Kachumber is a light and refreshing mixed veggie salad that is an absolute staple in most Indian households. Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and onions come together to create this humble yet tangy and vibrant salad that you can pair with almost any of your favorite meals.
Best of all, it comes together in under 10 minutes, and is vegan and gluten free too. If you love simple salads, don't forget to try my cucumber mint raita and mix veg raita recipes too!
Cucumbers are my absolute favorite veggie to use during the hot summer months. They're refreshing, cooling, and so versatile too!
On days when I have some fresh pineapple too, I whip up my spicy pineapple cucumber salad, and when I have just a few cucumbers waiting to be put to use, I make up my crunchy Thai cucumber salad or cucumber pico de gallo. This time though, I wanted to try an Indian inspired salad, and what could be better than a classic Kachumber?
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
The simplicity of this recipe is an absolute winner in my books. Indian recipes aren't really that complicated, and this recipe is the perfect example. It's effortless, comes together in minutes and is a great refreshing side to pair with any classic Indian curry or dish, just like my dahi boondi.
Recipe Ingredients
Veggies: I used the classics- red onion, tomato and cucumber. I love using Persian cucumbers in my salads (like my Asian spicy cucumber salad and Sumac cucumber) for that bit of crunch, but you can use regular cucumbers too.
Lemon: For that citrusy, zesty flavor. You can also use lime juice or even just a drizzle of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar if you want to.
Green chili: For that kick of heat! Feel free to skip this if you can't tolerate spicy food.
Seasonings: Just the classics- salt and pepper, and some cumin powder for that earthy flavor.
Cilantro: Chopped fresh.
See recipe card for quantities.
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Substitutions & Variations
- To add a bit of extra flavor to this Indian salad, season it with a bit of homemade chaat masala as well.
- Veggies like radishes, carrots and beets can also be excellent additions to this Kachumber salad.
- You can also add some chopped fresh mint or dried mint powder to jazz up the salad.
- Inspired by my laccha onions, I've, on occasion, also added some red chili powder to the salad to add that bit of extra heat.
How to Make Kachumber Salad
Step 1: Start by chopping the veggies into chunks, like shown.
Step 2: Transfer to a bowl and season as per your preference.
Step 3: Squeeze some lemon juice into it and add the cilantro.
Step 4: Toss well and let it chill for 10 minutes.
💭Top Tip
Chop up the veggies into the size you prefer. I love chopping them in these little chunks, but you can cut them more finely or even slice them if you want to.
How to Store the Leftover Kachumber
Store your leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a day, no more than that.
Fill these reusable, freezer safe food storage containers with leftovers, batch cooking, or use for canning sauces, jam and fruit. Includes 6 x 1 quart ( 4 cup ) clear containers with 6 green lids
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- This Indian salad is best served chilled. Don't skip letting it rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before you serve. This helps the veggies start to soften just a bit, and will give you that perfect balance of flavor and texture. I did exactly that when I made my Kakdi Chi Koshimbir.
- If you're worried about the red onion being too pungent, peel and soak it in cold water for a few minutes before chopping it.
- To add a bit of texture, you can also add some crunchy masala peanuts or toasted sesame seeds into the salad. This isn't the classic, but it adds a fun textural element to the salad.
- This salad is best made and served fresh. The veggies that go into making it tend to release water after they're cut, and prepping the salad ahead of time will only make it soggy and watery.
How to Serve Kachumber
Kachumber is best served with any simple Indian meal. I love pairing it with my chickpea tikka masala or Baigan bharta served with some spicy bullet naan or garlic turmeric rice and some rose lassi or mango lassi to make it a wholesome meal.
You can also serve it as a side with any Indian appetizer like chicken malai tikka or roasted Indian sweet potatoes. I love using some of my leftover salad as a topping over some fried or roasted papad to make it an easier version of some classic masala papad.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this kachumber salad recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Kachumber (Indian Salad)
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1 cucumber
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 green chili
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cilantro
Instructions
- Start by chopping the veggies into chunks, like shown.
- Transfer to a bowl and season as per your preference.
- Squeeze some lemon juice into it and add the cilantro.
- Toss well and let it chill for 10 minutes.
Notes
- This Indian salad is best served chilled. Don't skip letting it rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before you serve. This helps the veggies start to soften just a bit, and will give you that perfect balance of flavor and texture.
- If you're worried about the red onion being too pungent, peel and soak it in cold water for a few minutes before chopping it.
- To add a bit of texture, you can also add some crunchy masala peanuts or toasted sesame seeds into the salad. This isn't the classic, but it adds a fun textural element to the salad.
- This salad is best made and served fresh. The veggies that go into making it tend to release water after they're cut, and prepping the salad ahead of time will only make it soggy and watery.
- Chop up the veggies into the size you prefer. I love chopping them in these little chunks, but you can cut them more finely or even slice them if you want to.
