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Home » Recipes » Salads

Apple and Cucumber Salad

Published: May 2, 2023 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 10 Comments

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Light and refreshing, this apple and cucumber salad with an apple cider vinegar dressing is perfect as a side salad for summer BBQs, to take to a potluck or as picnic food! So simple to make, it takes just 10 minutes to come together.

Have a peek at my fennel cucumber salad and cucumber and pomegranate salad for more fresh summer salad ideas!

apple and cucumber salad in a white bowl next to mint leaves and red apples.

Much like my pak choy salad and my apple radish fennel salad, this cucumber apple salad focuses on light hydrating ingredients that make it perfect for a hot summer day! So simple to make, all we need is a bit of chopping of fruit and vegetables and to make a flavorful oil-based salad dressing.

Love the apple and cucumber combination? Have a peek at my apple cucumber smoothie for a refreshing snack!

Jump to:
  • ⭐ Why this recipe is so good
  • 🍎 Ingredients
  • 📖 Swaps and variations
  • 🥒 How to prepare cucumbers
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • Recipe tips and notes
  • 📋 Frequently asked questions
  • 🍽 How to serve apple cucumber salad
  • 🥗 More fun salads
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

⭐ Why this recipe is so good

Light and refreshing. Both apples and cucumbers are so hydrating for summer and perfect as a side salad for meat, fish or plant-based mains with their light sweet flavors.

Versatile. Made with minimal ingredients, this cucumber and apple salad is suitable as a vegan, gluten free, low histamine and whole 30 recipe, as well as for the AIP diet.

Quick and easy. It takes just 10 minutes (maybe less!) to chop your fruits and vegetables and prepare the dressing.

🍎 Ingredients

individually labelled English cucumber, apples, olive oil, mint and apple cider vinegar.

All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.

Some notes on a few of them:

  • Apples - I suggest to use a green apple for its delicious tart flavor, and a red apple for that nice sweetness. You can use all green or all red apples if you prefer though!
  • Cucumber - I like to use an English cucumber, but a Persian cucumber also works well.
  • Olive oil - I suggest to use extra virgin olive oil for its depth of flavor and health benefits too.
  • Apple cider vinegar - this brightens the salad and is a lower histamine vinegar, but you can also use white distilled vinegar which is low histamine per the SIGHI list.
  • Mint - use fresh leaves for their summery flavor!

📖 Swaps and variations

Use Persian cucumbers. If you're out of English cucumber, you can easily swap for Persian cucumbers. Have a read of their different tastes and textures in this comparison of English and Persian cucumbers.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice. If citrus works for you, then add a little squeeze of lemon or lime (likely not suitable if you're looking for low histamine recipes).

Use a creamy dressing. If you like a more creamy cucumber salad, swap out the apple cider vinegar dressing for my tahini dill dressing.

🥒 How to prepare cucumbers

Both English and Persian cucumbers are very easy to prepare. Simply wash your produce, and then slice off the very ends.

It's down to preference whether you peel the cucumbers or not. Both these varieties have thin edible skin, and don't need to be peeled, but you may prefer to do so. Similarly, both varieties have relatively few seeds, but you can scoop them out with a small spoon if you wish.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Making this apple and cucumber salad with apple cider vinegar is very easy, with just a few steps.

All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these photos will help guide you.

chopped cucumber, red apple and green apple on a chopping board labelled number one.

Step 1: Dice the fruit and vegetables

Use a sharp knife to dice the cucumber into small bite size pices.

De-core the apples, then dice into similar size pieces to the cucumber (image 1).

mint salad dressing in a glass bowl with a spoon in it labelled number two.

Step 2: Make the dressing

Combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, finely diced mint leaves and a pinch of salt. Stir or whisk to combine (image 2). Adjust with more vinegar or mint to taste preference.

Combine all the salad ingredients, and drizzle over the dressing to serve.

Recipe tips and notes

  • Choose the apples you prefer. Red apples will give a lovely sweetness, whereas green apples are more tart. Or do a mix of the two types, as I like to do!
  • Add more mint. Love the summer flavor of mint? Add a little more to the dressing if you like.
  • Dice the apples just before serving. While the apple cider vinegar will help slow down browning, it's a good idea not to let the fruit sit for too long before use.
  • Add a sweetener. If you like a sweeter apple salad, you can stir a little honey, agave syrup or maple syrup into the dressing.

📋 Frequently asked questions

Do you have to peel cucumbers?

If you are using English cucumber or Persian cucumber then you don't have to peel them as they have edible skin. It's down to preference if you would like to peel or not.

What is the best apple for apple salads?

Red apples will give you a sweeter taste for your apple salad recipe, whereas green apples have more tart flavor.

Are apples and cucumber healthy?

As described by Healthline in their overview of the health benefits of apples, this fruit is a good source of fiber and vitamin C, as well as antioxidants and polyphenols. Cucumbers are noted by Medical News Today to be a source of a range of B vitamins, vitamin A and antioxidants, as well as being a hydrating food.

Is apple cider vinegar low histamine?

Apple cider vinegar is debated in terms of its histamine level. It scores 1 on the SIGHI list for histamine, on a scale of 0 (low histamine) to 3 (high histamine).

🍽 How to serve apple cucumber salad

Whether you're organising a fun barbeque, going to a potluck or are looking for a refreshing side salad for an evening meal, this apple and cucumber salad works perfectly with so many dishes:

  • Pair with grilled chicken dishes such as my honey and ginger chicken or turkey kabobs.
  • Serve for a summer lunch with an easy main of my air fried pesto chicken, my air fryer turkey burgers or my grated potato fritters.
  • Make a fun selection of easy sides for a BBQ including my bell pepper salsa, cottage cheese and mint tzatziki and my apple and kale slaw.
apple and cucumber salad in a white bowl next to a spoon, red apple and mint leaves.

🥗 More fun salads

Find tasty salads here that are so good for a light lunch or as a side for BBQs, picnics and evening meals, including my fun mango and corn salsa and beet and butternut salad. Some recent recipes to enjoy:

  • carrot and apple salad in a bowl with a serving spoon next to apples and a small bowl of pomegranate arils.
    Carrot and Apple Salad with Pomegranate
  • chicken pesto pasta salad in a white bowl next to fresh basil leaves, radishes and salad servers.
    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
  • roasted beet and carrot salad on a white plate.
    Beet and Carrot Salad
  • cucumber celery salad on a white plate next to fresh mint leaves and olive oil.
    Cucumber Celery Salad

I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ if you've tried the recipe!

📖 Recipe

apple and cucumber salad in a white bowl with a spoon in it next to red apples and mint leaves.

Apple and Cucumber Salad

Claire
Light and refreshing, this cucumber apple salad is so easy to make and perfect with summer BBQ food, or to take to a potluck or picnic!
5 from 14 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Lunch, Party food, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, British
Servings 6 servings
Calories 102 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 English cucumber diced
  • 1 red apple cored, diced
  • 1 green apple cored, diced

For the mint dressing

  • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup mint leaves loosely packed
  • pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • De-core the apples, then dice along with the cucumber into small pieces. It is down to preference if you peel the cucumbers or not.
  • Finely dice the mint leaves, then combine with the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt. Stir or whisk together to make the dressing.
  • Tip the apples and cucumber into your serving bowl and drizzle on the apple cider vinegar dressing. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

Notes

  • If you prefer, you can use all red apples or all green apples. Red will give a sweeter taste, while green apples are more tart.
  • I suggest to dice the apples just before serving to prevent browning.
  • Add more mint or apple cider vinegar to the dressing to preference.
  • Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
 
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance
All ingredients score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
  • apple cider vinegar, which scores 1.

Nutrition

Calories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 165IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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Comments

  1. Linda says

    August 22, 2023 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    Simple and quick and so good!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      August 22, 2023 at 5:49 pm

      So happy to hear you enjoyed the salad!

      Reply
  2. Christine says

    June 22, 2023 at 5:19 pm

    5 stars
    This is my new summer favorite for a quick, delicious side dish! So refreshing and easy to whip up!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      June 22, 2023 at 6:54 pm

      So glad you like it Christine! It's so quick to do isn't it - I'll be making it again this weekend for a summer side 🙂

      Reply
  3. Erin says

    May 21, 2023 at 6:41 pm

    5 stars
    An absolute perfect salad for warm days!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      May 21, 2023 at 7:02 pm

      So glad you liked it Erin!

      Reply
  4. Cindi says

    May 16, 2023 at 7:04 pm

    Can you make this ahead of time?

    Reply
    • Claire says

      May 16, 2023 at 8:36 pm

      The salad can be made ahead of time, but as I note in the post, apple does brown easily so you would want to make sure that you use enough apple cider vinegar.

      Reply
  5. Rebecca says

    May 10, 2023 at 3:05 am

    5 stars
    So good .really like it .I served this at church and everyone ask how to make this .planning on making this on mother's day .ty

    Reply
    • Claire says

      May 10, 2023 at 7:33 am

      So glad you all liked it Rebecca! And enjoy your Mother's Day lunch too!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

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Please see my disclaimer. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. All posts are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical or dietetic advice in any way.

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