A Fresh Salad With Cucumbers And Crunchy Vegetables

The quest for the perfect dish for light meals ends here. This creamy cucumber salad embodies the ideal solution for those seeking freshness, balance, and speed. Neither too elaborate nor too bland, it combines the crunch of fresh vegetables with the creaminess of a perfectly balanced Greek yogurt sauce.

Designed for four people, this recipe can be adapted as desired: a refreshing starter before a main course, a vegetable side dish at a summer barbecue, or a complete lunch for busy days. Its major asset lies in its seasonal versatility. While particularly appreciated on sunny days, it remains relevant in autumn and winter thanks to the constant availability of cucumbers and colorful vegetables.

The secret lies in a few precise steps: thinly sliced cucumbers, grated carrot, diced tomato, and sliced red onion, all coated in a creamy sauce combining yogurt, light mayonnaise, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. The addition of fresh herbs brings that distinctive aromatic touch, while optional toasted seeds create a striking textural contrast.

This quick preparation requires less than thirty minutes from start to tasting, including refrigerator rest time. No advanced culinary skills are required, just following simple steps that guarantee an impeccable result every time.

The Ingredient List: Simplicity And Freshness Combined

Culinary excellence does not require a sophisticated grocery store. This salad relies on twelve accessible components, available in any supermarket.

The vegetable base requires three small cucumbers or two medium ones, washed and thinly sliced. One peeled and grated carrot brings its bright orange color, while a firm tomato cut into regular cubes ensures controlled texture and juiciness. A quarter of a sliced red onion is enough for that characteristic sharp touch, without dominating the whole.

The creamy sauce is built around two tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt and one tablespoon of light mayonnaise. This balanced proportion ensures creaminess without excessive heaviness. A tablespoon of fresh lemon juice activates the taste buds, reinforced by a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar which brings mild acidity and aromatic complexity. Extra virgin olive oil, at one tablespoon, harmoniously binds the flavors.

Fresh chopped dill remains the standard, although chives are a perfectly acceptable alternative according to personal preference. Salt and freshly ground black pepper are adjusted to individual taste.

The toasted seeds option deserves consideration: a few sunflower or sesame seeds dry-roasted radically transform the taste experience with their addictive crunch. An optional detail that makes all the difference when serving.

Preparation In 5 Steps: The Foolproof Method

Success lies in mastering the initial drainage. The thinly sliced cucumbers receive a light sprinkle of salt before ten minutes of draining in a colander. This technique removes excess water that would dilute the sauce. A quick rinse followed by drying with paper towels completes this crucial first phase.

Meanwhile, simultaneous preparation of the vegetables optimizes efficiency: carrot grated into regular filaments, tomato cut into uniform cubes, red onion sliced with precision. These three components await their final assembly.

The creamy sauce is made in a separate small bowl. Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, lemon juice, cider vinegar, and olive oil merge under the energetic action of a spoon. Dill or chives are then incorporated, followed by salt-pepper seasoning adjusted to preference.

Assembly in the salad bowl requires delicacy: drained cucumbers, carrots, tomato, and onion mingle before the creamy sauce coats them with gentle circular movements. No brutality should damage the textures.

The refrigerated rest of fifteen to thirty minutes is the non-negotiable step. This phase allows the aromas to interact and the flavors to unify. The toasted seeds join the ensemble only at the last moment, thus preserving their crunch intact until the first bite.

Expert Tips To Personalize And Optimize The Recipe

Beyond the classic version, this salad welcomes multiple variations according to desires or nutritional needs. Adding sweet corn, multicolored diced peppers, or a handful of chickpeas transforms the light side dish into a satisfying main course, capable of serving as a complete lunch.

Fans of a vegan diet will find their match by substituting traditional mayonnaise with a plant-based alternative, while Greek yogurt gives way to soy or coconut yogurt. This modification preserves the characteristic creaminess while respecting specific dietary choices.

Advance preparation is a major asset for occasions when time is short. The salad tolerates several hours of refrigeration perfectly, on the mandatory condition of incorporating the creamy sauce only at the last moment. This precaution prevents the vegetables from releasing their water and diluting the whole, creating an undesirable watery texture.

For palates seeking intensity, adjusting the proportions of fresh herbs or incorporating a pinch of mustard seeds offers additional flavor nuances. Some chefs even suggest a touch of honey in the sauce to counterbalance the acidity of the lemon and vinegar.

These variations demonstrate the remarkable adaptability of a recipe whose simplicity excludes neither sophistication nor culinary creativity.