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Cucumber salad in a ceramic bowl with sliced cucumbers and avocados mixed together in a vinaigrette. The bowl is on a cream linen napkin on a lavender table with two gold serving spoons in the bottom right corner
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5 from 7 votes

Cucumber Salad

Crisp cucumbers and creamy avocado are tossed with a simple lemon vinaigrette made with fresh chives, garlic, olive oil, and red chili flakes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Salad, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: Gaby Dalkin

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 seedless cucumbers halved and sliced
  • 2 avocados diced

Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons chives chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • ⅓ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, chives, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and adjust seasoning to taste.
  • To the same bowl, add the avocado and cucumbers and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Make the dressing first. Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper directly in a large serving bowl. It gives you one less dish to wash.
  • Coat the avocado in the dressing before adding the cucumbers. Toss the diced avocado with the vinaigrette as soon as you cut it. The lemon helps keep the avocado from oxidizing while you finish assembling the salad.
  • Let the cucumbers sit on top until you're ready to eat. Add the cucumbers on top of the dressed avocado, but don't toss them in yet. They can sit there for 45 minutes or so without getting soft. When it's time to eat, give everything a quick toss and serve. The cucumbers stay crisp while the dressed avocado stays fresh—the best of both worlds.
  • Use Persian or seedless cucumbers. Their thin skin and crisp texture are ideal here, and there's usually no need to peel them. English cucumbers work well too; if the skin feels tough, peel it or slice it thinly.
  • Keep the avocado pieces generous. Larger, even chunks hold their shape when tossed and give you creamy bites that contrast with the crisp cucumber.
  • Use fresh lemon juice and finely minced garlic. With such a simple salad, the individual ingredients really matter. Fresh lemon keeps the vinaigrette bright, while finely minced or grated garlic distributes evenly throughout the dressing.
  • Use this recipe as a base and build from there. You can add tomatoes, olives, lettuce, cheese, or whatever else looks good. It's an easy salad to riff on all summer long.

Nutrition (estimated)

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 727mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 387IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg