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Cucumber Salad

Topped with light and herb-filled creamy vinaigrette, this easy cucumber salad recipe is flavored with za’atar and mint, and loaded with chickpeas for a protein-rich spin on a summer classic.

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cucumber salad with  chickpeas, onion, parsley, mint, dill and a yogurt dressing in a bowl with serving spoons

Chill Out With This Easy Cucumber Salad

When it’s hot out, what we really crave is food that cools and refreshes. Enter this crisp, light, creamy cucumber salad recipe. Chickpeas add texture and protein, while fresh herbs like mint, parsley and dill are a visual (and edible) reminder of the lush garden bounty of summer. Serve it alongside juicy burgers, like our Lamb Burger or Black Bean Burger, or pair it with Blackened Salmon for a completely good-for-you feast.

ingredients laid out for cucumber salad. parsley, lemon, garlic, chickpeas, dill and shallots.

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Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Tzatziki-Inspired Cucumber Salad Dressing

  • Greek yogurt – We prefer full-fat yogurt here. It’s already healthier than cucumber salad with mayo, so don’t hold back!

  • Extra virgin olive oil – You’ll want to look for a nice-quality, citrus forward olive oil.

  • Lemon juice – Fresh lemon imparts a ray of sunshine, and just the perfect kiss of acidity to this cucumber salad dressing.

  • Fresh mint – For all the freshness, nothing beats mint leaves.

  • Za’atar – Za’atar is one of our all time favorite spice blends. It’s perfect with just a little drizzle of olive oil for dipping bread. And it adds tons of flavor to this Mediterranean cucumber salad. You can sub dried oregano if you don’t have za’atar.

cucumber, chickpeas, onion, parsley, mint, and dill in a bowl to make cucumber salad
dressing in a bowl for cucumber salad made with yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint, salt, pepper, and Za’atar.

How to Make Cucumber Salad

  • Prep! Yeah, this salad takes a little prep, but it requires no cooking whatsoever. (Take that, potato salad!) Slice the cucumbers and onions using a mandoline slicer if you have one, and a really, really sharp knife if you don’t. Drain a can of chickpeas, and wash all your fresh herbs. We throw everything into a salad spinner for a good wash.

  • Mix the dressing.

  • Toss it all together! Because it’s loaded with fresh herbs, this salad doesn’t keep super well. It’s OK to make it an hour or so ahead of time, but we don’t recommend making it WAY ahead of time.

cucumber salad with yogurt dressing in a serving bowl. Made with cucumber, chickpeas, onion, parsley, mint, and dill.

What Kind Of Cucumbers Are Best for Cucumber Salad?

Really, you can use any cucumbers that you have available for this salad, but our very favorites are English or Persian cucumbers. They’re slim and basically seedless and—best of all—because their skin is paper thin and not bitter at all, you don’t have to peel them. If you only have standard cucumbers, just be sure to peel them. Then, cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise, and scoop out some of the seeds in the center. Doing so will make the salad lovely, light and crunchy, because the seedy middle can be soggy, and the peel can be tough.

cucumber salad with yogurt dressing in a serving bowl with serving spoons

How to Store + Tips

  • You could sub in our Pickled Onions for a little more zing!

  • Parsley, mint, and dill are herbs we call for, but if you have some other fresh herbs that are begging to be used, toss them in! Herbs like tarragon and marjoram would add more fun flavor to this salad.

  • Cucumber salad lasts for a couple of days in the fridge. Any longer, and the cukes start to get watery and lose their crunch. Since it doesn’t keep well in the fridge or freezer, we recommend eating this salad as fresh as possible.

cucumber salad with  chickpeas, onion, parsley, mint, dill and a yogurt dressing in a bowl with serving spoons
cucumber salad with  chickpeas, onion, parsley, mint, dill and a yogurt dressing in a bowl with serving spoons

More Ultra-Refreshing Summer Salad Recipes To Try

Bursting with light, bright flavors, these summer salads help to beat the heat.

For more recipe inspiration you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. Have you tried this recipe? We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper. Happy cooking!

Cucumber Salad

  • Serves: 6
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  0 min
  • Calories: 143

Ingredients

Dressing

  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Za’atar (see Note)

Salad

  • 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

Method

  1. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint, salt, pepper, and Za’atar.

  2. Make the salad. In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, chickpeas, onion, parsley, mint, and dill.

  3. Add as much dressing as you like to the salad and toss to combine. Serve cold.


Note: If you don’t have Za’atar on hand, swap in 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories143
  • Protein4 g
  • Carbohydrates10 g
  • Total Fat10 g
  • Dietary Fiber2 g
  • Cholesterol0 mg
  • sodium302 mg
  • Total Sugars1 g

Cucumber Salad

Questions & Reviews

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  • Rob

    Hello. Your cucumber salad is delicious! Thank you for including the nutrition facts for this recipe. However, I could find a serving size or a total amount for the finished recipe. Can you provide one of those?
    I really appreciate it.

    We unfortunately don't have yield on our recipes. We are hoping to get it added in the future. But it serves 6 so 1/6 of the finished product is what the nutrition facts reflect.

  • Katie

    Looks delicious! I’m making this for today’s lunch- so easy!

    Yay! Hope you love it!

  • Chrystal

    Just made this for dinner! It is the best salad I’ve ever had! Going to take it to my family forth of July gathering this year! Another great recipe.

    Yay! That is so wonderful to hear. Thank you Chrystal!

  • Jacky

    Great salad! Used about half of the dressing - so we can enjoy it again later this week!

    Thanks Jacky, we are so glad that you loved it!

  • Jenny

    The flavors in this salad are on point. The fresh herbs really elevate this to something special. This is going straight into the favorite pile.

    Thanks Jenny!

  • Erika

    I grew up with plain Jane cucumber salad being a summer staple in our home. I love this take on it, it’s light and refreshing with a great combination of herby and spicy flavor. Definitely a favorite!

    Thanks Erika!

  • Scott

    Light and fresh, perfect accompaniment to heavy meat.

    Thanks Scott, glad you enjoy this one!