Cucumber Salad (Simple, Italian-Style)

There’s nothing complicated about a great tasting cucumber salad! Only four simple, good quality ingredients (including salt) are all you need!

I love cucumbers, so when I have a cucumber salad, I don’t want to add any heavy dressings, dill or other flavors that hide the delicate flavor of the cucumber itself.

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If you are like me, then you’ll love this Italian-style cucumber salad! Just cucumbers and the typical “dressing” that Italians use on almost every salad they make.

Try this classic Italian roasted red pepper antipasto salad, too.

In case you didn’t know, in Italy there are no dressings, like we have in the US.

Have you ever tried Korean cucumber pickles?

You may be able to find some salad dressings in the stores in Italy now due to the American influence, but I would bet it is mostly geared towards visitors and tourists.

All that is needed to dress any salad if you want to do it the authentic Italian way, is extra virgin olive oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), and salt. Sometimes the vinegar/lemon juice is even omitted.

Learn how to make an Italian style garden salad.

Cucumber Salad (Simple, Italian-Style)

recipe by Christina Conte                             serves 2

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Ingredients

• fresh cucumber
• extra virgin olive oil
• red wine vinegar
• good quality sea salt

Directions

Wash and slice the cucumber lengthwise, cut into small slices and put into a bowl.

Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the cucumber slices.

Next, sprinkle the sea salt over the cucumber. I use Maldon sea salt, and  I use a little mortar and pestle to grind coarse sea salt when adding to salads.

Finally, add the red wine vinegar over the salad.

Toss to combine all of the ingredients.

It’s not a bad idea to leave the salad for about 5 or 1o minutes as the flavor will improve in this time, especially if you use a good quality, flaked sea salt. Serve the salad as desired, but I highly recommend some crusty bread, especially for soaking up what’s at the bottom of the bowl!

Enjoy this light and refreshing cucumber salad during the hot summer months when cucumbers are in season. You won’t be happy with the results if you use poor quality, out of season produce, as with any other fruit or veg.

Note: it’s really important to understand that a salad varies greatly, depending on so many factors: the size of the cucumber, the saltiness of the salt, etc. The taste buds of each individual should also determine how much of each ingredient to add.

As you see in the photos, I am adding the ingredients without measuring because I do this several times a day, at times. I love extra vinegar, but my son doesn’t like it at all, so he omits it. Please start with the recommended amounts, taste and readjust as you like.

Also, it’s critical that you DO NOT mix the oil, vinegar and salt in a jar or bottle as many people do for other dressings because it will change the flavor completely. I don’t know why this is the case, but it is.

Cucumber Salad (Simple, Italian-Style)

Servings: 2 salads

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

A light, refreshing and tasty cucumber salad which highlights the cucumber itself.

4.9 from 11 votes

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Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

• 1 cucumber fresh, preferably organic (see notes)
• 1 ½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pinches sea salt
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar

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Instructions

• Wash and slice the cucumber lengthwise, cut into small slices and put into a bowl. 
• Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the cucumber slices.
• Next, sprinkle the sea salt over the cucumber. I used Scottish Blackthorn Sea Salt. I use a morter and pestle to grind coarse sea salt when adding to salads.
• Finally, add the red wine vinegar over the salad. Toss to combine all of the ingredients. It's not a bad idea to leave the salad for about 5 or 10 minutes as the flavor will improve in this time, especially if you use a good quality, flaked sea salt. Serve the salad as desired, but I highly recommend some crusty bread, especially for soaking up what's at the bottom of the bowl!

Notes

• It’s really important to understand that a salad varies greatly, depending on so many factors: the size of the cucumber, the saltiness of the salt, etc. The taste buds of each individual should also determine how much of each ingredient to add. As you see in the photos, I am adding the ingredients without measuring because I do this several times a day, at times. I love extra vinegar, but my son doesn’t like it at all, so he omits it. Please start with the recommended amounts, taste and readjust as you like.
• Also, it’s critical that you DO NOT mix the oil, vinegar and salt in a jar or bottle as many people do for other dressings because it will change the flavor completely. I don’t know why this is the case, but it is.
• Enjoy this light and refreshing cucumber salad during the hot summer months when cucumbers are in season. You won’t be happy with the results if you use poor quality, out of season produce, as with any other fruit or veg.

Nutrition

Serving: 1salad | Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 391mg | Potassium: 192mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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Author: Christina Conte

Course Salads

Cuisine Italian

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