From the roundup: 22 Refrigerator Pickle Cucumber Salad Recipes to Serve as a Dinner Side Dish
This pickle cucumber salad with avocado and lime is the side dish I pull out when the main is already demanding my full attention. The cucumbers do their thing in the fridge for two hours, and I just have to remember to cut the avocado right before we sit down. Fifteen minutes of actual work, two hours of waiting, and dinner feels a little more put-together than it actually was.
The brine is lime juice, apple cider vinegar, a little sugar, and salt. The cucumbers go in with sliced jalapeño and red onion, and after two hours they soften just slightly at the edges and take on that tangy, almost-pickle flavor. The avocado goes in last, folded in gently so it stays in real chunks rather than disappearing into the salad.
It works next to fish tacos, grilled chicken, black bean quesadillas, or honestly just some good tortilla chips if that is where the night ends up. The red pepper flakes on top are not just decoration. They add a little heat that keeps the whole thing from feeling too mild.
How this one started
I made this the first time because I had two cucumbers that needed to be used and a bag of limes that was almost past its moment. I was already making guacamole for tacos and thought, what if the cucumbers just went into something similar but brined first. I threw together a quick lime and vinegar mixture, stuck the cucumbers in the fridge before school drop-off, and folded in the avocado right before dinner. My husband ate the leftovers the next day straight from the jar, minus the avocado, which holds up fine on its own in the brine.
It has been a regular since then, mostly because it is the one side I can prep in the morning and actually forget about until I need it.
Tips for success
- Cut the avocado into three-quarter-inch chunks and fold just two or three times with a spatula. Smaller pieces or too much stirring turns it into a smear.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cucumbers to the serving bowl. Leave most of the brine behind, but keep a few tablespoons in the bowl for flavor. Too much liquid makes the salad watery fast.
- The cucumbers need at least two full hours to soften slightly and turn a little translucent at the edges. Do not rush it to 45 minutes. The flavor is flat when they have not had enough time.
- Add the avocado right before serving, not right before you call people to the table. Right before means within five minutes of eating, not a half hour ahead.
If the salad turns watery
- The slotted spoon step matters. If you pour the cucumbers straight from the bowl, you bring too much brine with them and the avocado breaks down faster.
- If you are serving this at a potluck or bringing it somewhere, pack the pickled cucumbers in a jar and the avocado separately. Fold together on-site.
- If leftovers have released extra liquid overnight, just drain the bowl and add a fresh avocado. The cucumbers are still good for up to three days in the brine.
- Salting the cucumbers before brining is not necessary here. The brine itself has enough salt, and pre-salting can make the cucumbers too soft.
Substitutions
If cilantro is a hard no in your house, flat-leaf parsley works fine. It changes the flavor profile a little but still feels fresh. Rice vinegar can replace the apple cider vinegar if that is what you have. It is a bit milder and slightly less sharp, which some people prefer. Persian cucumbers work in place of English cucumbers, just slice them the same way. For a little more substance, fold in a handful of halved cherry tomatoes with the avocado.
If jalapeño heat is a concern for younger kids, leave the jalapeño out entirely or slice it into larger pieces that are easy to pick around. The brine still has plenty of flavor without it.
Make-ahead and storage
The pickled cucumbers can sit in the brine for up to 24 hours before serving. Make them the morning of a dinner party or the night before a cookout and they will be ready when you are. Keep the jar sealed in the refrigerator. Do not fold in the avocado until right before you serve, because avocado browns quickly once cut and does not hold up in the brine overnight.
Store leftover pickled cucumbers without the avocado in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. When you want to serve from the leftovers again, just cut a fresh avocado and fold it in. Do not try to freeze this. The cucumbers lose all their texture and the avocado turns gray and grainy.
Pickle Cucumber Salad with Avocado and Lime
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Stir together the lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt in a large jar or bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve completely, about one minute of stirring.
- Add the sliced cucumbers, jalapeño, and red onion to the brine. Toss everything so the cucumbers are evenly coated. Seal the jar or cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least two hours. The cucumbers will soften slightly and turn a little translucent at the edges, which means the brine has done its job.
- When you are ready to serve, cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh. Cut into chunks about three quarters of an inch wide. Keeping them on the larger side means they will hold their shape when folded in rather than breaking down into a paste.
- Use a slotted spoon to lift the pickled cucumbers out of the brine and into a serving bowl. Leave most of the liquid behind so the salad is not soupy, but keep a few tablespoons of the brine in the bowl for flavor.
- Add the avocado chunks and cilantro to the cucumber mixture. Fold everything together gently with a spoon or rubber spatula, turning just two or three times so the avocado stays in distinct pieces.
- Scatter the red pepper flakes over the top and taste for salt. Add a small pinch more if needed. Serve right away at the table.
Notes
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