Cucumber raspberry salad. A crisp summer salad with a twist.
It a very simple to make, you only need a few ingredients, a mandoline, and you have a tangy fresh cucumber salad that is rich in flavor and very refreshing at the same time.
The smoothness of the heavy cream marries well with the acidity of the red wine vinegar. The dill and mint bring out the freshness of the cucumber even more.
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The raspberry brings a bit of color to your salad and a sweet and tart flavor. Did I mention it only takes 15 minutes to prepare it?
A must-try recipe.
In this Article
- Subscribe to Cooking Canva!
- What are cucumbers?
- How to pick out the perfect cucumber
- To peel or not to peel the cucumber
- Did you know?
- Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make these delicious creamy cucumber salad
- Equipment needed
- Tips and step-by-step how to make cucumber salad
- What can you serve with your cucumber salad recipe?
- Can this cucumber salad be made ahead of time?
- If you enjoyed this recipe for cucumber salad, check out these flavorful recipes:
- VIDEO: COOK ALONG WITH ME
- Cucumber Raspberry Salad
What are cucumbers?
Members of the gourd family or Cucurbitaceae. The cucumber is a widely cultivated vine plant that bears cylindrical fruits, used as a vegetable.
Excellent during the summer months as it is a nutritious food with a high amount of water content that helps relieve dehydration and contains vitamins and minerals.
How to pick out the perfect cucumber
Choose a firm, slender cucumber that will contain fewer seeds.
Be blemish-free or have any soft spots, which is a sign that it starts the rotting process.
They should be a deep dark green color without any yellow spots
Overripe cucumber, with large seeds and watery flesh, will also have poor taste.
English or hothouse cucumbers are frequently found at our grocery stores. Buy the smaller ones you can, as they tend to be primarily seeds-free.
The lack of seeds and thinner skin, also known as English cucumbers, have a higher natural sugar content making them sweeter and more enjoyable.
To peel or not to peel the cucumber
That is a personal choice that I will leave up to you for this recipe.
The peel is where you find all the nutritional content.
I enjoy the contrast of color that the peel provides.
Did you know?
Contrary to popular belief, the cucumber skin is not what some people experience digestive upset with. Quite the opposite, it is the larger or the over-bulging middle part of the cucumber.
Selecting a very fresh and firm cucumber helps with digestive issues, and enjoying it with some spices or herbs, such as mint, cumin, and anise, facilitates digestion.
The smaller the cucumber, the richer it is in flavor.
Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make these delicious creamy cucumber salad
This is a quick introduction. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Cucumber: thin and evenly shaped with no bruising. Remove the tip ends before slicing.
Raspberries: Taste beautifully with this salad and bring in some added color. Mixing it with vinegar brings out the tartiness of it, and the cream will soften it. Crushing half of them will release the natural sweetness and juice. Great combination, I am sure you will like it.
Heavy cream: just a little bit coats the cucumber slices well, and once the cucumber starts to release its natural juices, the combination is quite delicious.
Red wine vinegar: The acidity marries well with the sweetness of the cream and raspberries. Brings out the flavor of the dill too. I highly recommend the French kind, but as you know, I am partial to it. It has to have a high acidity content and be rich in flavor.
Mint: fresh and refreshing, a must.
Dill: the best partner for the cucumber as it has a very citrus-like taste. If none are on hand, you can substitute with dry. However, use less since it is more potent.
Equipment needed
Please follow the link to access the product of your preference.
Mandoline: One of my most used tools in the kitchen, and here it comes to the test. I cannot live without it.
Knife: if you do not have a mandoline, a sharp knife will facilitate slicing the cucumber into even thin slices.
Mixing bowl: prepare the raspberries with your vinegar and cream.
Herb scissors: the best way to slice small herbs such as dill and chives without bruising them too much, thus releasing their natural oils in your dish, not the cutting board.
Tips and step-by-step how to make cucumber salad
The success of this beautiful creamy cucumber salad rests on a few tips:
- Slice the cucumber thinly and evenly. I recommend using a mandoline, super fast, and each round sliced the same size.
- Mix half of your raspberries with the cream, vinegar, dill, salt, and pepper. Crushing half with the back of your spatula to release their natural juice.
- Use fresh dill that you will chop with the help of scissors right over your dish.
- When your sauce is done, mix the cucumber slices in your mixing bowl.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Spread your mint leaves over it and the remaining raspberries.
Very easy, as you can see.
What can you serve with your cucumber salad recipe?
This cucumber salad is so refreshing and goes well with:
Parmesan, Panko Crusted Chicken Cutlets
Chiles Rellenos – A Southwest Favorite
Can this cucumber salad be made ahead of time?
This cucumber salad is best when made fresh as the salt in the dressing will bring out the natural moisture of the cucumber and cause the salad to get watery if refrigerated for a day or more.
The mint and raspberries will not stay fresh either.
However, there is a solution: Slice and prepare your sauce with the cream and vinegar. Omit the salt until ready to use.
Use fresh raspberries and fresh mint at the time of serving.
If you enjoyed this recipe for cucumber salad, check out these flavorful recipes:
Equipment needed to make this fantastic cucumber salad recipe.
VIDEO: COOK ALONG WITH ME
Cucumber Raspberry Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 6 ounces raspberries
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 10 mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon dill
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel the cucumber by alternating one stripe lengthwise.
- Slice into thin rounds with the aid of a mandoline.
- On a large plate, mix half of the raspberries, heavy cream, dill, salt and pepper, and vinegar. Crush some of the raspberries as you mix.
- Add the sliced cucumber rounds and mix well. Add the chopped mint and the remaining raspberries.
Notes
Nutrition
Cooking Canva provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Salads
- Cuisine: French
- Type: Affordable Gourmet, Under 45 minutes, Videos
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Jane
I love this salad! It’s so simple, but the flavors are super rich. It’s also very refreshing, which is perfect for a hot day like today.
Teana Allen
Enjoy!
Genevieve
What a delightful, fresh dish! I enjoyed this so much I’m going to make it for my next party. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Teana Allen
The pleasure is all mine, enjoy!
Julianne
Such a bright and refreshing salad, perfect for these hot summer days we’re having. I love that it’s also low carb, so it fits perfectly into my diet!
Teana Allen
Enjoy!
Gina
Such a unique summer salad! I’ve always enjoyed cucumber salads but never thought to pair it with berries. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Teana Allen
Wonderful! I am happy you enjoyed it.
Madison Wetherill
I am not usually a huge dill fan, but this combination was delicious! The raspberry paired with the vinegar was so refreshing. The whole family loved this.
Teana Allen
Thank you, Madison, for your feedback.
Enjoy!