Cucumber Salad

(2)

This unassuming salad should be your go-to dish at the potluck.

Cucumber Salad
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Active Time:
25 mins
Chill Time:
1 hrs
Total Time:
1 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
8

Cool and refreshing, this easy Cucumber Salad is a welcome addition to any barbecue spread. It may look simple, but this side dish has a surprisingly complex flavor. English cucumbers and halved cherry tomatoes form the foundation for this salad, transforming as they marinate in a simple dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and white wine. Fair warning: the wine is not cooked out in this dressing, so be prepared for a touch of alcohol. It's important to let the wine and lemon juice marinate with the cucumber slices for about an hour to allow the wine to mellow, for a more balanced (less boozy) flavor.

Select English cucumbers for this recipe, which have a thin skin and fewer seeds, so don't require peeling or seeding. Don't be shy in adding plenty of fragrant basil to the salad.

This Cucumber Salad recipe comes from the Southern Living Party Cookbook, which was originally published in 1972. We suggest serving it as part of a menu for a Lemon-Barbecue Chicken cookout, but it will taste great with just about any protein, from grilled seafood, to smoked ribs, to baked pork chops.

Ingredients

  • 2 small English cucumbers, thinly sliced into half-moons (about 4 cups)

  • 4 medium scallions, thinly sliced (about ¾ cup)

  • ¼ cup dry white wine

  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

  • 2 medium romaine lettuce hearts, chopped (about 6 cups)

  • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved

  • ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

Directions

  1. Toss together cucumbers, scallions, wine, and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a medium-size nonreactive bowl. Cover and chill, tossing occasionally, until flavors meld, about 1 hour.

  2. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber mixture (with liquid); toss to combine. Gently stir in basil. Season to taste with additional salt. Garnish with basil, and serve.

Tips

This recipe originally appeared in our May 2022 issue.

Related Articles