Carrot and Cucumber Salad
This Carrot and Cucumber Salad is a simple side dish with no cooking required. It’s fast, easy, and delicious – the perfect combination. Add some veggies to the family meal with this easy salad recipe. Perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday gatherings.
I love eating veggies all year long. Fresh veggies are some of my favorite snacks because of their crunch and fresh flavor. Cucumbers are one of those vegetables that are super healthy to eat and are so versatile in how they can be eaten. I’ve chopped them, sliced them, diced them, and eaten them with dips, salads, burgers and sandwiches, and more.
And don’t even get me started on my love of carrots. They’re slightly sweet to have you craving them, and you always end up saying, “What’s up, Doc?” after you take a big bite out of one.
It was just such an easy transition to combine them and make this delicious carrot cucumber salad. I eat this great side dish all year but it’s particularly refreshing on hot summer days.
Speaking of great salads, be sure to check out my Raw Carrot Salad for another easy way to use up all those carrots in the fridge.
Ingredients
Carrots – Clean and slice them thinly.
Cucumbers – I like to use English cucumbers for this, but you can use what you like. Persian cucumbers or baby cucumbers work as well.
Avocado oil – This is a great oil to use that is full of healthy fats. Olive oil also works well.
Apple cider vinegar – Adds flavor and also pairs well with the oil and seasoning. You can also use rice vinegar.
Salt and pepper – To taste. I use kosher salt and black pepper and season as I go.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Carrot and Cucumber Salad
This vegan cucumber carrot salad is a fast and easy side dish or a simple main dish that you can load up on. You’ll love the ease!
Step One: Mix together the dressing ingredients in a measuring cup or small bowl.
Step Two: Combine the sliced carrots with the dressing in a large bowl. Let them sit together, combined for 5 minutes.
Step Three: Add the cucumber slices to the mixture and stir. Serve!
Top Tip💡
Make sure to store this in the refrigerator before serving it because it’s best served chilled. That doesn’t mean that you can’t eat it at room temperature, but the coldness brings out the crunch factor even more.
Substitutions
- Add other fresh ingredients and fresh vegetables – You can add more to these recipe by adding bell peppers, red onion, or even different types of cucumbers. Being able to swap ingredients and change up the flavor is why this is one of my favorite go-to salads.
Variations
Change up the look of the veggies – You can use a mandolin or a spiralizer to make different shapes. Make cucumber and carrot ribbons or vegetable noodles.
Add green onions – I like to use spring onions as a garnish at the end, right before serving. You can also add red onions as well.
Add spice – You can easily make this spicy by adding some red pepper flakes.
Use sesame oil – You can completely change the taste into an Asian cucumber salad by whisking some sesame oil with soy sauce and using that instead of avocado oil. Top with sesame seeds.
Vinegar – Try using white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.
See this Tajin Cucumber Salad for another fun flavor and simple salad recipe!
Equipment
It couldn’t be easier to make this cucumber carrot salad recipe! You just need a medium-sized bowl, a sharp knife or mandoline slicer, and a measuring cup.
Using a mandoline slicer is the perfect way to prep this simple recipe. Just be careful, or use one with a guard to protect your fingers.
Storage
Once you make this perfect side dish, store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. This simple salad will continue to stay fresh for a couple of days. It does soften with storage so if you prefer crunchy cucumber carrot salad eat it fresh. For the best results, eat the leftovers within two days.
Common Questions
I don’t even include that step in my prep work. I just make sure that I slice them thin so that they have thin skin on the outer layer. If you want to add that to your instructions for prepping, you can.
I don’t recommend it. Cucumbers that are frozen and then thawed can become soft in the process, which is the opposite of the texture that you want from this dish.
Just allow yourself about 10 minutes of prep time, and you’ll be eating this tasty salad within minutes.
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Carrot and Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 4 carrots peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 seedless cucumber thinly sliced
Dressing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Mix together the dressing ingredients.
- Combine carrots and dressing. Let sit for five minutes.
- Add cucumbers. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Originally Published November 4, 2022. Revised and Republished February 19, 2025.
loved it 😊
The other person who tried it said there was too much vinegar, but I used a 1/4 cup vinegar like the recipe said. I might not have added enough carrots.
The higher than normal amount of vinegar helps to pickle the carrots. Which is why they are added first. I’m sorry you didn’t like it.