This Cold Cucumber Salad for Passover recipe is an easy, one-bowl recipe for the delicious and tangy cold cucumber salad found in New York delis.
And this healthy deli salad is vegan!
New York delis have the BEST cucumber salad and this cucumber salad recipe tastes just like it, but it’s kosher for Passover!
And it’s easy to make. Just one bowl.
And it refrigerates really well! So, make ahead!
Perfect for that side dish that you need to bring to someone else’s house!
AND since there is no matzo meal in it, you can have it on the day of the seder!
Eating on the day of the seder
Jews who keep the laws of Passover do not eat matzo or any foods that contain anything from matzo (such as matzo meal or matzo cake meal) the entire day before the seder, which is in the evening.
Some people even have the custom of not eating such foods for two weeks before, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nissan or even as far back as Purim, which is a month before.
Food on Passover
Torah-observant Jews do not eat chametz (the fermented products of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye).
In addition, Torah-observant Ashkenazi Jews do not eat kitniyot (or kitniyos as pronounced in Ashkenazi Hebrew). These include legumes, corn, rice, and similar foods that were deemed forbidden to eat by rabbis in the medieval period and are still not eaten today. Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews do not follow this tradition.
Many observant Ashkenazi Jews will not even eat the derivatives of these kitniyot, while others do (each family holds their own traditions regarding this).
Then, there are Ashkenazim who don’t eat “gebrokts” (or gebrochts).
Gebrokts (gebrochts) means “broken” in Yiddish, and in this case refers to matzo that has absorbed liquid. Not eating gebrokts is observed by many in the Hasidic Jewish community and Ashkenazim who have taken on this tradition, where they basically don’t mix anything wet with matzo.
So, things like matzo sandwiches, fried matzo, and even matzo balls are a no-no for them.
There is a joke that sums it all up:
On Passover, we should remember people who have little to eat on this holiday. They are called Ashkenazim.
Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for Passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals.
I find that having good food and variety makes the week of Passover a very pleasant experience, and I hope this recipe will help make yours just that!
What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?
When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking though).
The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it.
Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.
Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.
Kosher for Passover Pantry Essentials (Suggestion)
Seasoning and flavoring:
- salt
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- onion powder
- ground cinnamon
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consommé powder
- onion soup mix
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
Misc:
- oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
- potato starch as a thickening agent
- baking powder
- matzo cake meal (matzo meal, but ground into a powder)
- condiments, such as ketchup and barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes—diced or crushed/pasta sauce
Keeping eggs in the fridge and onions and potatoes on your shelves as well as having fresh vegetables, such as carrots, celery, bell peppers (red, green, etc), tomatoes (if you don’t want to use canned), etc. can be very useful when putting together a quick but delicious meal.
It’s also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts) in the freezer for anyone who likes meat dishes in a snap.
But what do you need for this recipe, you ask?
These are the ingredients that you need to make this recipe:
cucumbers
onion (sweet purple onion preferred)
white vinegar
white granulated sugar
fresh chopped dill
salt
pepper (white or black)
If you love deli salads, try these!
Coleslaw for Passover
Red Cabbage Salad for Passover
Potato Salad for Passover
Broccoli Salad for Passover
Cold Cucumber Salad for Passover
Delicious and tangy cucumber salad like in New York delis, but kosher for Passover!
Ingredients
- 3 cucumbers, thinly sliced (peel, if desired)
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (sweet purple onion preferred)
- 2/3 cup white vinegar
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (white or black)
Instructions
- Place the sliced cucumber in a large mixing bowl.
- Fold in the vinegar, water, sugar, dill, salt, and pepper until evenly spread throughout the cucumber slices.
- Chill until cold (an hour or two).
- Before use, you can pour out excess liquid (from seeping from the cucumbers), if so desired.
Notes
All of the flavors are basically "to taste," as everyone has their own preference.
MAKE SURE ALL INGREDIENTS ARE KOSHER FOR PASSOVER
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 283mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 2g