Looking for a refreshing and tangy salad? Try this Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad recipe with Vidalia onions for a burst of flavor in every bite!
We Georgians are pretty darned proud of our agricultural products. Believe me.
Growing up as the daughter of a farmer in rural southern Georgia, I learned to have a deep appreciation for the amount of work and stress involved in getting a crop from farm to table.
When the harvest finally came about, it was always a time of pride and thanksgiving. Pride in a job well done. Thanks that the rains came at the right time. Thanks that the insects didn’t eat everything before it was gathered. And thanks that you simply had the physical stamina to see it through from start to finish.
That’s why I so appreciate seeing Georgia products in my local grocery store. Recently, when I was grocery shopping, I saw several bundles of Vidalia onions. If you’re wondering just what a Vidalia onion is, take a quick peek at this post from the past. It’ll get you up to speed.
Even if you don’t have Vidalias in your grocery store, you can easily make this cucumber salad recipe with any other sweet onion that you like. They all work just as well for this delicious and very refreshing recipe.
I just love the contrasting tastes in this recipe. The bite of the vinegar against the sweetness of the sugar and the crunch of the fresh cucumber slices and onions. It’s one that we enjoy again and again throughout the year. It’s a great side dish for spring and summer dinners and is always a hit at picnics and potlucks.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American, Southern
Cooking Method: None
Total Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 4
Primary Ingredient(s): Cucumbers, sweet onions, carrots, vinegar, sugar, dill
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s so refreshing on a hot day! The combination of vinegar and sugar creates a nicely balanced sweet and sour dressing that adds a zesty kick.
- Versatile ingredients. While the recipe does call for Vidalia onions, you can certainly use any type of onion you like. Sweet Walla Walla onions, yellow or white onions, or even red onions. The salad adapts beautifully to whichever onion variety you prefer or have on hand.
- It’s customizable. Don’t have fresh dill? No problem! Simply substitute dried dill weed instead. Plus, if you’re watching your sugar intake, you can easily use a sugar substitute like Splenda without sacrificing flavor.
Ingredient Notes
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- Cucumbers – Crunchy, fresh cucumbers are the base of the salad. If they’re available, opt for Kirby (pickling) cucumbers for their crunchiness, or consider English cucumbers as an alternative.
- Vidalia onions – Vidalia onions are known for their sweetness and gentle bite. Walla Wallas are another well-known sweet onion. You can, of course, make this salad with any type of onion.
- Carrots – Grated carrots add color and their own sweetness. They also have a satisfying crunch that complements the cucumber and onion textures.
- Vinegar and Sugar – The combination of white vinegar and sugar creates the signature sweet and sour profile.
- Fresh dill – The bright flavor of fresh dill goes very well with the sweet and sour elements of the salad.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Cucumber and Vidalia Onion Salad
- Peel and thinly slice the cucumbers. Then thinly slice the Vidalia onions and grate the carrots.
- Toss the vegetables together in a medium bowl.
👉 PRO TIP: As I said earlier in this post, you can really use any kind of onions in this recipe. If Vidalias are out of season, feel free to use sweet Walla Walla onions, but to be honest, any type of onion is good here. I’ve made this with thinly sliced red onions, and even though they have a stronger taste, it was still delicious in the end.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together and pour the vinegar mixture over the veggies.
- Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss until everything is coated well.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve later.
How to Store
This salad keeps well for three to four days if stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Questions About Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
I like to use Kirby (or pickling) cucumbers for this salad. But whatever cucumbers you may have on hand are fine. I think English cucumbers (or hothouse cucumbers) are a good substitute, since they have nice thin skins and relatively few seeds.
No fresh dill? Substitute dried dill weed (2 teaspoons) instead.
Sure! I’ve made this salad many times by substituting Splenda for the sugar.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
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Recipe
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Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 4 Kirby type cucumbers peeled, thinly sliced
- 2 cups baby Vidalia onions thinly sliced
- 2 carrots peeled and grated
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar or equal amount of sugar substitute
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the cucumbers. Then thinly slice the Vidalia onions and grate the carrots.4 Kirby type cucumbers, 2 cups baby Vidalia onions, 2 carrots
- Toss the vegetables together in a medium bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together and pour the vinegar mixture over the veggies.½ cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour over the veggies and toss until everything is coated well.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve later.
Notes
- Store for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Substitute any sweet onion for the baby Vidalias.
- Substitute 2 teaspoons dried dill weed for the fresh dill.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on Lana’s Cooking on April 13, 2012. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
I wanted something crisp and refreshing instead of the carbs for July 4th. This was the perfect answer. Cool, crunchy, tangy and guilt free. This is a winner!
Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the recipe!
I love to know that Vidalias have such a special place for you! I visited Georgia a number of years ago, was on a tour of Vidalia onion farming. It was so very interesting. LOVE this salad. And thank you for featuring my own Vidalia recipe!
it is strange you posted about baby vidalias ’cause just the other day I held a bunch of spring onions admiring them so and wishing for your sweet Georgia gems – cannot wait for the harvest.
now I am also jealous that you have Kirby cukes now too – darn you Georgians…
Great recipe, I do a vinegar bath regularly on onions and tomatoes but I haven’t had this type of salad in a while, gonna do it again soon, so good with fresh vegetables…
This sounds perfect for this time of year and summertime!
Great with BBQs and beer…This will be a hit for the weekend!
Such a refreshing summer salad…thanks for the retro recipe!
Oh gosh, I haven’t had cukes & onions in vinegar, in years. My Mother would make it quite often when I was a child, as it was one of my Father’s favourites. It was also the only “salad” my Father would eat, as according to dear old Dad, greens were for feeding the rabbits, not humans!
Mother didn’t add carrots or dill to hers, just vinegar salt & sugar, but your addition of carrots & dill makes the dish look so much prettier, & I suspect, a lot tastier with the fresh dill.
As always, thanks for the memory nudge Lana!