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.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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. You may be able to find some in the stores 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 used Scottish Blackthorn sea salt. Use code CHRISTINASCUCINA to get 10% off your entire order at The Scottish Grocer. 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)
A light, refreshing and tasty cucumber salad which highlights the cucumber itself.
Ingredients
- 1 fresh, preferably organic cucumber*
- 1.5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil*
- 2 good pinches of sea salt*
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar*
- *see notes on these amounts
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. Use code CHRISTINASCUCINA to get 10% off your entire order at The Scottish Grocer. 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 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 Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 135mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
There’s a salad I make and friends always want to know what the dressing is and I have to explain that with that one there’s also no dressing (unless you count just olive oil and lemon juice) as such, it’s the ingredients that are giving it flavour.
It’s basically mixed lettuce like Lollo Rosso and Lollo Biondo, tomatoes, cucumber, yellow or red pepper sliced very fine, red onion sliced very fine. Then I tear in some basil leaves, grate the zest of a lemon over it and add chopped sundried tomatoes. Drizzle with a good extra virgin olive oil, salt and a good squeeze of lemon.
Tastes like summer!
Yes, lots of people don’t understand simplicity of things like this. :)
this sounds fabulous christina. I do love cucumber esp. when allowed to soak up some gorgeous vinegar and oil. My mum used to use malt vinegar so that is my happy childhood memory of cuke salad.
Love this simple salad! We add some chopped mint to ours.
Great! Good luck, Denise!
This cucumber salad will definitely be made this week. It seems so light and refreshing. A baguette will also be on the table.
Good choice, Nancy!
yep, have a LOT of cucumbers coming in right now…….added a bit of lemon zest to the above oil/vinegar recipe….delish!
LOVE cucumbers, prepared every and any way! I like making the sour cream and dill ones. Or mixing with tomatoes and onions in a evoo/vinegar dressing. I even make myself cucumber sandwiches when I have fresh small pickling cukes – yum!
I will try this for sure, i just love cucumbers