Quick and easy salads are perfect at the end of a long day. This ranch and cucumber salad is one of those where you can make a tasty and healthy salad in minutes, and have it on the dinner table before you know it. You only need three ingredients: cucumbers, onions, and ranch dressing. This recipe includes a link to our oil-free cool ranch dressing (a twist on classic ranch using dill), but you can of course use a vegan ranch dressing from the store, or sub parsley for dill in our recipe.
I like to start the week with some meal prep: I’ll make a few different thick and creamy sauces or condiments/spreads that can double as salad dressings, usually by just adding a bit of additional citrus, non-dairy milk, or vinegar to the dressing. Making them yourself means you can avoid additives that are often found in something from the store, usually save quite a bit of money, and control the ingredients (like added oil). Then I can use these DIY condiments and spreads in salads, sandwiches, potato toppings, and more throughout the week. Ranch is one of those versatile dressings that fits the bill, and this is one example of how you can use it to make a quick salad.
Cool ranch dill cucumber salad
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber large
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1/4 cup oil-free ranch dressing find recipe here, and see notes
GARNISH
- Sesame seeds
- Dill lightly chopped
Instructions
- Slice one large cucumber (or 1 1/2 medium cucumbers) into thin slices, as pictured.
- Dice one medium red onion.
- Gently toss these ingredients together, and then add ranch dressing and continue tossing until well coated.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
Notes
Additions and alterations
This is a perfect opportunity to add a bit of jalapeno. The ranch dressing will offset the spicy jalapeno nicely, and add a bit of a punch to the overall flavor without being overwhelming.
And you can certainly swap the dill for parsley, both in the dressing and/or as a garnish for the salad itself.
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