A lot of my friends have fond memories of their grandmother’s chicken soup or their mom’s amazing brisket. Sadly, I don’t have these sacred food memories. My Jewish grandmother (who I love dearly) is not such a great cook. Her kugel is always dried out, her soup is too fatty and needs salt, and she serves jarred gefilte fish at holidays, which more closely resembles lint from a dryer than something edible.
But one of the dishes she makes that I do enjoy is her marinated cucumber salad. It’s a dish that she learned to make from her grandmother (my great-great grandmother) who lived most of her life in Russia.
I updated her recipe just a bit, using a larger seedless English cucumber instead of regular cucumbers, and adding a bit of spice with just a pinch of red pepper flakes. I also love serving my salad in mason jars — definitely a modern twist.
This quick salad is a cinch to whip up, keeps for several days in the fridge and is a real crowd-pleaser. My young daughter devours it, and even my father-in-law approves — truly the ultimate compliment.
Keep the kitchen humming and the recipes coming. Your support ensures The Nosher remains a free resource for everyone in our community seeking a taste of home or a new tradition. Donate today to keep Jewish food accessible to all.
Note: This recipe needs to chill for several hours or overnight.
Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad
This easy marinated cucumber salad is based on my great-great grandmother’s recipe.
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 large seedless English cucumber
- 1 yellow or red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2–3 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Slice cucumber ¼–½ inch thick.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and dill.
- Add thinly sliced cucumber and onion to bowl, and mix until liquid coats all the cucumber and onion.
- Place salad into container and allow to chill several hours or overnight.
Notes
This recipe needs to chill for several hours or overnight.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes + 3 hours chill time
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Vegan
- Method: Quick
- Cuisine: Ashkenazi
21 comments
Leave a Comment
kugel
Prounounced: KOO-gull (oo as in book), Origin: Yiddish, traditional Ashkenazi casserole frequently made with egg noodles or potatoes.
I’ve used this recipe for years. It’s exactly what my Mom used to make. Very quick and very delicious.
One of my fav dishes my Mom always made and served. Mouth watering now thinking about it. Can’t wait to try
One cucumber doesn’t seem to make much. Can it be doubled?
Sure!
Dbl the ingredients lol 😂
I love cucumber salad! My mother, my grandmother and Great Grandmother all made cucumber salad I love the pepper flakes. I have debated about adding some fresh sweet red pepper. Actually, it good with almost any vegetable.
Been making it for years and it’s a classic crunchy delicious vegetable side dish to serve along hot dogs, brats, brisket, sloppy Joe’s, fried chicken or any rich fatty meat dishes. The vinegar cuts thru the richness.
I know this recipe – it’s very good.
My dear Grandma made it every summer.
Now I try it – perhaps it will gives for me a real kick!
Have a nice weekend!
Marianne
Hi! Didn’t have dill so used a slash of dill pickle juice. DEEEElicious! Thanks for the recipe ♥️
My grandkids scooped them up. Good easy recipe.
Exactly how my grandmother made it albeit it was white vinegar and not white wine vinegar. Otherwise identical. YUMMY!
My mom was born in Lithuania and came to the USA in 1920.
She made this type of ‘salad’ but with sliced scallions (white and greens) and no hot flakes.
I absolutely love this side … even as a snack. I slice the cucs in sliver thinness. Marinades faster. Eat sooner. winkwink
Yummy can’t wait to make it
This is Exactly how my mother made it!
I was taught recipe this by my mother-in-law, who was Slovak and lived near the Hungarian border. I have made this recipe exactly for about 15 years, and it is always finished to the last slice at family gatherings!
My bubbe came to the US as a teen from Russia many many years ago and always made this dish and I loved it then and have been making it for over 50 years and everyone always devour it including the children. I have shared it with friends who all love it.
What makes this “Russian” cucumber salad Russian. This is a very old standard recipe. Nothing new, original or Kosher.
Add cauliflower florets. Pickled cauliflower along with the onions and cucumbers is always a hit at our house.
I cant eat sugar. OK to make this dish without the sugar?
Hi Mimi. You can absolutely omit the sugar, but the taste will be a bit more sour.
Can the vinegar be substituted by lemons? And only 1/2 the salt used? How can they be put up for canning?