Classic Cucumber Onion Pasta Salad | Summer Salads & Sides Recipe

Last Summer I posted one of my all time favorite "Summer" recipes - Classic Cucumbers & Onions (pictured below).  It is one of those recipes that I grew up with- one of my Dad's favorites.  In honor of Father's Day (this coming weekend), I decided to revisit the old favorite.

This time, I've added pasta to the cold, crunchy, sweet and sour salad (pictured above).  Not only is it tasty because all of the lovely vinaigrette soaks into the pasta, but it stretches the dish along way making it great for serving a crowd.

This salad does take a bit of time - you slice the cucumbers and onions thinly, then salt them and let them sit, which brings out the water from the cucumbers.  Then you rinse them and add a simple vinaigrette made of only white vinegar and sugar.  Pictured above is the classic version pre-salting. 

Cucumber & Onions
Pasta Salad

4 cucumbers
1 onion (red or white)
3 tablespoons of table salt
3/4 cup of white vinegar
3/4 cup of sugar
1 pound of pasta

Peel and slice the cucumbers and onions.  Coat with salt, cover and refrigerate for an hour or 2 (or more).  Rinse the salt off of the cucumbers and onions.  Place in a large bowl.

Cook pasta 1 minute short of the time according to the package - just until it is al dente.  Drain from the cooking water and rinse with cold water. Add it to the cucumbers and onions.

Combine vinegar and sugar.  Pour over cucumbers and let them soak in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.