Looks Delic
Who doesn’t love a crisp, sweet cucumber salad alongside a barbecue style dinner? It is the perfect side to pair along with hamburgers, hot dogs and all kinds of barbecue chicken or pork. I think most of us have had some version of cucumber salad before and they’re all pretty similar. Some have onions, some don’t. Some have more sugar while others have more vinegar. There are slight variations but all of them are delicious in their own way. My personal preference for cucumber salad leans towards the sweet side of that spectrum and great news… it is completely dairy-free.
This dairy-free cucumber salad recipe has a secret ingredient in the dressing… lime juice. The tartness and acidity of the lime juice balances out the sugar perfectly. Surprisingly it doesn’t leave any hint of sour behind at all. It will however have people asking you “what is that I taste?” because it gives the dressing a little extra something that you can’t put your finger on.
About the Ingredients
Cucumber – The key to a great cucumber salad is getting evenly sized slices. Some people are phenomenally coordinated with a knife and can do this without any help. I unfortunately am not one of those people. To get my perfect cucumber slices I use a mandolin. It’s not fancy or expensive but it does an excellent job and cuts my work time down by about 75%. If you don’t already have one I highly recommend picking one up. Amazon has a great selection for under $25 that you can check out here.
Sugar
Water
White wine vinegar
Lime juice – don’t skip this one. Although your salad will be fine with out, this gives it the special little something that makes this sweet cucumber salad better than others.
How to Make Sweet Cucumber Salad
Making dairy-free cucumber salad is as easy as “cooking” gets. Simply whisk the ingredients in the dressing together, pour over the sliced cucumbers, and let it marinate.
Recipe Variations & Substituions
Try adding:
- thin sliced red onions
- fresh dill
- sliced jalapeños
FAQ’s & Recipe Tips
This is a matter of preference. For best results I would at least peel strips of the skin off and leave some on, creating a striped effect. This looks the most appealing and still removes some of the toughness of the skin. In this particular cucumber salad I like to peel the entire skin off.
The best way is to use a mandolin slicer. This way the cucumber slices are evenly sized and can be nice and thin.
Make Cucumber Salad Ahead
Cucumber salad needs time to marinate. While it marinates, the sugar will dissolve with help from the vinegar and lime juice. Without time to dissolve, your dressing and salad will be a little grainy.
Marinating time also softens the cucumber and allows them to absorb some of the sweetness of the vinaigrette.
Make your cucumber salad at least 4 hours before serving it but the longer it sits, the better it gets. I like to make mine a day ahead if possible.
The Recipe for Dairy-Free Cucumber Salad
I’ve attached the recipe below. My one piece of advice before you whip it up though… make sure it has time to marinate in the refrigerator before you plan to serve it. You will be disappointed if you eat it too soon (can you tell I’ve made this mistake when I was in a time crunch?)
If you try out my sweet cucumber salad recipe please leave a note in the comments and let me know what you think. Enjoy!
Sweet Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Mandoline slicer optional
Ingredients
- 3 English cucumbers
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp water
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Peel and slice the cucumbers.
- In a small bowl, whisk remaining ingredients.
- Pour dressing over cucumbers and toss well.
- Leave salad to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
Notes
More Recipes You Might Like
- Roasted Parmesan and Herb Veggies
- Sweet Potato Wedges
- Brussel Sprout and Butternut Squash Bruschetta
- Looking for even more Dairy-free recipes? Wellness Warrior has some really great ones.
