This German Cucumber Salad is a simple yet refreshing recipe with an easy DIY vinaigrette. With just 7 basic ingredients, you can have this cucumber salad ready in under 20 minutes.
This cucumber salad makes a great side dish or cool snack in the summer. It’s the perfect easy dish to bring to a picnic or barbecue because you can make it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
For more low-effort vegan side dishes, try this Instant Pot Brown Rice Risotto or Easy Corn Salsa.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy – With just 7 ingredients and 15 minutes, this simple cucumber salad comes together so easily, you could make it every day if you wanted to.
- Make ahead – This is a great dish for a party because you can make it up to 24 hours ahead of time and grab it when you’re ready.
- Refreshing – I find myself making this salad a lot more in the summer because of the cool refreshing flavor of the cucumbers. It’s the perfect BBQ side dish.
Ingredients for German Cucumber Salad
- Cucumbers – I use regular seedless or English cucumbers and use my mandolin to slice, but there are no rules when it comes to this salad. Any cucumber variety chopped into any shape will work just fine. Do what is easiest for you!
- Vegan Chicken Bouillon – This is the only somewhat unique ingredient in this recipe, but you can find this brand in most regular grocery stores. If you aren’t vegan you can sub a regular chicken bouillon cube. Other options include 1/4 cup of broth or 1/2 tsp of chicken salt in 1/4 cup water.
- Fresh Parsley – Fresh parsley adds so much flavor to this recipe, but you could sub dried if necessary. If you want to mix it up, you could swap the parsley with cilantro or even do a mix of the two.
- Scallions – Fresh scallions are so delicious in this mixture, but if they aren’t your thing, feel free to omit them. You could sub with diced chives or even thinly sliced shallot if you prefer.
- Olive Oil – A good EVOO helps cut the acidity of the vinegar and helps to form the vinaigrette.
- Red Wine Vinegar – This makes up the bulk of the vinaigrette for this recipe and adds a nice flavor.
- Salt & Pepper – Add this to taste. If you have subbed the bouillon for chicken salt, you probably do not need additional salt.
How to Make German Cucumber Salad
Start by slicing your cucumbers. I use the mandolin attachment on my vegetable chopper for quick, uniform slices. But you can certainly slice with a knife or chop into cubes, whatever shape you like is just fine. Add the sliced cucumbers into a large mixing bowl.
Slice the scallions and chop the parsley. If you don’t have an herb roller, I highly recommend it for easy herb prep. Toss the scallions and parsley into the bowl with the cucumber and toss.
How to Make German Vinaigrette
Dissolve the Vegan Chicken Bouillon cube in 1/4 cup of water in a medium mixing bowl or measuring cup. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and mix with a whisk or fork.
Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber, scallions, and parsley and mix until everything is evenly coated.
Serve room temperature or refrigerate until cooled. Make up to 24 hours ahead of time before serving.
Enjoy!
How to Store German Cucumber Salad
- Fridge: Leftovers will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
More Tips for Making German Cucumber Salad
- Not Vegan? Use a real chicken bouillon cube or sub for 1/4 chicken broth.
- Want some spice? Add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the vinaigrette for a kick.
- Oil-free? Replace the olive oil with maple or agave syrup to balance the acidity of the vinegar.
German Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- Mandolin (optional)
- herb roller (optional)
- Whisk or fork
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 cube Not Chicken Bouillon
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 whole scallions, chopped
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 4 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by slicing your cucumbers using a mandolin or knife. Whatever shape you like is just fine. Add the sliced cucumbers into a large mixing bowl.
- Slice the scallions, chop the parsley, toss them into the bowl with the cucumber and mix.
- Dissolve the Vegan Chicken Bouillon cube in 1/4 cup of water in a medium mixing bowl or measuring cup. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and mix with a whisk or fork.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber, scallions, and parsley and mix until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve room temperature or refrigerated. Enjoy!
Notes
- Not Vegan? Use a real chicken bouillon cube or sub for 1/4 chicken broth.
- Want some spice? Add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the vinaigrette for a kick.
- Oil-free? Replace the olive oil with maple or agave syrup to balance the acidity of the vinegar.
Nutrition
Please note, while all ingredients used in this recipe have been verified to be vegan and free of applicable allergens at the time of recipe creation, different brands may differ in their ingredients or processing procedures and may change their ingredients at any time. For some recipes, I do include ingredients that are processed in a facility that processes other allergens. Please make sure to check the ingredients and processing procedures for your specific purchases to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Last Updated on February 14, 2025
My family LOVES this cucumber salad. I make it so often in the summer!
Very refreshing – great recipe.
Yum! This looks absolutely delicious and healthy. I am going to make this German Cucumber Salad at my summer party which I know it will be a hit. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Looks yummy!
Looks delicious! Simple and refreshing, perfect summer recipe.