I love entertaining but I cannot tell a lie…..making sure everything gets done at the same time STRESSES ME OUT. I am terrible at getting everything done at once especially when I only have one oven (like at the cottage). Thankfully, the summer veggie season makes it easy to get around my hangups. Fresh and delicious vegetables don’t need much help to become an amazing side dish. So a salad recipe it is! How about Red Onion and Cucumber Salad with Vinegar Dressing? Yum!
Salad is the first side dish that comes to mind but I find that many lettuce side dishes get slimy and gross really fast (especially in warm weather).
I’ve found that salads that stray from the standard lettuce base are perfect for entertaining. Most can be prepared ahead of time so you can pull them from the fridge and serve.
This past weekend, I tried out a new salad made with baby cucumbers and red onions. It really highlighted the fresh and delicious cucumbers from the farmers’ market and everyone loved it (even Dewey, our token cucumber hater).
Even cooler? As you eat the salad, just add cucumbers and onions to the vinegar dressing to make more.
Red Onion & Cucumber Salad with Vinegar Dressing Recipe

Red Onion and Cucumber Salad with Vinegar Dressing
A crisp and fresh salad that pairs perfectly with grilled summer favourites.
Ingredients
- 6 baby cucumbers, cut in half and sliced
- 1 red onion, cut in half and sliced
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Place cucumbers, onions and dill in a non reactive dish with a lid.
- In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix vinegar, water and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.
- Pour over cucumbers and let stand at room temperature for an hour.
- Refrigerate and serve cold.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 47Sodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g
Some of my other favorite salads that can stand the heat are broccoli salad and easy bean salad. Both are ultimately flexible and delicious.
An added bonus is that all three salads were delicious the next day when we ate leftovers for lunch. You can’t do that with a lettuce based salad. All three of these would also be great options to take to a potluck.
Now it is your turn….what is your favorite make ahead side dish for the summer?
Looking for more salad ideas? Check out these!
Blackberry Goat Cheese Salad Recipe
Shan
Wednesday 16th of July 2014
I make a very similar salad, but swap the white vinegar for balsamic, diced up some tomatoes and crumble in some feta. Mike is not a cucumber fan either and he loves it!