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Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad

Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad
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Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad

Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad

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A classic make-ahead family cucumber salad with thin cucumber and onion slices in a sweet-and-sour brine. The fuller established family version is used here instead of the weaker duplicate card: 3 large cucumbers, 1 medium onion, and the family water-sugar-vinegar brine.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Course: Pareve Salad
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • Large cucumbers: 3, thinly sliced
  • Medium onion: 1, very thinly sliced
Sweet & Sour Brine
  • 2 cups Water (480 mL)
  • 1 cup Sugar / 200 g
  • 1/2 cup Vinegar (120 mL)

Equipment

  • Large bowl or food-storage container with lid
  • Sharp knife and cutting board or mandoline
  • Whisk or large spoon
  • Measuring cups

Method
 

  1. Thinly slice the cucumbers and onion and place them in a large bowl or lidded container.
  2. In a separate bowl, stir together the water, sugar, and vinegar until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
  3. Pour the brine over the cucumbers and onion. Toss gently so all the slices are wet.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better for a deeper family-style flavor.
  5. Before serving, toss again and use a slotted spoon if you do not want a lot of brine on the plate.

Notes

Recipe #163
Category: Pareve Salad
Yield: About 6-8 servings
Method: Slice and marinate
Prep: About 15 minutes
Chill: Several hours or overnight
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Details
Kosher: Pareve. Texture: Crisp-tender cucumber and onion slices. Flavor: Sweet, tangy, cool, and refreshing.
Thin Slices Matter
The brine needs to reach the vegetables quickly and evenly. Slice both cucumber and onion thinly – a mandoline works well if used carefully, but a sharp knife is perfectly fine.
What a Beginner Should Look For
The cucumber slices should bend easily but still have some bite, the onion should lose its raw harshness, and the brine should taste balanced between sweet and sour.
Best the Next Day
This is one of those salads that improves with time. A few hours works, but overnight gives the cucumbers and onion enough time to absorb the sweet-and-sour brine evenly.
Beginner Tips
  • Slice cucumbers evenly so they marinate at the same rate.
  • Use a very thin onion slice so the onion mellows in the brine.
  • Stir until most of the sugar dissolves before pouring the brine over the vegetables.
  • Keep the vegetables submerged as much as possible while chilling.
  • Serve with a slotted spoon for a cleaner plate.
Troubleshooting
Too sweet: Add 1-2 tablespoons vinegar to the container and chill another hour. Too sour: Add 1-2 tablespoons sugar and stir until dissolved. Cucumbers are too soft: Slice a little thicker next time or shorten the marinating time. Onion is too strong: Slice it thinner or rinse the slices briefly under cold water before marinating.
Variations
  • Add a pinch of black pepper.
  • Add a little chopped dill for a fresh herb note.
  • Use small Persian cucumbers for extra crunch.
Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing
Refrigerator: Store covered in the brine up to 4 days. The cucumbers soften more each day. Freezing is not recommended.
Tip to Hand Down
Some family salads are not meant to be rushed. Slice them thin, give the brine time to work, and make this one the day before when you can.

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