Cucumber Herb Salad
Thinly sliced cucumbers dressed in a sharp vinaigrette and finished with a heavy hand of fresh herbs, served immediately to maintain crunch. The secret is pulling the moisture out of the cucumber slices before dressing so the salad stays crisp rather than watery.
Control the moisture, keep the texture.
Cucumbers are mostly water; salt them early and drain them well to ensure your dressing doesn't turn into a puddle.
- Mandoline or sharp chef's knife
- Colander
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
What goes in.
- 2 largeEnglish cucumbers
- 1 tbspkosher salt
- 1/4 cupfresh dill, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cupfresh parsley, leaves picked and torn
- 1 tbspfresh mint, finely chiffonade
- 2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 1 tspdijon mustard
Pre-salting for crunch
Toss sliced cucumbers with salt and let them sit in a colander for 15 minutes. This draws out excess liquid, ensuring the vinaigrette clings to the vegetable rather than sliding off.
The method.
Prep the cucumbers
Slice the cucumbers into rounds about 1/8 inch thick. Place them in a colander, toss with the salt, and leave over a bowl for 15 minutes.
Prepare the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk the dijon mustard with the white wine vinegar until smooth, then slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify.
Dry the slices
Pat the drained cucumber slices thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel until they feel dry to the touch.
Assemble
Place the cucumbers in a bowl, fold in the herbs, pour the dressing over the top, and toss gently to coat.
Other turns to take.
Creamy Finish
Swap the olive oil for three tablespoons of full-fat sour cream or thick Greek yogurt.
Spicy Kick
Add a pinch of red chili flakes or a finely minced serrano pepper to the dressing.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use English or Persian cucumbers; their skin is thin and their seed cavity is small, which keeps the salad from becoming mushy.
Do not add the dressing until the very second you are ready to serve.
Tear the herbs rather than chopping them aggressively to keep them from bruising and turning dark.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prep the cucumbers and dressing separately, but do not combine them until you are ready to plate.
Why did my salad get watery?
You likely skipped the salting step or did not pat the cucumbers dry enough before adding the dressing.
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