Pineapple Cucumber Salad
Pineapple Cucumber Salad made with fresh pineapple and cucumber mixed with red onion, cilantro, and a lime vinaigrette, ready in under 10 minutes!
This salad is the PERFECT recipe to reset your week with something light, healthy, and full of fresh flavors! Made with fresh pineapple, cucumber, and feta tossed in a lime vinaigrette sweetened with honey. You can give this a kick with some crushed red pepper flakes.
I love to serve this alongside steak or fish for dinner. But it also works as a standalone salad for lunch, summer potlucks, or backyard BBQs. This will be the perfect addition to your week!
If you loved this recipe, you’ll also love my Creamy Cucumber Salad, or my Kale Quinoa Salad!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Fresh Ingredients – We’re using only fresh wholesome ingredients for this recipe, making it perfect for when you need something light and healthy.
Easy to Make – There’s no cooking involved, just throw everything into a bowl and stir together, then enjoy!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pineapple. Try to choose a firm but ripe pineapple. It should have a nice pineapple smell at the base when you pick it out, and a mix of gold and green color.
Cucumber. I like to use English cucumbers because they’re more mild than regular cucumbers. If you use the regular kind, consider peeling and removing the seeds first.
Cilantro. Use as much cilantro as you’d prefer. If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley or fresh mint.
Red Onion. I like to soak the red onions in some water while I’m prepping the rest of the ingredients. This helps to cut down on the bite that they have, and makes them more mild. You can also use shallots.
Crumbled Feta. This adds a nice tangy savory flavor that balances out the sweetness of the fruit. You can also use goat cheese.
Lime Juice. I like the flavor of lime and pineapple, but you can also use lemon juice. If you want a stronger flavor, use lime zest as well.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This helps bring the dressing together and coats the pineapple and cucumbers really well.
Apple Cider Vinegar. The tangy savory notes of the vinegar balances out the sweetness from the fruit and honey.
Honey. This helps keep the salad sweet, because fruit can vary depending on the ripeness and time of year.
Spices. I just add a dash of kosher salt and black pepper. You can add red pepper flakes or cayenne to make this spicy.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe you’ll need a cutting board, a sharp knife, and a large mixing bowl.
How to Make Pineapple Cucumber Salad
Add all of the dressing ingredients to the mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined.
Add the pineapple, cucumber, red onion, half of the feta, and cilantro.
Gently toss everything together until it’s well combined and evenly coated in the dressing.
Top with the remaining feta cheese and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Make this spicy by adding a dash of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, chili oil, or hot sauce to the dressing. Or drizzle with hot honey.
- Try adding other herbs like fresh basil leaves, chives, or fresh mint leaves.
- Add additional fresh fruit like watermelon, mango, papaya, kiwi, or cantaloupe. Or add some fresh avocado, dipped in lime juice to prevent browning before adding to the salad.
- For a full meal, serve this over grilled meats. My favorites are grilled fish like salmon or cod, grilled shrimp, or grilled steak or London broil.
Recipe Tip If you want the red onions to be more mild, soak the pieces in cold water for about 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel before adding to the salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad can be made ahead of time, and actually tastes the best when it’s served cold and has had some time for the flavors to come together. Make this the night before, then store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. I wouldn’t make this more than 24 hours ahead, because you want the ingredients to be really fresh.
Recipe Tip You can use canned pineapple chunks for this recipe to make it easier, but fresh pineapple will give you the best flavor and texture.
More Salad Recipes
Storage
Refrigerate cucumber pineapple salad for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Cooking Tips
- I like to use English cucumbers because they’re a little sweeter and you don’t need to peel them or remove the seeds for a better texture.
- Try to cut the pineapple and cucumbers to around the same size, so each bite has the same amount of each ingredient.
- Give the salad a taste and adjust with any additional salt and pepper before serving.
Tried this recipe? ⭐ Leave a review and share what worked best for you—your tips help other home cooks get the same delicious results!
Pineapple Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 medium fresh pineapple, cut into cubes
- 1 medium English cucumber, sliced
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium limes, juice only
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
Instructions
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to the mixing bowl and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the pineapple, cucumber, red onion, half of the feta, and cilantro. Gently toss everything together until it's well combined and evenly coated in the dressing.
- Top with the remaining feta cheese and serve.
Notes
- If you want the red onions to be more mild, soak the pieces in cold water for about 20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel before adding to the salad.
- You can use canned pineapple chunks for this recipe to make it easier, but fresh pineapple will give you the best flavor and texture.
- I like to use English cucumbers because they’re a little sweeter and you don’t need to peel them or remove the seeds for a better texture.
- Try to cut the pineapple and cucumbers to around the same size, so each bite has the same amount of each ingredient.
- Give the salad a taste and adjust with any additional salt and pepper before serving.
Nutrition
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