Kachumber Salad – Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad Recipe. Kachumbar is a simple Chopped salad with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and a salt, pepper/cayenne, lemon dressing. Serve as a side with Indian curries, or as a dip with chips, or over burgers. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Oil-free Recipe. Pin this post Jump to Recipe
Kachumber / Kuchumber is a simple fresh chopped salad with chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and a salt pepper lemon dressing. The chopped salad can also contain radish or carrots and the dressing can contain vinegar or yogurt. Serve as a side with Indian curries and dals, or as a dip with chips, or over burgers or add to a wrap, burrito, taco or to a bowl.
The refreshing chopped salad is somewhat like pico de gallo. It uses salt, pepper, cayenne and lime/lemon as the dressing. Kachumber Salad adds a crunchy fresh, juicy, and cooling flavor and texture to the foods and works well with hot and spicy or other sharp flavors. Some variations of the salad makes an appearance with Indian meals. It can also be served over papadums like nachos or a dip. Use it however you like. Make a big bowl of this salad for the BBQ party this Summer!
The salad has many variations. Add some mint in. Add some cumin powder, chaat masala or kala namak, or add some non dairy yogurt to make a raita dip. This is a no oil side salad. Play away!
More Salads from the blog
- Roasted Butternut, Apple Cranberry Salad with Harissa Spiced Pecans
- Roasted Beet, Satsuma Kale Salad with Almond Sesame Dressing
- Firecracker Chickpea Salad with Thai peanut dressing
- Mung Bean Sprout, Seared Carrot Salad with chili lime dressing
- Southwestern Pasta Black Bean Salad.
- Falafel spice Lentil Salad Sandwich
Pictured above, chopped Kachumber Salad with Lentil Quinoa Meatloaf Burgers.
Kachumber Salad - Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped small
- 1 large cucumber chopped small
- 4-5 (4 to 5 ) red radishes chopped small (optional)
- 1 green chili finely chopped (remove seeds to reduce heat if needed)
- 1/4 cup (4 g) packed chopped cilantro
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) or more salt
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) or more freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) or more cayenne pure red chili powder
- 1 tsp or more freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
Instructions
- Chop the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, wash and drain well. * Add to a bowl.
- Add the veggies and the rest of the ingredients to a bowl. Taste and adjust salt and heat. Serve.
Notes
Add 2 tbsp of chopped mint.
Add a generous pinch of kala namak (Indian Sulfur black salt) or 1/4 tsp or more chaat masala to taste.
Add vinegar to taste instead of lemon juice.
Add 1/2 tsp roasted ground cumin or coriander powder.
Add 1/2 cup or more non dairy yogurt and 1/2 tsp ground cumin and mix in to make raita kind of yogurt dip. Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Cassie says
June 20, 2016 at 8:38 pmI love all the fresh and delicious veggies in this salad! I always eat cucumbers after tasting every curry I have whenever I’m eating Indian food 🙂
Richa says
July 2, 2016 at 12:39 pmYes, perfect with all that heat in the food!
Virginie says
June 20, 2016 at 10:24 pmSo fresh and so yummy ! Thanks a lot
AJ Paradis says
June 21, 2016 at 4:05 amIndia taught me that salad does not always have to begin with lettuce, a necessary life lesson. This is one of my absolute favorites, but now I’m a coriander lover in a land that despises it. This post just might get my perpetual brown thumb to try to turn green!
Izzy Bruning says
June 21, 2016 at 7:34 amWow it looks so good!
Izzy | https://plantbasedizzy.wordpress.com/
Sarah | Well and Full says
June 21, 2016 at 10:03 amThis salad looks delicious, Richa! I would love it on top of avocado toast 🙂
Richa says
June 21, 2016 at 10:18 amAh yes, that would be so awesome!
Tina Dawson | Love is in my tummy says
June 29, 2016 at 8:24 pmHey Richa! I got excited to see the name Kuchumber. My grandmother and dather would call it that but no one else around me seems to recognize the name or what it was. I love to pair this with pulao and a curry. The cool peppery crunch is absolutely fantastic!
Richa says
July 2, 2016 at 12:41 pmKachumber just means everything together in small chopped form. the cooling crunchy salad goes so well with everything.
Vanessa says
September 4, 2016 at 2:46 amI live in southern Japan and this is our go to summer salad with the seasonal produce available. I usually add a chopped avocado and fresh chopped basil. It’s sensational with everything as mentioned. With curries, burgers, wraps, nachos…my hubby and I eat it by the salad bowl full. ♡
Priyanka Kothari says
July 26, 2017 at 2:30 amIt is really amazing & easy to make.
Nina says
August 8, 2017 at 8:18 amPerhaps a bit of ginger and vinegar instead of lemon juice will enhance the flavour ?
Richa says
August 8, 2017 at 10:11 pmSure you can play around with the flavors. This is a traditional Indian salad recipe usually served as a side with curries. So the flavors are generally kept simple to match with the overall meal.
Val from PA says
October 12, 2017 at 10:21 amI can’t stop eating this – it’s so simple and so good!!! I made it on Monday night and three days later, it’s still crunchy and delish – although a little pink from the radish. Thanks for the recipe!
Kyle says
November 11, 2018 at 10:32 amThis is my absolute favourite salad. None as fresh, crisp, and crunchy as this. I keep Cumin back for it!
Vegan says
May 3, 2019 at 5:41 ami make this, but we call it Summer Salad,, with cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, red or green onions, and dried cilantro. We use a vegan mayo based dressing.
Richa says
May 3, 2019 at 11:34 amSounds great! this one is an indian salad, so it has its own name and doesnt have any creamy dressing.
Tina says
July 7, 2019 at 7:30 amI love this salad ! Usually have it with a lemon juice or vinegar based dressing. Can you share your veganaise creamy dressing recipe please ? It would be nice to try a different variation. Thank you!
Richa says
July 7, 2019 at 10:40 amyou can use any coleslaw kind of dressing. I use some veganmayo, vinegar, sweetener, salt and pepper
Faye says
October 29, 2019 at 8:30 amGreat recipe
Pradeep Panda says
March 6, 2020 at 4:52 pmI love this. All seasons. I add some raddish…Green chilly chopped and coriander . Sometimes in yoghurt or without it. Black salt and lemon a must. And it forms nearly half amount of my meal. Thanks for sharing.. I recommend it for all not only vegans…
Andre says
July 21, 2020 at 4:15 pmLove this! So tasty yum!!! <3
Vegan Richa Support says
July 21, 2020 at 8:15 pmThank you so much for the wonderful review Andre!!!! thanks for stopping by
Priya Dogra says
October 29, 2020 at 11:53 pmThanks for sharing this recipe, It looks tempting and refreshing to eat. I’m definitely gonna try it share with other people too.
Vegan Richa Support says
October 30, 2020 at 8:03 pmYou’re welcome – I hope that it’s loved by all
Anusha Thomas says
November 22, 2020 at 3:28 amHey Richa . Anusha this side . I was just going through your kachumber recipe and it looks so yummy and healthy as it contains my favorite salad vegetables . It honestly goes with all types of food and as a healthy side as you mentioned . I just had a doubt that should we heat the salad before having or serving or is it okay to serve it normally ? Can’t wait to try it and make it a part of my meals . thank you much love .
Richa says
November 22, 2020 at 12:37 pmEither works. I usually serve it as side with the food