Uborkasaláta (Hungarian Cucumber Salad)
In short: Paper-thin cucumber slices salted, squeezed and dressed with vinegar, garlic and sweet paprika, the classic Hungarian side salad. It takes about 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 40 kcal
Uborkasaláta is the sweet-and-sour cucumber salad that comes with almost every Hungarian meal, especially fried cutlets, pörkölt and paprikás. The cucumbers are sliced very thin, salted to draw out water, squeezed, and dressed with vinegar, a little sugar, garlic and a dusting of sweet paprika. It is crisp, tangy and refreshing, and needs only 15 minutes of work plus 30 minutes of salting. Serve it cold, soon after dressing.
Instructions
- Slice the cucumbers paper-thin with a mandoline or a sharp knife. Toss with the salt in a bowl and leave for 30 minutes.
- Squeeze small handfuls of cucumber firmly to remove the liquid, and put them in a dry bowl.
- Stir the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, paprika and pepper until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and toss well. Taste and adjust the sugar and vinegar.
- Dust with paprika and serve cold within an hour.
Tips
- Squeeze the cucumbers well. Excess water dilutes the dressing and makes the salad limp.
- For a more herbal version, stir in a spoonful of chopped fresh dill or a few paper-thin slices of onion with the dressing.
Questions and answers
Can I make Hungarian cucumber salad ahead of time?
It is best within an hour of dressing, while the cucumbers are crisp. You can salt and squeeze them ahead and add the dressing at the last moment.
What do you serve with uborkasaláta?
It goes with fried or breaded meat, with stews such as pörkölt, chicken paprikás and stuffed cabbage, and with grilled sausages.
Do I need to peel the cucumbers for this salad?
Not if they are thin-skinned garden or English cucumbers. Peel waxy, thick-skinned ones, which can taste bitter.
How long does it take to make Uborkasaláta (Hungarian Cucumber Salad)?
About 15 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Uborkasaláta (Hungarian Cucumber Salad)?
About 40 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 8 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 40 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
