February 26, 2023
Main Dishes

Cucumber Radish Salad Recipe

A fresh and crunchy cucumber radish salad made of seedless cucumbers, fresh radishes, crisp peas, and loaded with fresh herbs. The perfect bright salad recipe to eat on its own or to add to other recipes!

I made this recipe as a part of my base meals series. These recipes are great for keeping for 3-5 days and can be the base to build off without doing a mass amount of meal prep.

Check out my Tuscan Bean Salad with Barley and my recipe for Shredded Kale and Cabbage Caesar recipes as well.

Why This Recipe Works:

Light and Fresh: While this is a vegetable heavy recipe, it’s not a traditional leaf-based salad. The light and crispy nature of the cucumber and radish combination is a great way to get in a lot of good nutrients and fiber into your diet without feeling painfully full.
Hydrating: Cucumbers are naturally high in water content and are a great way to hydrate through food. While they do contain nutrients as well, they’re a great lower calorie veggie that is great for snacking or using in other recipes.
Flavorful: This salad is loaded with fresh herbs like parsley and dill as well as a deliciously tangy and acidic vinaigrette dressing to tie it all together.

“School” Supplies:

Knife and Cutting Board
Small Bowl
Large Bowl
Whisk

“Class” Notes:

Welcome to my virtual classroom! Use the guided notes below where I often answer commonly asked questions I get from readers and cooks just like you.

This information is meant to help you have a stronger understanding of this recipe and the process so you can find success all on your own.

Ready to begin cooking? Simply jump to the recipe card below and begin.

Ingredients:

For The Salad-

Seedless Cucumbers: I recommend English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers for this recipe. Seeds will add an unwanted texture and more water content that you’ll want for this salad.
Radishes: I used a combination of regular radishes and watermelon radishes (because they were in season). Feel free to use whatever you can find at your local grocery store.
Snow Peas: For a little more crunch and fiber, I added sweet peas (with the pod) to add some depth to this salad.
Green Onion: Thinly slice the green onions for this recipe, using both the white and green portions of the stem. Additionally, red onion would also work as a substitute.
Fresh Dill: While dried would work, the freshness of the dill adds a much lighter flavor to this salad.
Fresh Italian Parsley: Curly parsley does work as a substitute as well.
Shelled Sunflower Seeds: This garnish adds crunchiness and a nice salty flavor similar to a crouton.

Cucumber Radish Salad Recipe ingredients

For The Dressing-

Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Fresh Parsley
Salt and Black Pepper
Aleppo Pepper (or red pepper flakes)

Salad Instructions:

Begin by cleaning the radishes and rinsing them thoroughly (they often tend to be pretty dirty). Trim off the leafy stem and the tail root if it is intact. Then thinly slice the radishes about 1/8th of an inch thick.
Next, slice the cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices as well and add them into a bowl with the radishes.
Roughly chop the sweet peas and slice the green onion and add those to the large bowl as well.
Finish off the base of the salad by adding some minced fresh dill and fresh Italian parsley. Toss everything gently to combine and set the salad aside.
In a small bowl, prepare the dressing by adding olive oil, lemon juice, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and the Aleppo pepper to taste. Whisk well to fully combine and emulsify and then pour the dressing over the cucumber salad mix.
Fold everything together gently and taste test to adjust seasonings. Place the salad onto a platter and garnish with extra dill and sunflower seeds and serve.

What To Serve With Cucumber Radish Salad:

For a creamy cucumber radish salad- Toast some of your favorite bread and add a layer of creamy ricotta cheese, greek yogurt, or sour cream, and season lightly with salt. Top the toast with the salad mix and enjoy!

Serve with a protein- I love this recipe paired with tuna salad and served over a wrap or in a pita. It’s also great with some grilled chicken or serve with my air fryer salmon too.

For Sharing- This salad recipe is great for a spring shower, holiday sides, or even versatile for a summer BBQ too.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Should I peel the cucumbers for cucumber salad?

It is a personal preference. Some people prefer to peel the cucumbers to remove any bitterness, while others prefer to leave the skin on for added crunch and nutrition.

How do I prevent the cucumber salad from becoming watery?

To prevent the cucumber salad from becoming watery, sprinkle the sliced cucumbers with salt and let them sit for about 10-15 minutes to draw out any excess water. Then, rinse the cucumbers under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel before adding the dressing.

How long will cucumber salad last in the fridge?

This salad is best within 3-4 days before it will break down too much. You can always keep the dressing on the side and dress individual servings to keep it longer too.

More Recipes To Try: