Hungarian Cucumber Salad
Step 0
A classic Hungarian-style cucumber salad: thin-sliced cucumbers salted to pull out water, then tossed in a light vinegar-sugar dressing with garlic, paprika, and black pepper. Crisp, sharp, and addictive.
Step 1
Ingredients for Hungarian cucumber salad
- English cucumbers 2 medium (432.0 g)
- Garlic, fresh, minced 1 clove (3.0 g)
- Sugar 2 tbsp (25.0 g)
- Distilled vinegar (5%) 3 tbsp (44.6 g)
- Sweet paprika powder (to sprinkle) 1 tsp (2.3 g)
- Ground black pepper (to sprinkle) 1 g
- Salt 1 tbsp (18.2 g)
Texture tip: Slice as thin as possible. A mandolin gives the crunchiest, most even result.
Step 2
How to make Hungarian cucumber salad
- Slice thin. Slice the 2 cucumbers very thin into a bowl (peeled or unpeeled).
- Salt and drain. Add 1 tbsp salt and mix to coat. Let sit for 15 min to draw out water.
- Squeeze hard. Grab large handfuls of cucumber and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Move the squeezed cucumber to a clean bowl. Discard the released liquid.
- Make the dressing. In a cup, mix 2 tbsp sugar with 3 tbsp distilled vinegar until dissolved.
- Finish. Pour dressing over cucumbers, mix thoroughly, then add 1 clove garlic. Sprinkle with paprika and black pepper.
Storage: Best within 24 hours for maximum crunch. Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Step 3
Health-oriented chef cues
- Low calorie density: This sits around 33.9 kcal per 100 g, so it is easy to add volume to a meal without pushing calories much.
- Salt is the lever: Salt drives crunch and flavor, but the recipe is very high in salt per 100 g. If sodium matters for you, make it less often, keep portions smaller, or adjust the salt and accept a softer cucumber.
- Sugar is adjustable: Sugar smooths the vinegar sharpness. If you lower the sugar, the salad becomes more acidic and the nutrition values change, so treat the nutrition panel as no longer exact.
- Hunger and cravings: Crunchy, cold, acidic foods can be useful when you want a strong sensory hit. Pair with a protein source to make it a more complete meal.
- Post-workout pairing: This is mostly carbs and water. Combine with lean protein and a starch if you want a more recovery-focused plate.
- Adjust without guessing: If you change sugar or salt, update your nutrition source values (for example Cronometer) so your post stays accurate.
Note: Any change to salt, sugar, or vinegar will change the nutrition values shown below.
Nutrition facts and macros
Macros & Calories
per 100 g
Calories
33.9 kcal
- Saturates: 0.06 g
- Sugars: 6.17 g
- Fiber: 1.15 g
- Salt: 3.40 g
See full macronutrient table (per 100 g)
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 141.76 kJ / 33.86 kcal | |
| Fat | 0.21 g | |
| Saturated | 0.06 g | |
| Monounsaturated | 0.02 g | |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.08 g | |
| Carbohydrate | 7.69 g | |
| Sugars | 6.17 g | |
| Starch | 0.36 g | |
| Fiber | 1.15 g | |
| Protein | 0.64 g | |
| Salt | 3.40 g | |
| Sodium | 1344.56 mg |
Carbohydrates breakdown
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Total Carbs | 7.69 g | |
| Fiber | 1.15 g | |
| Starch | 0.36 g | |
| Sugars | 6.17 g | |
| Fructose | 0.75 g | |
| Galactose | <0.01 g | |
| Glucose | 0.64 g | |
| Lactose | 0.00 g | |
| Maltose | <0.01 g | |
| Sucrose | 4.77 g | |
| Added Sugars | 4.74 g | |
| Sugar Alcohol | 0.09 g | |
| Net Carbs | 6.45 g |
Fat (lipids) breakdown
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 0.21 g | |
| Monounsaturated | 0.02 g | |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.08 g | |
| Omega-3 | <0.01 g | |
| Omega-6 | 0.07 g | |
| Saturated | 0.06 g | |
| Trans-Fats | <0.01 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Protein (amino acid) breakdown
| Amino acid | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 0.64 g | |
| Alanine | 0.02 g | |
| Arginine | 0.04 g | |
| Aspartic acid | 0.05 g | |
| Cystine | <0.01 g | |
| Glutamic acid | 0.18 g | |
| Glycine | 0.03 g | |
| Histidine | 0.01 g | |
| Isoleucine | 0.02 g | |
| Leucine | 0.03 g | |
| Lysine | 0.03 g | |
| Methionine | <0.01 g | |
| Phenylalanine | 0.02 g | |
| Proline | 0.03 g | |
| Serine | 0.02 g | |
| Threonine | 0.02 g | |
| Tryptophan | <0.01 g | |
| Tyrosine | 0.01 g | |
| Valine | 0.02 g |
Key Micronutrients
top 15 by % RI, per 100 g
See full micronutrient table (per 100 g)
| Nutrient | Amount | % RI |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 2.36 mg | |
| Vitamin A | 15.17 µg | |
| Vitamin D | 0.00 IU (≈0.00 µg) | |
| Vitamin E | 0.15 mg | |
| Vitamin K | 20.38 µg | |
| B1 (Thiamine) | 0.02 mg | |
| B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.03 mg | |
| B3 (Niacin) | 0.13 mg | |
| B5 (Pantothenic Acid) | 0.23 mg | |
| B6 (Pyridoxine) | 0.05 mg | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.00 µg | |
| Choline | 5.30 mg | |
| Folate | 6.01 µg | |
| Calcium | 18.30 mg | |
| Iron | 0.13 mg | |
| Magnesium | 9.54 mg | |
| Phosphorus | 21.77 mg | |
| Potassium | 154.69 mg | |
| Zinc | 0.19 mg | |
| Copper | 0.06 mg | |
| Manganese | 0.12 mg | |
| Selenium | 0.41 µg | |
| Sodium | 1344.56 mg |
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Slice and salt
Thinly slice 2 medium cucumbers (432 g) into a bowl. Add 1 tbsp salt (18.2 g) and mix. Let sit for 15 min.
Step 2: Squeeze and reset
Squeeze handfuls of cucumber firmly to remove liquid, then move the squeezed cucumber to a clean bowl.
Step 3: Dress and finish
Mix 2 tbsp sugar (25 g) with 3 tbsp distilled vinegar (44.6 g) until dissolved. Toss with cucumbers, add 1 clove minced garlic (3 g), then sprinkle paprika (2.3 g) and black pepper (1 g).
Hungarian cucumber salad FAQs
- Do I have to peel the cucumbers?
- No. Peeled is softer and milder. Unpeeled is crunchier with more bite.
- Why squeeze the cucumbers after salting?
- It removes excess water so the dressing stays punchy instead of diluted.
- Can I reduce the salt?
- Yes, but you will lose some crunch and the nutrition values will change.
- Can I meal prep this?
- It is best within 24 hours. After that, it is still tasty but less crisp.
