Easy Lemon Cucumber Salad Recipe with a Lemon Vinaigrette
This Lemon Cucumber Salad is a quick, versatile, and entirely plant-based dish that’s the perfect salad or side dish for showcasing fresh, seasonal produce.
With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a refreshing salad that highlights the crispness of cucumbers, the zing of lemon, and the subtle sweetness of cherry tomatoes.
Why I Made This Recipe
My favorite way to use cucumbers is in a simple salad. This is a great recipe because it lets the natural flavors of fresh produce shine.
When summer and autumn bring an abundance of fresh vegetables, I prefer to keep things simple, using just lemon juice, quality olive oil, and a touch of salt to enhance their natural taste.
For this recipe, I chose lemon cucumbers because they are less bitter, have a beautiful sun-yellow hue, and add a unique twist to traditional cucumber dishes. If you’re growing these cucumbers, you’ll find them to be prolific and relatively easy to care for, making them a fantastic addition to your garden and your kitchen.
Additionally, this makes for a fantastic busy day recipe! Simple salads are a great way to bump up your veggie intake without much effort.
Ingredients in This Cucumber Salad Recipe
Veggies
- Fresh Cucumbers – Choose your favorite cucumber slices for this recipe or whatever garden cucumbers you have growing in your garden or picked up from the farmers market.
From English cucumbers, to lemon cucumbers, to Persian cucumbers any will work well in this recipe and you’ll even notice the different flavor profiles.
I like to cut my cucumbers into cubes or quarter inch slices.
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
- Green Onion (Scallions) – For more flavor you could use red onion
- Optional: More fresh herbs such as mint leaves, fresh basil leaves, or fresh dill.
Lemon Vinaigrette
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
- Cracked Black Pepper
You have the option to garnish with lemon slices.
How To Make This Easy Recipe
Prepare the Lemon Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is well emulsified.
Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients.
Finish and Serve
Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad. Serve immediately for a crisp, fresh taste, or refrigerate for up to a day to allow the flavors to marinate and deepen.
Other Ingredient Additions
The beautul thing about this recipe is it is adaptable. If you have some bell peppers feel free to throw some of those in, lots of herbs, or even some yogurt to make this a creamy cucumber salad.
Storing This Recipe
This recipe will last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
FAQ (Ask a Dietitian!)
What does lemon cucumber taste like?
Lemon cucumbers do not have a lemon flavor. They taste like a cucumber with no bitterness that sometimes comes with certain cucumber varietals.
They are called “Lemon” Cucumbers because they visually look like a lemon!
How do you eat Lemon Cucumbers?
You can eat lemon cucumbers in many ways, they are quite a versatile vegetable. I love them as an accent in a tomato salad, use them in a grain bowl creation, or make easy lemon cucumber pickles with mustard seed!
However, the recipes do not end there. Lemon cucumbers work in a variety of cuisines from Italian recipes Indian recipes, Japanese recipes, Chinese Recipes, and Mexican Recipes. For more inspiration, check out this article on 8 Must-Try Lemon Cucumber Recipe Ideas.
Can you put lemon and cucumber in water?
Yes, Lemon cucumber water is a delicious and refreshing beverage.
You can use any cucumber you would like, including lemon cucumbers. Lemon and cucumber in water is a refreshing and fun way to stay hydrated all year long.
For more flavor add the juice of a whole lemon or even some bottled lemon juice will taste great.
Growing Lemon Cucumbers
After moving to Washington, my husband and I have a beautiful backyard garden! This is my first year trying to grow Lemon Cucumbers. From what I have heard and researched lemon cucumbers are very easy to grow!
What I do know from growing other varietals of cucumber plants, they grow quickly, they like well-draining soil that is evenly moist. From my experience, when I was inconsistent with watering my cucumbers taste bitter. Additionally, they like full sun but are prone to scorching so they also need some shade (think about those big cucumber leaves!)
Interested in growing cucumbers? Here are a couple of resources.
Additional Recipes
Easy Lemon Cucumber Salad with a Lemon Vinaigrette
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
Lemon Cucumber Salad
- 3 cups diced lemon cucumbers or cut the lemon cucumbers into your preferred shape
- ½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp green onion
Simple Lemon Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or the juice of 1 lemon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
Lemon Vinaigrette
- Add all the vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until combined.
Lemon Cucumber Salad
- Add all of the lemon cucumber ingredients to a large bowl.
- Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to a day to allow the flavors to marinade.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Sarah Harper, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist passionate about cooking, eating, and sharing all things food! At The Addy Bean, you’ll find a variety of flexitarian recipes designed to inspire and empower you to explore the delicious world of plant-based eating. My mission is to make plant-forward meals approachable, enjoyable, and part of your everyday life!
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