Vegetarian Recipes

Cucumber Salad

https://www.loveandlemons.com/cucumber-salad/

The first time I tried a sweet, vinegary cucumber salad, I was hooked. The cool, crisp cucumbers burst with tangy flavor, onion added just the right amount of bite, and a sprinkle of dill gave it an addictive, pickle-like taste. When English cucumbers started popping up at the farmers’ market this summer, I immediately thought of that first bite of cucumber salad, and I knew that I wanted to make a version to share with all of you.

This cucumber salad recipe is the quintessential summer dish. Like all the best summer recipes, it requires just a few ingredients to pack a big punch of flavor. It’s delectably salty & sweet, and the chilled cucumbers and onions are super refreshing on hot summer days. It takes just 15 minutes to make (including 10 minutes of hands-off chill time), so toss it together and enjoy it as a dinner side or – like me – eat it straight out of the bowl!

Cucumber Salad Recipe Ingredients

The best thing about this bright, fresh, addictive cucumber salad recipe is that it requires just 8 ingredients:

English cucumber! I use a mandoline to get my slices nice & thin.
Red onion. The thinner these guys are the better, so if you have a mandoline, use it for the onion as well as the cucumber.
Rice vinegar, sesame oil & honey combine to make a light, sweet & savory dressing for the crisp veggies.
Dill & mint. This combo adds delicious freshness to the cool cucumbers and onions.
Pickled mustard seeds. I list these as optional, but I highly recommend using them. Their flavor is a great complement to the dill, and they add tangy complexity to this super simple cucumber salad.

Add a sprinkle of sea salt, and you’ve got everything you need!

How to Make Cucumber Salad

This cucumber salad recipe is easy to toss together. Here’s all you need to do:

First, add the sliced English cucumbers and onion to a large bowl along with the honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and fresh dill. Toss it all together and put the bowl in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes.
After the mixture has chilled, transfer it to a serving dish, leaving behind any excess liquid.
Top the cucumber onion salad with fresh mint leaves and pickled mustard seeds, if you’re using them.
Season to taste and enjoy!

What to Serve with Cucumber Onion Salad

I have a hard time not gobbling up this salad as soon as I toss it together. On the days when it makes it to the dinner table, we love this recipe as a side dish with classic summer picnic fare like veggie burgers, black bean burgers, BBQ sandwiches, portobello mushroom burgers, and corn on the cob. It’s also delicious served with grilled vegetable kabobs and generous dollops of tzatziki.

The sweet rice vinegar & sesame oil dressing makes this cucumber salad recipe a great pairing with Asian flavors as well. Try it as a side with soba noodles, crispy tofu, or banh mi sandwiches. Add a scoop to a watermelon poké bowl, or pair it with sushi, spring rolls, or summer rolls to make a light meal.

If you love this cucumber salad recipe…

Try my watermelon salad, orzo salad, broccoli salad, Greek salad, or pasta salad next, or head to this post to see more of my favorite summer salad recipes!

Cucumber Salad

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Side dish

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ tablespoon agave nectar or honey
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
⅓ cup thinly sliced red onions
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
Pickled mustard seeds, optional (recipe below)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, optional

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, agave nectar, cucumber, onion, salt, sesame oil, and dill. Toss to coat and chill for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, leaving some of the excess water behind. Top with fresh mint, dollops of pickled mustard seeds, if using, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Season to taste and serve.

Pickled Mustard Seeds
½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup water

3 tablespoons cane sugar

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup yellow mustard seedsCombine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stir in mustard seeds, reduce the heat, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until the mustard seeds are plump.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1 lemon $0.89
8 oz. pasta* $0.67
1 cup frozen peas $0.50
1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
1 Tbsp butter $0.11
1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.