Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad Recipe
Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad is a refreshing and flavorful side dish featuring crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, tangy red onion, crispy bacon, and shredded cheese all tossed in a creamy ranch dressing with fresh dill. Perfectly chilled, this easy-to-make salad is ideal for potlucks, picnics, or a quick summer meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 large cucumbers, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
Protein and Dairy
- 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or your choice)
Dressing and Seasoning
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried dill)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Begin by washing the cucumbers and cherry tomatoes thoroughly. Dice the cucumbers into bite-sized pieces and halve the cherry tomatoes to ensure an even mix of flavors and textures.
- Chop the Onion: Finely chop the red onion to bring a zesty crunch and a hint of sharpness to the salad. This will complement the creamy ranch dressing perfectly.
- Cook the Bacon: If using raw bacon, cook it in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, then drain and crumble it into small pieces. For pre-cooked bacon, simply crumble it directly.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the diced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, and finely chopped red onion. This forms the fresh vegetable base of the salad.
- Add Bacon and Cheese: Incorporate the crumbled bacon and shredded cheese into the vegetable mixture, giving the salad a rich and savory character.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the ranch dressing over the combined ingredients, then sprinkle in the chopped fresh dill. Gently stir everything together until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Season: Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning according to your preference to enhance the overall flavor.
- Chill: Cover the salad with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Chilling allows the flavors to meld and the salad to become more refreshing.
- Toss Before Serving: Remove the salad from the refrigerator and give it a good toss to redistribute the dressing and ingredients evenly before serving.
Notes
- For a lighter version, use reduced-fat ranch dressing and cheese.
- Substitute dill with fresh parsley or chives if preferred.
- This salad is best served chilled but can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- To make it vegetarian, omit the bacon or use a plant-based bacon alternative.
- Adding a squeeze of lemon juice can enhance the freshness and add extra zing.
Keywords: Cucumber salad, Ranch dressing, Bacon salad, Summer salad, Easy side dish, Picnic recipes, Fresh vegetable salad
Find it online: https://tastewithamy.com/cucumber-ranch-crack-salad-recipe/
