Home > Eastern European Recipes > Cabbage and Cucumber Salad Recipe

Cabbage and Cucumber Salad Recipe

Cabbage and cucumber salad on a green plate with a fork beside it

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

There are two kinds of cabbage in this; green and purple. I think purple cabbage is strikingly beautiful. I love purple. It happens to be my favorite color. This cabbage and cucumber salad is perfect for Fall. The sunflower oil is important. The flavor and smell of sunflower oil is so nice. It really improves the flavor of any salad that has an oil-based dressing. I’m happy to report that Amazon has an excellent selection of Sunflower Oils. My bottle was gifted to me by my Mama. Most Russian stores carry it. **side note: Now I need some advice… I clocked out at 9pm singing my son to sleep and woke up at 2:00 am! Now I’m blogging and hoping I can go back to sleep tonight. I really have to catch my groove the first day off after a night shift. I’m kinda really cranky when I’m tired. I’m also prone to grumbling, bad hair days are more common, and my sense of humor goes to pot. I keep trying different routines that aren’t really working. Any suggestions out there? …End of side note**

Ingredients for Cabbage and Cucumber Salad:

1 white cabbage
1/2 red cabbage
1 English cucumber
1 bunch green onion
4 Tbsp sunflower oil
1.5 Tbsp vinegar
1.5 tsp salt

cabbage-and-cucumber-salad-4

How to Make Cabbage and Cucumber Salad:

1. Wash all the vegetables. Using mandolin, thinly shred 1 white cabbage and 1/2 red cabbage and place them in a large bowl. (Alternate method for shredding is using a sharp knife to finely shred cabbage; it’s just more time consuming). Do protect your hands if using a mandolin. I’m sporting my new Trudeau Oven Gloves. They are very functional; unlike a regular oven mitt where you can’t bend your fingers. Oh wait, that’s my husbands hand there; I don’t have man hands, but the gloves fit us both.

 

cabbage-and-cucumber-salad

2. Peel and julienne 1 English cucumber and finely dice green onion. Add both to the bowl.

cabbage-and-cucumber-salad-1

3. In a small bowl, make your dressing by mixing 4 Tbsp sunflower oil,  1.5 Tbsp vinegar and 1.5 tsp salt. Stir it into the salad to taste. You may not need all of it depending on the size of your cabbages. Most people just drizzle in the dressing ingredients to-taste, but I’ve always considered that risky business.

cabbage-and-cucumber-salad-2

This salad is best when served fresh, enjoy 😀

cabbage-and-cucumber-salad-3

This cabbage and cucumber salad is a classic Fall salad and a staple in our home!

Cabbage and Cucumber Salad Recipe

4.93 from 14 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Cabbage and cucumber salad on a green plate with a fork beside it
Using sunflower oil is important. It can best substituted with olive oil, but sunflower oil really improves the flavor of this salad.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 -8
  • 1 medium head of white cabbage
  • 1/2 medium head of red/purple cabbage
  • 1 English cucumber or 4 small cucumbers
  • 1 bunch of green onion
  • 4 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vinegar or to taste
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

Instructions

  • Wash your vegetables. Using a mandolin or knife, thinly shred 1 white cabbage and 1/2 red cabbage. Place them in a large bowl.
  • Peel and julienne 1 English cucumber and finely dice green onion. Add both to the bowl.
  • In a separate small bowl use a fork to mix 4 tbsp sunflower oil, 1 1/2 tbsp vinegar and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Stir it into the salad to taste. You may need less depending on the size of your cabbages.
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Cabbage and Cucumber Salad
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Final Final Picmonkey Hashtag banner

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the creator behind Natasha's Kitchen (established in 2009), and I share family-friendly, authentic recipes. I am a New York Times Best-Selling cookbook author and a trusted video personality in the culinary world. My husband, Vadim, and I run this blog together, ensuring every recipe we share is thoroughly tested and approved. Our mission is to provide you with delicious, reliable recipes you can count on. Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy you are here.

Read more posts by Natasha

4.93 from 14 votes (7 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Mariam
    August 27, 2014

    Hi Natasha cab I do lemon instead of the vinegar? By the way I am new to your website and everything looks delicious …I am so glad you made this website:))) If you can put videos too it will be awesome:)

    Reply

  • alana
    June 14, 2014

    Can i add radishes to this??

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 14, 2014

      I haven’t tried adding radishes and I don’t normally see them in this salad, but maybe no one has discovered it yet! I think they would be tasty 🙂

      Reply

  • Gosia S
    May 19, 2014

    OMG! This is a winner! I finally got my 5-year-old to eat something else than broccoli and carrots! Plus it was her first “mixed” veggie side dish that she was willing to try and she liked it! She called is “Crunchy crunchy kapusta”.
    I used organic sunflower oil: a little pricey but so worth it! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 19, 2014

      Where did you find organic sunflower oil? I want some! I’m so happy you loved the salad 🙂

      Reply

  • Liz
    January 9, 2014

    All lovely recipes. Thank you, Natasha. Have a great day!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 9, 2014

      Thank you Liz!! You have an awesome day as well 🙂

      Reply

  • yana
    November 24, 2013

    Hi Natasha!!! Do you think I can make this salad the night before serving it? We will be having a huge family gathering this Thanksgiving and anything I can make the day before would be awesome????? Thank you. P.S. Lovvvvvveee your BLOG!!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 24, 2013

      This one is best assembled fresh, but you can prep all the ingredients and make the marinade separately and just mix everything together before your event. Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply

  • katie
    July 18, 2013

    hi i was wondering could I use corn or olive oil instead of sunflower oil? Thank you! 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 18, 2013

      You could. The sunflower oil adds nice flavor, but you can replace it with olive oil. 🙂

      Reply

  • Veronika
    June 19, 2013

    here is my best salad dressing:
    *1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    *1 Tsp. red wine vinegar (balsamic or champagne also work as well)
    * Salt and pepper to taste
    *1 Small clove garlic, chopped or pressed
    *1Tsp. Dijon mustard.
    Mix all together then pour over the salad.
    Since I discovered this recipe I only use this salad dressing for all my salads, and I love it because I am a onion and garlic person. I put garlic and onion almost in every thing.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 19, 2013

      I am totally an onion and garlic person too. Thank you so much for sharing. I’ll be trying this soon! 🙂

      Reply

  • Natalia k
    November 18, 2012

    Oh unjust looked back at the pictures–do you usually wear that glove when you use the mandolin?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 18, 2012

      I do when I’m shredding it by hand (Cabbage doesn’t fit on the food holder).

      Reply

  • Natalia k
    November 18, 2012

    Hey let me know if you find a good mandolin–I need one–been using my pampered chef one for years and need a new one. Wonder if there are any out there that are easier to avoid slicing off the fingertips? 😉

    Reply

  • Irina
    October 30, 2012

    Natasha, where did you buy a slicer like this? It seemed so much easier to use for salads than a knife. Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 30, 2012

      It’s called a Mandolin Slicer. Ours isn’t the best and we’ve been looking for a better one. The Swiss bomer V-slicer plus we have in our shop has really good ratings and we are considering it.

      Reply

  • Olga
    October 17, 2012

    My Favorite Salad ever….I add some dill at the end though…it adds great flavor and color….:)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 17, 2012

      Great tip Olga, dill does add great flavor and color to the salad like this 🙂

      Reply

  • Olga's Flavor Factory
    October 16, 2012

    Hi Natasha!
    I love the color of the salad. It looks beautiful and I’m sure it tastes great too. The combination of cabbage and cucumber is awesome.
    As you know, I am a night shift nurse too. I’ve been working night shift for many years now, and wouldn’t work as a nurse during the day. I’ve worked day shift too, so I know the difference. It’s a lot less crazier at night. No visitors, less doctors, politics, no procedures, etc. Plus, I hated waking up at 5 am. I am a night owl though and function great at night.
    There are pluses and minuses to both shifts, of course. My internal clock is definitely messed up. Some days I am so sleepy during the day but I’ll wake up randomly at 3 am and feel wide awake. I have a set schedule and work Mon-Wed nights, 12 hours shifts, every week and don’t work any weekends, so I have some time to recuperate. I try not to sleep on Thursdays until evening, that way I’ll sleep at night and wake up the next day sort of on a day schedule. It’s hard, but worth it, and I am off until the next Monday night. I don’t plan anything too extravagant for Thursday, cause I know I’ll be tired, but I do need something to occupy myself with so I don’t fall asleep:). (I am much crabbier on Thursdays though. I have a really understanding husband, and I also know that I’m prone to crabbiness that day, so I try to watch out for it as much as I can. When I start to cry over something silly, I know it’s time to take a deep breath and realize that it’s not a life tragedy.)
    I started working nights when I was in nursing school and it was easier than working and going to college during the day. When I got married I worked days at first but then went back to nights when I got pregnant. We don’t have any baby sitters nearby, so that was our decision so one of us could be with the children at all times. Now, I wouldn’t go back to day shift. Everybody is different though. If you have to though, there are ways to adjust.
    (Sorry for such a long winded comment!)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 16, 2012

      Olga your comment is a blessing to me. That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling. I guess it’s normal and I just need to embrace it for now and if a day position opens up; I’ll decide then what I should do. Thank you for taking the time to write out your experience and advice; it really does help! You are awesome!!

      Reply

  • Sarah Z.
    October 15, 2012

    Hi Natasha,
    Where did you get the cabbage shredder?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 15, 2012

      It’s a mandolin slicer. The on ein the picture is my mom’s. We were testing it out. 🙂 The Swissmar Borner
      is a good one from Amazon.

      Reply

  • Olchik
    October 15, 2012

    Oh Natasha! Reading your note about nightshift just brings back memories… I did 2 years of 12 hrs shifts on nightshift, even though I didn’t have a problem with transitioning and could sleep whenever I feel like I was always “crabby” and unhappy. It took me 11 months on wait list before coming to days but so worth it. It all depends on turn over in your department. I sure hope you get a position you like soon…
    BTW salad looks delicious. Oh I’m cooking today the cauliflower and potato soup and making the salad too. Thanks for great recepes and your time. Love the new format and easy to print feature for future reference.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 15, 2012

      2 years; WOW! Way to go! I love to hear from people who are former night shifters 🙂 And oh yumm! Sounds like a great lunch! Let me know what you think of the soup. 🙂

      Reply

  • natasha
    October 15, 2012

    Also try to put shredded cabage in the ziplock bag and give it a good squize couple times 🙂 the cabage will be more softer and tender in the salad, than add cuces, green onions, dill and dressing. Thats how i do it. 🙂
    Another option for dressing is equal parts of mayo, ranch and sour cream, instead of oil. I do this way more often.. Very delicious…
    I am new to your site, but I hop on sometimes for some receipies… 🙂
    Thanks…

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 15, 2012

      Natasha your salad sounds great and I’ll definitely try it next time along with your ziplock tip. Thank you so much and welcome to the blog 🙂

      Reply

  • Nella
    October 15, 2012

    I love purple cabbage too…I think it taste better than green one. Also I have made salad with purple cabbage, some frozen peas (unfrosted 😉 ),green onions and a dressing of mayo, bit of sour cream and salt/pepper. Not sure if you’ve tried it that way but my husband likes it. And may you be blessed soon with a day time position. I know taking care of kids is hard at times and having a night job on top of that you are super mom 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 15, 2012

      I love the idea of peas. Thanks Nella! I don’t know about being a super mom 🙂 My husband is more like the super dad. He quit his job to stay at home with our son right when I started my job.

      Reply

  • Inessa at GrabandgoRecipes.com
    October 15, 2012

    It defiantly has fall colors. I love purple cabbage. Looks refreshing and delish 😉

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 15, 2012

      Thanks Inessa 🙂

      Reply

  • ilona
    October 14, 2012

    I love this salad. It’s light and fresh. I always add fresh dill on mine but didn’t think of the purple cabbage.. Will try this version next time! Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 15, 2012

      Oh I love the idea of dill. Thanks Ilona!

      Reply

  • Zina
    October 14, 2012

    Salad sounds wonderful and I will definitely try it….now for the night shift!
    I worked night shift many years and felt I had no life! I am assuming your work schedule is the night shift. It really messes with your internal clock. The shift differential might be a motivation, but I would recommend you start putting in for open spots on the day shift. Your family will thank you….and you will feel more normal and more productive at home. It seems that you almost lose a whole day or two to sleep when you work the night shift while still trying to function normally during the day when you are off…almost impossible! Your career is just beginning and I understand that perhaps the night shift was the only available option when you got hired, but as you get more experience aim to move toward a more normal day schedule which allows you to be a mother and wife more fully and foremost.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 14, 2012

      Thank you Zina. I agree. Mom and wife are first and foremost. I feel good when I am at work but struggle with the transition at home. I have my name in the list for days but it sounds like it might be awhile…. Trusting in God for His good timing.

      Reply

      • Nelya
        October 15, 2012

        Hang in there. My husband is the night shift nurse. He has been on the waiting list for the day shift for the last two years. It might be the New York hospitals, but seniority thing is really wearing him down and me too. We have two little kids and I work regular 9-6 job, and its been a constant struggle with his sleeping and working. He works 12 hour shifts, and every other weekend. So its been hard. I hear your pain.

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          October 15, 2012

          Oh wow 2 years is too long to wait! That must be really tough to juggle 2 schedules like that plus two young children. Wow! How do you do it?

          Reply

          • Nelya
            October 23, 2012

            My mom helps me out a lot. She pretty much covers for whatever time that my husband is not available. Except for the nights, that’s all me, so just lots of sleepless nights. 🙂 And its not even the night shift that really is hard on us, it’s the weekend rotations that absolutely kill me. During the week at least one of the kids is in pre-k, but on weekends both are home and its always nice to have two parents around for different activities and lessons that are going on. But my husband works with a lot of people who would not trade night shift for the day. They sleep less, but they are their for their kids more then I am, who works 5 days a week vs 3. And more flexible work schedule, you can be there to meet your kids off the bus, where I am at work until 6 or later no matter what. So pluses and minuses to everything. A lot of day situations and sick kids are handled by my husband, who gets wokened up for any emergency, where I am in the office and only able to give advice over the phone. :):):) So there is always a positive side to the night shift. 😉 Hang in there.

          • Natasha
            natashaskitchen
            October 23, 2012

            Thank you Nelya; that must be really hard with both of you working. My husband quit his job and became a stay-at-home Dad when I started my job as an RN. He does an awesome job! Anyway, thanks for your encouraging words. It makes me feel more positive about night shift 🙂

  • Alena
    October 14, 2012

    I recently discovered that Walmart also sells sunflower oil. and I think it’s cheaper than at the russian stores. I buy “unrefined” because it has the strong sunflower smell as opposed to the “refined.” As far as your routine, I think that it’s normal given the fact that you work nights. Human beings are meant to rest at night, so that’s why it’s so difficult. Everything seems upside down. My husband used to work second shift (night shift is probably ten times worse) so we kind of know what you’re going through:)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 14, 2012

      Oh that’s great to know! I wonder if every Walmart has it? I’ll have to check our local Wally world 🙂 Thank you Alena and I appreciate the sympathy 🙂

      Reply

      • jenny
        October 15, 2012

        I too was going to say that our walmart has some sunflower oil and its much cheaper than russian store (sometimes even fresher) Its my husbands favorite oil to use for salads. (Venegret, tomato & cucumber, cabbage salad etc..)

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          October 15, 2012

          I’ll definitely check there next time I need more. Thank you Jenny!

          Reply

As Featured On

Never Go "Hangry" Again!

Get weekly updates on new recipes, exclusive giveaways plus behind the scenes photos.