Radish and Cucumber Salad

This light and refreshing salad is prepared with summer fresh cucumbers and radishes. Tossed in a quick and easy, seasoned homemade oil and vinegar dressing, this Radish and Cucumber Salad is loaded with crunch and texture. Can be prepared a day or two in advance as well!

When it comes to salad and summertime, nothing beats a light and refreshing salad like this Radish and Cucumber Salad. Well, actually, that’s a lie! Do you know what does beat it? A light and refreshing salad with lots of flavour and lots of crunch that’s easy to prepare and also easy on the wallet. Wouldn’t you agree? Come to think of it, this salad still takes the top spot because it checks off all of those points!

We are not the salad type. I don’t mean that we don’t like salads. I simply mean that we don’t eat them as often as we should. That just might change though, because I’ve been experimenting with summery salads that are free of lettuce and tomato. I love lettuce and tomato, but if they’re in every salad you eat, they become boring and bland quite fast. If you want a change from the every day, boring salad, this one is for you!

THE BEST TYPE OF CUCUMBERS FOR SALAD

To be honest, you can use any type of cucumber you like the most. In this particular case, I’m using the pickling cucumbers that I grew in my garden this summer. It was my first time growing cucumbers and to be quite honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of eating the pickling cucumbers raw – even though they are totally fine that way! I’m not a huge cucumber lover, but John.e is, so I asked him. He thought that pickling cucumbers were fine, but the skin is thicker, which he didn’t care for.

So, if I had to make a recommendation, it would most certainly be English cucumbers here. These are sometimes known as hothouse cucumbers as well. English cucumbers are usually a little more expensive, but because there are so few ingredients in this salad, it would be wise to use the best. Unlike other generic cucumbers, English cucumbers are seedless, which means they will release much less water when sliced – this will keep your salad from getting too watery!

You will know English cucumbers by three criteria – they are a really deep green colour, the one end looks rather pinched instead of evenly rounded like the end of most cucumbers, and lastly, English cucumbers are almost always wrapped in plastic at the grocery store.

RADISHES – PEPPERY OR NOT?

I wouldn’t claim that radishes are always in our crisper, but I would be comfortable stating that we purchase a bunch of radishes at least every six to eight weeks.  I would assume we buy them more regularly in the summer months. And, once you try this Radish and Cucumber Salad, you’ll likely buy them (or grow them!) more often too.

Personally, I love radishes.  Most people I know say that radishes are too peppery, but in all of my forty-plus years on this planet, I have never experienced the pleasure of biting into a peppery radish.  Either my taste buds are out of whack, or I can tolerate peppery flavours more than most. John.e, for example, usually has something to say about the peppery taste of most of the radishes we purchase.  McKenna doesn’t because she swears she doesn’t like them, although I’ve never seen her try one!  

On most occasions – no, all occasions – radishes are consumed raw in our home and only in two different ways. First, we love to slice them super thin or julienne them to toss into a green salad.  Secondly, I love to slice them in rounds and dip them into hummus – such a light and tasty snack.  Alternatively, I like to roast them in the oven with rosemary. They make a great side dish!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Cucumbers – You can use any cucumber that you prefer, although, as previously mentioned, I would recommend English cucumbers.
• Radishes – Wash them well. Trim the ends and discard. Slice the radishes into circles very thinly. I used my mandoline and set it at 1/4 of an inch.
• Parsley – For colour and garnish.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any light oil like sunflower, corn, or even avocado oil.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Yes, you can use other vinegar, however, apple cider does have a distinct flavour and is certainly what I would recommend here.
• Sugar – This is optional, but I think a little bit goes a long way to balance out the vinegar.
• Celery Seeds – These add so much flavour to summer-fresh salads.
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper

HOW TO MAKE RADISH AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Start with preparing the salad dressing.  Measure the vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, celery seeds, salt, and ground black pepper into a small mixing bowl.  Whisk until well combined and the sugar has dissolved.  Set the dressing aside.

Add the sliced cucumbers, radishes, and chopped parsley to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the oil and vinegar mixture again, ensuring that the sugar has dissolved and that nothing has settled to the bottom. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and toss well with tongs until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a food-safe container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for at least two hours.  Before serving, toss once more.

STORING LEFTOVER CUCUMBER WALNUT SALAD

If you have any leftovers, the best way to store them would be to transfer the salad to a food-safe container with a tight-fitting lid. Place it in the refrigerator. From the time the salad is first prepared, it will last in the fridge for two days.

The cucumbers will release a lot of water, which will certainly impact the overall look of the salad. But, since the dressing is made with oil and vinegar, it would make a huge difference. Be sure to toss the salad well each time you remove some from the bowl.

If you feel that you might not want any leftovers at all, take a look at the size of the recipe. You can just half every single ingredient to make a salad that’s half the size. As written, the recipe will serve six people as a side.

CONCLUSION

Radish and Cucumber Salad is what I would refer to as peasant food. (That doesn’t sound like a good thing, but I’m sure you know what I mean!) Every ingredient in this recipe is cheap and readily available. Most of you will already have oil, vinegar, as well as ground black pepper and salt in your spice cabinets. The only ingredient you might not have is celery seeds, but they are very inexpensive.

Cucumbers and radishes are certainly cheap, especially in the summertime. Most people would make this salad in the summertime anyway. Enjoy!