Easy Cucumber Radish Salad

Crisp radishes, cool cucumbers, fresh mint, crunchy red onions, and a creamy Greek yogurt lemon dressing. This healthy, refreshing creamy cucumber radish salad is exactly what you will want to enjoy on a hot summer day!

If you love easy summer salads you should try this peach tomato salad and this spicy cucumber salad.

Well the impossible happened, I grew my first cucumber. It is entirely possible that I can actually garden and this my friends is going to change my recipe development flow, in a good way!

So with the anticipation of many more cucumbers (and radishes) to come, let’s make a super simple, cool, refreshing, and delicious cucumber and radish salad.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Simple and healthy – pretty much my motto these days. Keep is simple, keep it healthy and this recipe ticks both boxes.
• Cooling – This cucumber radish salad, with its crisp, cooling vegetables and refreshing mint, is the perfect antidote to a hot summer day.
• Versatile – This versatile salad can be enjoyed as a light appetizer, a vibrant side dish, or even a refreshing snack on its own.

Let’s Get Cooking (well assembling, no cooking required!)

INGREDIENTS and SUBSTITUTIONS

Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post, but this recipe uses minimal ingredients and is the epitome of garden fresh!

• Cucumbers – I used the cucumbers from my garden which I believe are called “Straight Eight”. The photos show Persian or mini cucumbers which are my favorite grocery store cucumber.
• Radishes – I had french breakfast radishes on hand but any of your favorite radish varieties will work. Ideally, you want to use cucumbers and radishes that are around the same size. One bunch of radishes will suit this recipe just fine.
• Red Onion – Diced red onion that I quickly “pickled” by soaking it in lemon juice and salt. This helps to dampen the sharpness of the onion. I love the crunch and bite of onion in a cucumber salad. You can substitute green onions or white onions.
• Fresh Mint – I adore fresh mint in this recipe, especially when I am serving this with my summer lamb kebabs. If you aren’t a fan of mint, you can substitute parsley, basil, or dill.
• Fresh or dried chives – Optional, but yummy.
• Greek yogurt, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Salt, and Pepper – This is to make the creamy dressing, you can use coconut yogurt if dairy free.

Find the printable recipe with detailed measurements below

TOOLS YOU WILL USE

• Cutting board
• Good knife or mandolin
• Whisk
• Bowl

HOW TO MAKE CUCUMBER RADISH SALAD

This simple salad does not require any special tools or skills. Just a bit of time, about 10 minutes.

1. Step 1: Slice. Start by slicing the cucumbers and radishes. Ideally, you want them sliced fairly uniformly. You can use a mandolin if you have one (I do not and find that a kitchen knife does the trick just fine). Also dice the red onion
2. Step 2: Soak/ Pickle the onion. Add the diced onion to a small bowl and cover with lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt. Allow to soak for 5 minutes
3. Step 3: Make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, set aside.
4. Step 4: Mix. In a medium bowl combine the cucumbers and radishes, mint, and chives, strain the onions and add to the bowl. Top with dressing and gently stir everything together.
5. Step 5: Serve. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the top and serve.

CREATIVE WAYS TO SERVE THIS CUCUMBER RADISH SALAD

• SIDE DISH – This is the most obvious and for good reason, This cucumber salad is the perfect summer side dish. Serve alongside roasted meats, baked salmon, beef shawarma burger, shawarma spiced stuffed peppers, or lamb kebabs,
• TOPPER– Use this healthy side dish as a topper avocado toast or cottage cheese toast.

FAQ + RECIPE TIPS!

Do you have to salt and drain cucumbers to use them in a salad?

I do not in this recipe, but you absolutely can. Salting cucumbers helps them to release liquid so they don’t make your salad soggy. If you don’t salt/drain you may have some liquid pooled at the bottom of your bowl in about 15+ minutes. Which I have no issue with. If serving this salad for a party simply add the dressing right before you serve it.

MAKE-AHEAD AND STORAGE TIPS

• Make ahead tip: Both the radishes and the cucumbers will quickly absorb the moisture from the dressing and begin to soften/lose their crunch. Add the dressing right before serving
• Storage tip: This salad will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge but the cucumbers will begin to lose their crunch. You also may see more liquid pooling at the bottom of your container, you can just drain that off.

DIETARY MODIFICATIONS FOR THIS RECIPE

This recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and keto-friendly.

• Vegan/Dairy Free/Paleo/Whole 30 – Use coconut yogurt in place of Greek yogurt
• Low Fodmap – Replace onion with scallions or eliminate.

For similar tasty dishes, check out my summer side dish recipes, June recipes, July recipes and August recipes roundups!

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MORE EASY, SUMMER SALADS

Greek Crunch Salad

Lentil Farmers Market Salad

Haloumi Chickpea Salad