Hungarians have a saying that cucumbers are “for önfi.” It means that when you eat a cucumber, you are eating with everyone else who is eating a cucumber. It is a ritual that is manifold, the beginning of a meal, a token to everyone else, and a sign of good dining etiquette.
Cucumbers are a superfood. They’re not only low in calories and high in potassium, but they’re also a great source of vitamin C. What’s more, they’re one of the healthiest vegetables around. In fact, a cucumber is more nutrient-dense per calorie than an apple or an orange.
Hungarian Cucumber Salad | The text in the title should not be italicized, but it should be added to the title of the blog post. The blog post is about a recipe that is copyright by the food blog “tintorera”.
Try Out This Delectable Hungarian Cucumber Salad Recipe!
This is the cucumber salad to prepare if you want to have people hounding you for the recipe.
This traditional Hungarian cucumber salad (or uborka saláta) is the ideal balance of creaminess, sweetness, and crispness in one dish.
Cucumber salad is a traditional Hungarian side dish, but it’s also popular in many other nations, with variations in ingredients like dill!
This cucumber salad from Hungary is delicious…
Cucumber salad is one of our favorites, and we both grew up eating it (in Canada and Germany).
This cucumber salad recipe, though, was given by a good friend of Eric’s from back home in Canada.
Eric’s friend’s Nagymama (grandma) and mother, both of whom have Hungarian origins, were nice enough to share the version their family prepares!
Of course, there are many cucumber salad variants to choose from, ranging from vinegar-based ones to Eric’s family’s signature creamy cucumber salad.
Spoiler alert: It’s a creamy cucumber salad (far creamier than the one in this article!).
Before serving, we like to sprinkle a little paprika on top.
In any case, this cucumber salad has to be one of our faves since it’s the perfect combination of sweet and creamy with just a hint of fresh garlic sting.
Recipe Suggestions
You may add some banana peppers to the cucumber salad if you want it hot, but we didn’t do that this time.
To add color, a dash of paprika or finely chopped chives may be sprinkled on top before serving.
But, let’s be honest, paprika – the iconic Hungarian spice – can never be too much!
This cucumber salad should also be allowed to rest in the fridge for a few hours before serving to enable the flavors to blend.
If you’re looking to make a well-rounded Hungarian dinner at home, this cucumber salad goes well with chicken paprikash!
Storage Suggestions
Because the cucumber salad has a creaminess to it, it’s essential to keep any leftovers refrigerated as soon as possible after serving.
The cucumber salad should be consumed by the following day. This is due to the fact that it has already been sitting in the fridge and has become somewhat soggy (which is okay).
Allowing it to sit for an extended period of time (overnight or longer) will make it extremely soggy, and the cucumbers will lose any residual texture/firmness.
Recipes that are similar
Check out these genuine Hungarian meals for more excellent Hungarian recipes:
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers (English) (peeled, if preferred)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. spicy banana pepper, diced (optional)
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- sour cream, 2/3 cup
- black pepper, ground (to taste)
- paprika sprinkling
- garlic chives (optional)
Instructions
- Cucumbers should be washed and peeled if desired. Using a mandolin or a four-sided box grater, thinly slice your cucumbers.
- Place the cucumbers in a basin, cover with 1 tbsp salt, and chill for 1.5 hours.
- Drain the extra water and squeeze the cucumbers either with your hands or by pressing a small plate on top to remove and drain any more moisture after taking them out of the fridge.
- Combine the diced hot banana pepper, smashed garlic, sugar, vinegar, sour cream, pepper, and paprika in a mixing bowl. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season to taste with additional spices or sour cream.
- Allow your cucumber salad to chill for many hours (or overnight). Before serving, season with additional pepper, paprika, and chopped chives.
Notes
- If you don’t have a garlic press, mince the garlic with a fork on a chopping board. Simply press the garlic clove with the tines of a fork until it is as finely chopped as you want it to be.
- To enable the flavors to permeate, we suggest chilling the salad for at least two hours before serving. If you can’t wait that long, the salad will still taste fine if you eat it before the two-hour mark.
- If you want to make the cucumber salad more spicy, add some banana peppers. You may also throw in a pinch of chile powder (the actual spicy powder not the North American version of chili powder that has cumin in it).
Information about nutrition:
Serving Size: 4 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size: 1 Serving Size 125 calories 8g total fat 4g Saturated Fat 0g trans fat 2 g unsaturated fat 23 milligrams of cholesterol 1762mg sodium 14g carbohydrate 1 gram of fiber 9 g sugar 2 g protein
An online nutrition calculator was used to determine this nutritional information. It should only be used as a guideline and not as a substitute for expert dietary guidance. Depending on the particular components used, the exact values may vary.
How did this recipe turn out for you?
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Cucumbers are like celebrities in my home. They are the key ingredient in one of my favorite salads. I like to make this dish all the time on hot summer days. I love the refreshing cucumber taste.. Read more about hungarian cucumber salad name and let us know what you think.