Vegan Cucumber Salad

Get ready to meet your new picnic and potluck go-to dish. This crunchy, creamy, and refreshingly cold vegan cucumber salad has everything you want in a summer recipe! It’s a no-cook appetizer or side that’s super easy to put together in less than 10 minutes, and is great to make ahead and keep in the fridge until party time.

I’ve been eating cucumber salad at picnics and family gatherings since I was a kid. It’s a pretty classic German-inspired dish that’s continued being popular every summer since it’s made with seasonal ingredients and is served cold. (Yay for no-cook recipes when it’s too hot to even think about turning on the stove!)

And it tastes amazing!

Crunchy cucumber and onion are combined in a creamy dressing with capers, dill, and a few simple pantry staples. I mean, truly, it has everything your tastebuds are crazy for… each bite of vegan cucumber salad is creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, tangy, herbaceous, totally addictive wonderfulness.

This was an easy recipe to vegan-ize with just a couple of swaps. I subbed the dairy mayo and yogurt usually used with plant-based versions that are available at nearly any grocery store.

How to Make the Best Vegan Cucumber Salad Recipe

When I say this is an easy salad recipe, I mean this is about the easiest recipe EVER. There’s no cooking required, no fancy tools needed – it’s just simple, wholesome ingredients diced and sliced and dressed to perfection.

Here are the 3 steps to make a crunchy, refreshing, and entirely plant-based cucumber salad in less than 10 minutes:

1. First, prep your ingredients. Use a mandoline (or sharp knife) to slice the cucumber into thin discs. Cut the red onion and half, remove the outermost layers, and use the mandoline to thinly slice. Mince the garlic and chop the fresh dill.
2. Then whisk together the vegan mayo and plain yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Taste and tweak the seasonings however you like.
3. Lastly, to the bowl add the sliced red onions and cucumber, capers, and dill. Gently toss to coat.

Enjoy immediately or cover and store the cucumber salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

• If you have a particularly juicy cucumber, you might want to sprinkle a pinch of salt over the slices and let them sit while you prep the remaining ingredients. The salt will draw out the moisture and keep the dressing from getting watery.
• You can serve the vegan cucumber salad right away, or put it in the fridge for a bit to chill before eating. Personally, I think it tastes best when it’s been refrigerated for about an hour… The flavors have had time to become BFF and the salad is next-level satisfying when it’s cold.
• This creamy cucumber salad can be made ahead of time, and stays good for up to 3 days if kept covered and in the fridge.

Vegan Cucumber Salad Variations

• If you don’t have or aren’t a fan of capers, feel free to leave them off. However, you might want to add an extra dash of salt to taste.
• Feel free to swap sweet red onion with sliced white onion for a bit more bite.
• Sub apple cider vinegar with white vinegar to get a less sweet and more tangy taste.
• As-is this recipe serves 6, but can easily be doubled to feed a crowd.

What to Serve with Creamy Cucumber Salad

This refreshing and delicious salad tastes like summer! It’s the BEST side dish at potluck, picnics, barbecues, dinner parties, or anytime you’re gathering with friends for a an outdoor party.

The salty, sweet flavors with the light sprinkling of dill go really well with Jackfruit “Crab” Cakes and Vegan “Tuna” Salad Sandwiches.

For a fabulous plant-based backyard cookouts, serve vegan cucumber salad with BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches, Vegan Mushroom and Tofu Burgers, or Huli Huli Jackfruit Sliders.

It’s also a bright side to compliment deliciously simple main dishes like Baked Tofu Bites, Nut-Crusted Savory Bread Tofu, and Vegan Chickpea Collard Green Wraps.

If you tried this vegan cucumber salad recipe, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to see what I’m cooking up!

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