2 hours of marinating time before serving, then store any leftovers in a sealed glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. They’re best enjoyed within 1 to 2 days, although they’ll last for up to 4 or 5 days.

The marinated cucumbers do not freeze well. If you’d like to save a little time, make the vinegar marinade up to 1 week in advance and store it in a sealed glass jar in the fridge.

More Delicious Cucumber Recipes

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Mango Cucumber Salsa

Vegan Lunches

Greek Cucumber Salad

Vegan Appetizers

Easy Cucumber Bites with Sunflower Chive Cream Cheese

Veganuary

Cucumber Gazpacho [Cold Cucumber Soup]

If you tried this cucumber dill salad recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!