This recipe for green cabbage and cucumber salad is the ultimate refreshing side dish. It’s crunchy, tangy, and packed with fresh herbs!
As a proud Ukrainian, I’m all about my cabbage salads (like this pickled cabbage). The crunchy veggie always found its way onto our dinner table growing up and I remain addicted to it to this day. I’m confident you’re going to love this salad just as much as I do!
This cabbage and cucumber salad recipe is super versatile, easy to make, and full of crunch. You can serve it virtually anywhere that you would a traditional coleslaw to liven up a meal and get a nice serving of veggies. What’s better? It comes together in just 20 short minutes!
Let’s get to it.
How to Make Green Cabbage Cucumber Salad with Herbs
Making green cabbage cucumber salad with herbs only requires a handful of healthy ingredients and a bit of chopping and stirring. Below, find a step-by-step overview of the recipe before you get started.
- Prepare the Cabbage: Using a sharp knife, thinly slice half a head of cabbage.
- Dice the Herbs & Cucumbers: Chop up the green onions, dill, and cucumber. Add the herbs and cucumbers to the bowl of shredded cabbage. Stir to combine.
- Season & Serve: Season with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. Stir until well-combined. Enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Green Cabbage Cucumber Salad
Below, find a collection of tips to help you make the best green cabbage and cucumber salad on the planet.
- Use fresh herbs versus dried herbs. This salad is super simple, so it depends on the flavors and colors of fresh herbs.
- Use a thin-skinned cucumber. A thin-skinned, limited seed cucumber is the best option for this salad. Instead of using a waxy American slicing cucumber, opt for English or Persian cucumbers.
- Shred the cabbage thinly. You’ll want to shred the cabbage as thinly and uniformly as possible. Since cabbage is a fibrous veggie, you won’t want to nosh on super thick pieces.
- Only make what you can eat day-of. Cucumber salads tend to get soggy if they sit around too long. Only make what you can enjoy day-of and enjoy the salad fresh!
- Use sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is super popular in Ukrainian cooking. It has a slightly nutty, yet neutral flavor. Give it a try!
Serving Green Cabbage Cucumber Salad
Serve green cabbage cucumber salad as a welcome side dish to just about any grilled meat. It goes wonderful with chicken kebabs or a grilled ribeye steak. You can also serve it with a classic steak sandwich or a Philly cheesesteak. Serve it virtually anywhere you would serve a classic coleslaw.
Storing Cabbage Cucumber Salad
Store green cabbage cucumber salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s recommended that you don’t let it marinate longer than a couple of hours. If it sits too long, the cucumbers will sweat and turn the salad soggy. Some things in life are best enjoyed fresh!
FAQ
How do you keep cucumber salad from getting soggy?
Keep your cucumber salad from getting soggy by preparing it right before you plan to serve it. Additionally, you can blot sliced cucumber with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before tossing it into the salad.
What kind of cucumbers should I use for this salad?
English cucumbers are the best choice for this salad for their thinner skins and minimal seeds. You can also use Persian cucumbers.
Can I swap in purple cabbage for green cabbage?
You can absolutely swap in purple cabbage. Just keep in mind that purple cabbage is heavily pigmented and will turn the other salad ingredients a shade of light purple.
How long will this salad last?
This salad is best eaten within a few hours of preparation. It’s recommended that you only make as much as you can eat in a day.
Can I use any other herbs for this salad?
You can swap in flat leaf parsley or cilantro for the dill and chives for the scallions.
More Tasty Veggie Recipes to Try
- Quick Pickled Cucumber Recipe – Tangy, crunchy pickles
- How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut – 4-ingredient pickled cabbage
- Easy Marinated Cucumbers – Packed with vinegar
- Arugula, Avocado, Tomato, and Cucumber Salad – Perfect summer salad
- Asian Cucumber Salad – A cool, refreshing salad with a crunch
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium green cabbage
- 1 English cucumbers
- 1/2 cup fresh dill diced
- 1 cup green onions diced
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil (olive oil is also an awesome option)
- 1 tbsp salt adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper adjust to taste
Instructions
- Slice cabbage into long, thin pieces.
- Dice the green onions and dill. Slice the cucumbers into small pieces. Stir to combine with the cabbage.
- Season with salt & pepper and add in the oil and vinegar. Stir until well-combined.
- Serve fresh and enjoy!
I haven't ever used sunflower oil but I'm going to get some to try with this salad because I love the nutty flavor of sunflower seeds. I love all the textures in this salad!
Can't wait for you to try it!
We love this salad so much! Always a crowd pleaser!
Right?! Simple and delicious.
So simple! Easy, delicious, and fresh! Great fresh flavor and so awesomely healthy! Really good stuff.
Thank you, Betsy!
The best ever salads just great
Thank you Luzmila. It had been on repeat in our home lately. So good!