This Cucumber Apple Salad is made of crisp and fresh fruit and veggies tossed in sweet and tangy honey balsamic dressing. This refreshing salad recipe is ready in under 20 minutes and can be served as a side to nearly any main dish, at any time of the year!
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Disclosure: This recipe was originally published on June 12th, 2021, but has been improved with a new recipe and photos as of January 16th, 2024! We hope you enjoy the new look!
The combination of sweet, crisp apples and cool, refreshing cucumbers is perfect if you are looking for something light and refreshing! We used a simple homemade dressing made of balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil to lightly coat the apples and cucumbers and let their natural flavors shine through. Fresh herbs (like dill) add a great pop of flavor.
Looking for more dressing ideas to put on this salad? Try it with our creamy balsamic vinaigrette, or this honey lemon vinaigrette!
Looking for another new healthy salad recipe? Try our agurksalat (Norwegian cucumber salad) or this arugula and spinach salad!
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- The perfect side salad. Serve as a side dish to many proteins, with sandwiches or wraps, or as a light and healthy snack.
- Quick and easy recipe. This apple cucumber salad recipe is one of the easiest salads to make! Simply make the quick dressing, chop the apples and cucumber, and toss everything together.
- Made with simple ingredients. Everything you need to make this recipe can be found at any grocery store if you don't already have it on hand in the pantry and fridge!
- Robust flavor. The simple dressing provides the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and richness that you can also use with other raw salad recipes.
- Perfect picnic food. While this recipe is great at any time of year, it's especially excellent at early fall or late summer bbqs, when apples are in season!
- Suitable for multiple diet types. This salad is naturally vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-carb. It can also be made vegan with one simple swap.
🍎Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Extra-virgin olive oil. Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.
- Apples. We recommend using sweet apples for this recipe if possible. We used Honeycrisp apples in this recipe because of their natural sweetness, juiciness, and crisp texture. If you prefer a more tart apple, try using granny Smith apples. Feel free to use any variety you like, including Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, or a combination of them.
- Cucumbers. We used Persian cucumbers with the seeds scooped out and sliced into bite-sized pieces. The skin is thin enough that we did not have to peel them, which means less prep time! You can also use an English cucumber.
- Zest and juice a lemon. The lemon juice gives the salad a bright zesty taste, plus, adding lemon juice to the apples will keep them from oxidizing so they will look fresh for hours.
- Fresh dill. We love fresh dill! It's such a vibrant and refreshing herb. But you could honestly opt for any fresh herb (or combo of herbs) you like here.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Swap the oil. If you don't have olive oil, avocado oil would make a great replacement and has a very neutral flavor.
- Use zucchini instead. Instead of cucumber, you can use zucchini as an alternative. It provides a similar crisp texture, has a mild taste, and can absorb the flavors of the dressing or other ingredients.
- Swap the fresh herbs. No fresh dill? Try adding other herbs like basil, mint, parsley, or cilantro. They would all make excellent choices.
- Different citrus. If you don't have lemons around, you can also use fresh lime juice and zest, or get creative by using grapefruit, orange, pomelos, or blood oranges!
- Vinegar options. If you do not have balsamic vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar instead.
✨Variations
- Have fun with shapes. You can cut the apples and cucumbers into small cubes to retain their crisp texture. Or you can slice them thinly if you like them to absorb more of the dressing. Another option is to shred them to make an apple cucumber slaw.
- Make it vegan. Simply swap honey with either maple syrup or agave nectar to make this salad vegan-friendly.
- Add protein. Make this salad heartier by adding proteins like bacon crumbles, sliced ham, sausages, shredded chicken, or shrimp. You can also add cheese like feta cheese, or goat cheese.
- Add nuts or seeds. For more nutrition and a bit of crunch, you can add in nuts or seeds like sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios!
- Load up with more vegetables. In addition to cucumber, you can also add thinly sliced red onion, bell peppers, carrots, avocado, cherry tomatoes, snow peas, or celery.
- Add mustard. If you like a little zing in your dressing, add some Dijon mustard to the salad dressing!
🔪Prep work
- Cut the apples and cucumbers.
- Zest the lemon and squeeze to get the juice.
- Chop the dill.
- Measure the rest of the ingredients.
📋Instructions
In a small mixing bowl, add olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. (Image 1)
Whisk the ingredients together until totally emulsified. (Image 2) Set aside to chill in the fridge for the flavors to meld.
✨Pro Tip: If the dressing separates while in the fridge, don't worry, this is normal! Just give it a quick whisk to bring it back together again before dressing the salad.
Place the apple and cucumber slices in a large mixing bowl with the lemon zest and juice. (Image 3)
Drizzle the dressing over the top, and season the salad with more salt and pepper to taste. (Image 4)
Toss to combine. (Image 5)
Add in fresh dill and toss to combine again. Taste, and adjust the seasonings. (Image 6) If possible, set in the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes before serving!
✨Pro Tip: If you have a moment to let the salad chill, this really allows for the flavors to meld together better.
Transfer to a serving plate, then drizzle with more honey if desired. Garnish with more dill, salt, and pepper. Enjoy!
✨Tips & tricks
- Choose fresh ingredients. Select crisp, firm apples and fresh cucumbers with no blemishes. The quality of your ingredients will significantly affect the final taste of the salad since there are so
- Uniform cuts. For a visually appealing salad and even distribution, cut the apples and cucumbers uniformly. You can slice them thinly or into bite-sized chunks, depending on your preference. Using a mandoline slicer for cucumbers can give you evenly thin slices.
- Use fresh lemons. Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest will give the best flavor.
- Balance the flavors of the dressing. If you're making your dressing with balsamic vinegar and honey, adjust the ratio to balance the sweetness and acidity according to your taste. Start with less and add more as needed.
- Season slowly and carefully. Season the salad with kosher salt and black pepper, then taste and adjust. Remember, it's easier to add more seasoning than to fix an over-seasoned salad.
- Carefully chop the dill. Fresh dill should be finely chopped to distribute its flavor throughout the salad. Be careful not to bruise the herbs while chopping.
- Toss gently. Mix the salad ingredients gently to prevent bruising the apples and to ensure an even distribution of flavors.
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💭Frequently Asked Questions
If possible, store the dressing separately to prevent the salad from becoming soggy. Place the salad in an airtight container or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Consume the salad within 1 to 2 days for the best quality and freshness. Remember that the apples and cucumbers may start to lose their crispness over time.
No, it's not necessary to peel the apples or cucumbers, at least most of the time. Keeping the peel on the apples and cucumber not only saves you time but also makes the salad more visually appealing and nutritious! However, if you have thicker skin on the cucumbers and apples, you may prefer to peel them.
More Recipes To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Apple and Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 tablespoons honey (or to taste)
- 2 medium apples sliced thin (honey crisp or any variety you prefer)
- 6 whole small cucumbers sliced thin
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of about ½ a lemon)
- 1 whole lemon zested
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk 1.5 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1.5 tablespoons of honey together until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in the fridge to chill.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the thinly sliced apples and cucumbers. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, followed by the dressing. Toss to combine.
- Add the fresh dill, and adjust the seasonings to taste. Toss again.
- Garnish with more dill, honey, salt, and pepper. Enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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Notes
- Choose fresh ingredients. Select crisp, firm apples and fresh cucumbers with no blemishes. The quality of your ingredients will significantly affect the final taste of the salad since there are so
- Uniform cuts. For a visually appealing salad and even distribution, cut the apples and cucumbers uniformly. You can slice them thinly or into bite-sized chunks, depending on your preference. Using a mandoline slicer for cucumbers can give you evenly thin slices.
- Use fresh lemons. Freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest will give the best flavor.
- Balance the flavors of the dressing. If you're making your dressing with balsamic vinegar and honey, adjust the ratio to balance the sweetness and acidity according to your taste. Start with less and add more as needed.
- Season slowly and carefully. Season the salad with kosher salt and black pepper, then taste and adjust. Remember, it's easier to add more seasoning than to fix an over-seasoned salad.
- Carefully chop the dill. Fresh dill should be finely chopped to distribute its flavor throughout the salad. Be careful not to bruise the herbs while chopping.
- Toss gently. Mix the salad ingredients gently to prevent bruising the apples and to ensure an even distribution of flavors.
Ani says
I was thinking of using these ingredients and turning it into a green salad. What do you think?
Briana says
Sounds delicious, we think you should go for it!
Sara S. says
Great tasting and quick go to salad - you can't mess it up:) you can also build on it.
Have rec'd many compliments, and it's a great side for potlucks.
I have a small garden and enjoy sharing with my neighbors, and they really liked this salad too.
Briana says
What an awesome compliment Sara! We're so glad you enjoy it, and also, we agree!! 😉
Jennifer says
This was delicious and so easy!
Briana says
Wonderful Jennifer! Thank you so much giving it a try!