Quick Cucumber Beet Salad with Lemon-Mustard Dressing

This cucumber beet salad comes together in just 10 minutes, featuring sweet beets, crunchy cucumbers, and a bright, Brazilian-inspired lemon-mustard dressing. It’s fast, refreshing, naturally dairy-free, and perfect for potlucks, weeknights, or whenever you want an easy, delicious side salad everyone can enjoy.

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✋🏼E aí, pessoal! Hey there, friends! Today we're sharing a cucumber beet salad that's quick, fresh, and packed with flavor and crunch.

Growing up in Brazil, beets were always on our table—usually raw in salads, or pickled to make them extra sweet and soft. But now, running a busy household, I rarely have time for those extra prep steps. When I discovered that grocery stores carry pre-boiled or canned beets, peeled and ready to go, it became a total game changer.

Since my kids love cucumbers, pairing them together was a natural way to get my family excited about beets again. And the dressing itself has evolved from my dad’s simple but delicious mustard-spiked version, balancing bright lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fresh dill, and a touch of honey. It’s honestly the salad dressing that finally got my kids eating salad without complaints! An is what makes this cucumber beet salad recipe so unique!

Got leftover cucumbers? Try our Carrot and Cucumber Salad or Cucumber and Bell Pepper Salad next!

🥒Ingredient Notes

This fresh cucumber beet salad is quick to prep, with a few simple ingredients that still bring plenty of flavor, especially if you’re short on prep time. I’ve tested a few versions, and this combo is what we keep coming back to.

• Cooked Red Beets: I buy the vacuum-packed ones that are already boiled. Honestly, I just don’t love boiling beets at home. Many recipes suggest roasting your fresh beets, but that's not happening on a busy weekday 🙄. The pre-cooked ones save so much time and still give you that earthy beet flavor. If you can’t find them, canned beets work too, just give them a quick rinse. I’ve also made this with raw beets, and it’s great if you want that extra crunchy texture. Just slice them thin and let them sit in the dressing a bit to soften slightly.
• Mini Cucumbers: These are my go-to because when sliced, they’re already bite-sized and hold up well in the dressing. Fresh cucumbers bring a clean, fresh crunch that balances the sweetness of the beets. If you’re using English cucumbers instead, slice them lengthwise first before cutting them into rounds.
• Red Onion: I like adding thinly sliced red onion for a bit of sharpness and extra crunch. This gives the whole cucumber beet salad a little zing.
• Fresh Dill: Dill is my usual pick. It plays really well with the mustard in the dressing and gives this salad that slightly tangy, almost deli-style flavor. If I don’t have dill, mint is a solid backup. It shifts the flavor a bit, making it brighter and more cooling. Both work! It just depends on what mood you're in.
• Lemon-Dijon dressing: The lemon salad dressing is a simple mix of lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, and a bit of salt and works really well for this cucumber beetroot salad. Just add it all to a jar, shake it up, and you have a delicious salad dressing that also stores really well.

Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below.

⚠️ Celiac Note: Everything in this refreshing cucumbers and beets salad is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free for this simple salad. But, if you’re serving someone with celiac disease, check the labels on mustard and pre-cooked beets to make sure they’re certified gluten-free. And use clean

👩🏽‍🍳Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Slice the Vegetables

Start by slicing the beets, cucumbers, and red onion. And chop up your fresh dill.

• Beets: I prefer to cut the beets into small cubes instead of wedges. This is a great way to keep everything bite-sized and easy to serve.
• Mini cucumbers: Slice them into thin rounds. I use a sharp knife or mandoline to get even slices, and then pat dry to remove extra moisture (for English cucumbers, slice them lengthwise first).
• Red onion: Sliced as thinly as possible. If you want to mellow the sharpness, toss the slices in a splash of vinegar and let them sit while you prep the rest.

Step 2: Make The Dressing

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, and salt. You can taste and adjust depending on how tangy or sweet you like it.

📍 Shortcut: You can double this and keep it in the fridge for a few days—it works great on any kind of vegetable salad.

Step 3: Toss and Taste

Into a large bowl, add the cubed beets, cucumber slices, and red onion to a large salad bowl. Pour the simple lemon vinaigrette over and give it a gentle toss until everything’s coated. Cooked beets tend to bleed a little, so do this part right before serving if you want to keep the colors vibrant.

📍 Tip: If you’re using raw beets, add them first with the dressing, so they have time to soak in the flavor.

Step 4: Finish with Fresh Dill

Sprinkle in the chopped dill and lemon zest over your beetroot cucumber salad. Then serve it up as a healthy salad on its own or as a tasty side salad with whatever else is on the table.

🍴What to Serve with Beetroot Salad

Our cucumber beet salad works as a fresh, vibrant side to balance out rich mains. Here are some of our favorite pairings:

• With our Marry Me Chicken Pasta for a tangy contrast to the creamy sauce
• Alongside Olive-Stuffed Meatballs and rice for a full dinner
• Next to our Juicy Gluten-Free Burgers for an easy summer meal
• Or keep it classic with our Brazilian Rice and Beans for a simple, nostalgic plate

🥗More Easy Salad Recipes

If you liked this simple cucumber beetroot salad , I’ve got a few more easy cucumber salad recipe that come together just as quickly and use a lot of the same ingredients.

👋🏼 Até logo, amigos! Hope you love our simple beetroot cucumber salad as much as we do. If you try it, leave a comment and let us know how it went. Até a próxima! 🎉