A Summer Staple: Grandma Berry’s Cucumber Salad

At the heart of every summer garden, there’s always one thing we seem to have in abundance: cucumbers. And growing up, there was no better way to enjoy them than the way my grandma did: crisp, tangy, sweet, and ice-cold from the fridge.

Grandma Berry’s Cucumber Salad was a fixture on the table all summer long. Whether it was a casual lunch on the porch or a big Sunday supper with the whole family, this simple salad made an appearance in her trusty Pyrex bowl, the cucumbers soaking in a sweet and vinegary brine, flecked with onion and sprigs of fresh dill from the garden.

It’s one of those “no-recipe recipes," easy to remember, endlessly adaptable, and best when made with what you have on hand. The base is just three pantry staples plus a cucumber: white vinegar, sugar, and water. Stir them together, add your sliced cucumbers (peeled or not, it’s up to you), and toss in thinly sliced onion or chopped dill if you’d like. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, but trust me, overnight is where the magic really happens. The flavors deepen, the cukes stay crisp, and every bite tastes like summer.

Now that we’re in peak cucumber season at Wildberry, this is one of my favorite ways to use up extras. It's also the recipe I share most often when someone says, “I have a ton of cucumbers, what should I do with them?”

You can make these with cucumbers from Wildberry, and i f you make a batch at home, let us know how you like it, or how you make it your own. That’s the beauty of a good hand-me-down recipe: it evolves, but the heart of it stays the same.

Here’s to crisp cucumbers, handed-down traditions, and soaking up the sweetness of summer!

Bridget + Grandma Berry ❤️