Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad Recipe
Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad is a refreshing and flavorful dish featuring crisp cucumbers, juicy cherry tomatoes, and crispy bacon, all tossed in a creamy ranch dressing with fresh dill. Perfect as a light side or a satisfying snack, this no-cook salad combines crunchy textures and savory flavors for an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (if cooking bacon)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 large cucumbers, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup red onion, finely chopped
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or your choice)
- 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 tomatoes. Dice the cucumbers into bite-sized pieces and halve the cherry tomatoes. This forms the fresh base of your salad.
- Chop the Onion: Finely chop the red onion to add a sharp, zesty crunch that complements the other ingredients.
- Cook the Bacon: If using raw bacon, cook it in a pan over medium heat until crispy. Once cooked, crumble the bacon into small pieces. If you have pre-cooked bacon, simply crumble it.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the diced cucumbers, halved cherry tomatoes, and finely chopped red onion. Mix together gently.
- Add Bacon and Cheese: Incorporate the crumbled bacon and shredded cheese into the vegetable mixture for richness and flavor.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the ranch dressing over the salad ingredients. Add chopped fresh dill (or dried dill) and stir gently until everything is well coated, ensuring even distribution of flavors.
- Season: Add salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind the saltiness of the bacon and ranch dressing. Adjust seasoning to your preference.
- Chill: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This rest time allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Toss Before Serving: Before serving, give the salad a good toss to redistribute the dressing and combine all ingredients evenly.
Notes
- Use pre-cooked bacon for a quicker preparation time.
- Feel free to swap cheddar with any cheese you prefer, such as Monterey Jack or mozzarella.
- For a lighter dressing, use a low-fat or homemade ranch dressing.
- Fresh dill adds a more vibrant flavor but dried dill works well too.
- Chilling the salad is essential for melding the flavors but it can be served immediately if needed.
- Adjust salt carefully since bacon and ranch dressing add saltiness.
Keywords: Cucumber Salad, Ranch Salad, Bacon Salad, Easy Salad Recipe, Summer Salad, No-Cook Salad
Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/cucumber-ranch-crack-salad-recipe/
