Indian Kachumber Salad is an easy everyday vegetarian salad made with fresh tomatoes, onions, cucumber, and herbs. It is dressed with fresh lemon juice, red chili powder, and cumin powder.
Pair it with any Indian or Pakistani dish to make a complete meal, such as Dal, Biryani, and Chicken Pulao.
I almost didn’t want to post this easy Kachumber Salad, because it’s such an easy and basic recipe. But I’ve often found that it’s the simplest recipes that are most popular, so I thought to myself, why not?
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About this Recipe
In India and Pakistan, it is common to pair any meal with a freshly chopped vegetable salad.
One of the most common salads made is the Kachumber Salad made with raw veggies. It's easy to make, fresh, and vegan and oil-free.
Indian Salads are often made with fresh vegetables and minimal dressing. You can also think of this salad as the Indian version of fresh salsa. It also pairs beautifully with this Keema recipe.
This salad is called Kachumber in Hindi because it is made up of very finely chopped vegetables.
While the most common vegetables used in this salad are cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and herbs such as fresh mint and cilantro (coriander leaves), it can vary across homes.
The best part of this recipe is that is highly customizable, and you can pretty much add any fresh veggies of your choice.
I've mentioned a few variations down below in this post.
Ingredient Notes
Cucumbers: Use any cucumbers of your choice. I like to use either English or Persian cucumbers.
Tomatoes: Choose ripe and juicy tomatoes, but make sure they aren't very ripe. We are looking for tomatoes with a firm bite in this salad. You can also use cherry tomatoes if desired.
Onions: Traditionally Indian red onions are used for this recipe, however, you can use any onion of your choice. If you want to reduce the acidity and sharpness of the chopped onion a bit, you can soak them in cold water after chopping them. When ready to use, drain the excess water.
Fresh Herbs: Finely chopped mint leaves and cilantro are used here to add that extra flavor.
Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice to bring out all those flavors of the salad. You can also sub with fresh lime juice. Just in case you have neither, you can also use half a teaspoon of vinegar to bring that tartness to the salad.
Spices: We also add a little sprinkle of red chili powder and cumin powder. This is an optional step, however, so feel free to skip it!
How to Make Kachumber Salad Recipe
- Chopping: Start by chopping all the vegetables. The trick to kachumber salad is finely chopping all the vegetables so you are able to get each in every bite.
- Combine: Once you have chopped all your veggies, combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions in a bowl. Add the finely chopped mint leaves and cilantro. Mix well.
- Dressing: Pour over the lemon juice, and sprinkle the spices if using. Mix well until combined, and serve immediately.
Variations for Indian Salad
You can use other vegetables as well for this salad, such as carrots, radishes, bell pepper and cabbage.
For a bit of sweetness and a pop of color, you can also add pomegranate seeds.
For more spiciness, you can also add a finely chopped green chili.
You can also add chopped nuts such as peanuts or almonds for an added crunch.
You can also mix in a tablespoon of yogurt to make it more creamy.
Helpful Tips
Finely chop all the vegetables to get that Kachumber effect. It will mean more veggies in each bite and that translates to more flavor and texture.
You can make this salad in advance, which allows the flavors to mix and marinate with each other.
If your cucumber is bitter, you can chop it and sprinkle it with a bit of salt. Leave aside for 10 minutes. Rinse and use in the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can skip the chopped onion. In place of onions you can add shredded carrot or cabbage.
This is your preference. If the peel is thick, then I would suggest peeling the cucumber.
You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
What to Serve this Salad With
Kachumber Salad is perfect with Indian curries or rice dishes. Here are some of the recipes we enjoy pairing it with:
- Keema
- Biryani
- Daal
- Chicken Pulao
- Palak Chicken
- Matar Pulao
- Mutton Karahi
- Chicken Seekh Kabab
- Indian Chicken Korma Recipe
- Easy Chicken Karahi Recipe
- Potato Curry
- Keema Matar
Different Ways to Use Indian Salad
- Use Kachumber Salad as a cooling side to spicy Indian and Pakistani recipes.
- Indian Salad is perfect as a topping for burgers and sandwiches.
- It can even be used as a healthy dip for chips!
More Salad Recipes
Easy Creamy Summer Macaroni Salad
Delicious Chickpea Pomegranate Salad
Honey Pineapple Rainbow Fruit Salad
Strawberry Kiwi Cheesecake Salad
Kachumber Salad
Equipment
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers
- 2 to matoes
- 1 onion
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Handful of cilantro and mint
Instructions
- Start by washing all the cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Chop the cucumbers finely, and set aside in a bowl.
- Dice the tomatoes finely, and add to the cucumbers.
- Peel the onion, dice finely. If the onion is too pungent, you can soak it in cold water for 10 minutes. Drain, and add to the salad bowl.
- Add chopped mint leaves and cilantro.
- Sprinkle over the spices, and add the lemon juice.
- Toss the salad together until well combined.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cucumbers: You can peel the cucumbers if you prefer. I recommend using English or Persian cucumbers. But regular cucumbers are fine too in this recipe.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe but firm tomatoes, to avoid a mushy salad. You can also use cherry tomatoes.
- Onions: Indian red onions are used traditionally, but even white onions will be good in this recipe. You can also omit the onions altogether. Lemon juice: Sub with fresh lime juice or vinegar.
- Spices: These are optional.
- Variations: Radish, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, or finely chopped bell pepper are great additions to this recipe.
- Storage: Can be stored in the fridge for up to 1-2 days.
Thanks for the Indian salad.