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Cucumber Radish Salad is the most refreshing spring salad. Filled with cool Persian cucumbers, crisp radishes, and a fresh and tangy dressing, this simple salad adds the perfect crunch to any meal!
Serve this as a lovely, yet simple spring side dish to accompany your favorite protein, or as a refreshing, low-calorie snack. I like to serve this salad with chicken or shrimp to keep everything light and fresh.
If you love light salads with fresh ingredients, you’ll need to try this delicious Avocado Corn Salad or this Strawberry Spinach Salad next!
Cucumbers and radishes make a great combo for a salad, and also include some nutritious properties. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C and have a small amount of potassium. Cucumbers have small amounts of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and Vitamin A.
Cucumber Radish Salad Recipe
Using fresh produce is an essential part of this salad. The fresher the better, so if you have a backyard garden or access to a farmers market, even better!
Persian cucumbers are preferred for this salad, as they are the same size as radishes and will keep everything uniform in exact bite-sized portions. English cucumbers are a great substitute, but don’t fret if you can’t find either! Any cucumber will work just fine.
Ingredients You Will Need
This radish cucumber salad takes just a few ingredients, is simple to make, and tastes as it came straight from the garden! Here’s what you’ll need:
Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are thin-skinned and narrow, much like radishes. These small cucumbers have little seeds and are a lot crispier and less watery than English cucumbers. They provide a mild, sweet flavor that will complement the radishes.
Radishes: you’ll need one or two bunches of radishes to balance the cool cucumbers.
Scallions: adding scallions (or green onions) to this salad will give it a different type of crunch with a sharp and slightly peppery flavor.
Fresh dill: fresh dill is one of my favorite herbs. It’s bright and slightly sweet flavor is a nice complement to this salad.
Dressing: the combination of minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper compliment each other to create this glorious salad dressing. The minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper create a bitter, yet spicy element to the sauce, while the lemon juice adds acidity, and the honey sweetens it just ever so slightly.
Ingredient Substitutions and Tips
- Consider using fresh parsley for garnish and as another earthy herb. Cilantro will also compliment the flavors in this salad.
- Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can use red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Add thinly sliced red onion for more color and flavor.
- This salad tastes best when served fresh but can last in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How To Make Cucumber Radish Salad
1. Slice the cucumbers and radishes. Using a sharp knife or mandolin, carefully slice the cucumbers and radishes into uniform sections. Place the cucumber and sliced radish slices in a large bowl.
2. Chop the scallions. Chop the scallions into thin pieces and put them in the bowl with the cucumbers and radishes.
3. Prepare the dressing. Combine the minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until fully combined.
4. Make the salad. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the sliced cucumbers, crunchy radishes, and chopped scallions and toss to combine. Allow the salad to marinate for 5-10 minutes before serving. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and serve within 3-4 hours.
How do you cut a radish for a salad?
This might sound obvious, but give the radishes a good wash before slicing. Otherwise, you’ll bring the dirt from the radish’s skin into your salad.
A sharp knife or mandolin is essential for slicing radishes; this will help you slice them faster before they roll all over the place. If using a mandolin, you’ll want to put on a no-cut glove.
Radishes are root vegetables and have a root end, as well as a stem end. Try to cut as close as you can so you can get the most out of the small vegetable.
I like to slice radishes to about 1/4 of an inch for this salad. Making a small cut on the side will stabilize the radish so you are able to slice it more carefully and evenly across the radish to make even little circles.
Do you peel radishes?
Radishes do not need to be peeled. In fact, the best part about them is their vibrant color! If you peel them, they will be just be white.
All you’ll have to do is prepare the radishes as stated above; simply wash them and remove the tops and roots. Radishes can be used whole, sliced, diced, or shredded. The majority of their flavor comes from the skin.
How long will it keep in the fridge?
I enjoy this salad most when it’s fresh, however, if you have leftovers you can keep them in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. If liquid collects in the bottom of the container, just drain it before serving.
Recipe Variations
Creamy cucumber salad: you can make a creamy cucumber radish salad by swapping out the dressing with a mixture of sour cream, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Greek inspired radish cucumber salad: add some thinly sliced red onion and crumbled feta cheese for a Greek inspired twist.
What to Serve With Cucumber Radish Salad
These are a few of my favorite easy recipes to serve with this salad:
- Oven Baked Chicken and Cauliflower
- Creamy Chicken And Rice
- Creamy Garlic Tuscan Salmon
- Spring Pea Pasta
- Air Fryer Filet Mignon
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Cucumber Radish Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Persian cucumbers
- 1 or 2 bunches of radishes
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, carefully slice the cucumbers and radishes to about 1/4 of an inch. Place them in a medium sized mixing bowl with the dill and sliced scallions.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper. Mix well until fully combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Allow the salad to marinate for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve within 3-4 hours.
Video
Notes
- You can keep them in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. If liquid collects in the bottom of the container, just drain it before serving.
Loved the addition of radishes to this Cucumber Salad. Took it for a picnic, made it ahead of time, and everyone loved it. No leftovers to take home. So that’s awesome.
I absolutely love this. It’s so crisp and refreshing! The perfect side, but I even love it piled onto a sandwich!
I usually either make radish salad or cucumber salad and never thinking of combining the two, turns out they are great in a pair. This will be my new go-to salad for hot summer days.
This was such a light and refreshing salad; easily, a new favorite recipe! Was the perfect meal for a light lunch!
I love making salads like this so that I have something healthy to snack on during the week. This recipe is delicious. Thank you!