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Smoking Chimney

Recipes from a working kitchen · Cape Town

Cool Cucumber salad

By Marna Ross Updated 12 August 2026 4.43 from 30 ratings South African
This cool cucumber salad is also a quick dish for the Braai (BBQ). It is quick and easy to assemble. Most of the ingredients are ingredients one normally have in your fridge and pantry. It is perfect for the December summer month hot days and for the festive season when one normally eats a little bit more ( or should I say a little bit more than just a little bit!).This lovely cool cucumber salad I made quite a lot of times during my employment at Augusta Kleinbosch Guest Farm for our Braai (BBQ) evenings, as well as Beetroot Side Salad for the Braai. You don't even have to peel the cucumber, you just slice it. If you peel the cucumbers, it will reduce the fibre, and the vitamins and minerals will get lost. The dill seeds give it a lovely taste as well. You can definitely find dill seeds at your nearest Woolworths store.Cucumbers are very rich in antioxidants and low in calories. They contain good amounts of water, promotes hydration and aiding in weigh loss. It is therefor very important to include cucumbers in your diet.With the summer coming up it is a good idea to keep cucumber recipes nearby. It is cool and refreshing, easy and soft to chew and tasty. When you have a Braai (BBQ) event and caters for the food, you feel like having quick and easy dishes but which will bowl your guests out for a six and to have the compliments keep coming in!
A refreshing cool cucumber salad with thin slices tossed in a light, creamy dill dressing.
Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min
Total 20 min
Serves 8

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Ingredients

  • 2-3 large cucumbers, sliced
  • 1 medium purple onion, sliced thinly into halves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fennel
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon dill seeds
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Method

  1. In a beautiful platter or bowl, arrange the slices of cucumber as the first layer

  2. Place the red onion slices as a second layer

  3. Add the chopped fennel as the third layer

  4. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, dill seed, salt and pepper in a jar with a lid and shake well

  5. Pour the salad dressing mixed in the jar over the 3 layers of the cucumber salad

  6. Garnish with dill twigs, Pansies or Nasturtiums (both eatable flowers) to make the garnish of the salad look extra special

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