This simple cucumber salad with vinegar is a tangy, quick-pickled side dish even our kids love! Ready in no time, it’s the perfect weeknight salad!

These marinated cucumbers are BY FAR the most-often made side dish in our house.

Who knew that cucumbers and vinegar could be such a magical combination? They’re fast and easy for a weeknight side dish or a light summer salad and everyone loves them!

Would you be surprised if I told you I had eight different kinds of vinegar in my cupboard? Before I lived in Europe, my experience with vinegar was limited to dying Easter eggs.

And that’s exactly what I thought about when I smelled the simple oil and white vinegar dressing on the salads I ate in Austria.

I tried to suppress my egg-dying thoughts, not wanting to offend my sweet elderly hostesses by scrunching my nose. Then I grew to love vinegar’s bite. Kind of like how I grew to love plain sparkling water. And this simple marinated cucumber salad recipe.

How to marinate Cucumbers in Vinegar

This recipe is beyond easy. You only need a few things:

• English cucumber (they have a better flavor and you don’t have to peel and seed them like you do with regular cucumbers, but if that’s all you can find, then go for it.)
• Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
• Salt
• Sweetener, preferably granulated

You slice the cucumbers as THINLY as you can and then toss everything else together with a little water and BOOM. Done.

Here, watch how easy it is!

I think marinated cucumbers helped me to love vinegar. It’s a popular side dish in Austria (and Germany, too, I think).

To make this extra good you’ll need extra thinly sliced cucumbers. And make sure you have a fresh cucumber, too.

How to slice cucumbers extra thin

Have you bought a mandoline slicer yet? It’s the answer.

Seriously, what are you waiting for? That one I linked to is similar to the one I have. Mine’s old and doesn’t exist anymore, but it still does a great job.

I use it for these cucumbers ALL the time and for making veggie chips, like Crispy Sweet Potato Chips.

Seeing all those super-thin uniform cuts makes me super happy. Unless I cut myself… which I’ve only done once this month. And it wasn’t that bad. I was still happy about the uniformity, despite the blood spewing from my finger. #priorities

You could also use a slicing blade of a food processor or a good old-fashioned knife and cutting board.

It’s way slower by hand and you won’t get them really thin and uniform looking. But if you’re cool with that, then go for it.

These cukes are basically going to soak in vinegar water that is seasoned a bit. I like my cukes marinated in a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water with some sugar and a little sweetener added. You can adjust it however you like.

What else can you add to marinated cucumbers?

You could even add herbs like fresh dill, cilantro, or parsley.

Or some minced fresh garlic or thinly sliced red onions if you’re feeling fancy.

A friend of mine adds some sour cream to make a creamy version. That sounds heavenly.

How long do marinated cucumbers last in the fridge?

Then cover and refrigerate — the longer it sits, the better it gets. Until it gets slimy. Don’t wait that long.

They’re really good on day 2 and 3 especially. But you can keep them in there for about a week.

I also wanted to mention that I usually avoid white sugar like the plague when preparing our everyday meals and snacks. Most of the time I use coconut sugar or Lakanto monkfruit sweetener when I make these. Honey doesn’t easily mix evenly, and my stevia is super-concentrated. I didn’t want it tasting like cucumber candy.

What to serve with cucumbers & vinegar?

This easy (gluten free!) side dish adds some freshness if you’re eating something that’s really meaty or heavy. They also belong underneath a couple of fried eggs for lunch. Or with shrimp and pico de gallo.

I’ve made it for my kids a few times and they eat them like potato chips. (Especially the one who really likes pickles.) We especially love these cucumbers with our Sunday California Roll Sushi Bowls.

They’re also REALLY good along side my Grilled Moroccan Chicken or Spicy Shrimp Rolls!

We’re just cucumber salad & vinegar loving people.

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