Kachumber Salad

Kachumber salad is a simple, refreshing salad often served alongside a spicy curry or as a dip. It's a naturally vegan side dish made with tomatoes, cucumbers and onion that pairs perfectly with any Indian dish.

If you've been looking for a salad to go with Indian food, kachumber salad is the answer. This refreshing salad has tomatoes, cucumber and onion plus a mix of spices, lime juice and cilantro for a vibrant side dish.

This Indian cucumber salad pairs perfectly with warmly spiced dishes, and you can serve it with just about any Indian dish. I love it with a veggie biryani or a chicken curry.

Kachumber is a naturally vegan and oil-free salad that only takes about 10 minutes to make - it's all a matter of chopping the veggies and mixing them with spices and herbs.

Why you'll love this kachumber salad

• It's a very simple yet deliciously refreshing salad with an Indian twist.
• It's the perfect choice if you've been looking for a salad to serve with curry.
• You can whip it up in just 10 minutes as your main dish is cooking.

What goes into this Indian salad?

Fresh tomatoes - The best tomatoes to use in a kachumber salad are ripe tomatoes that are still a bit firm.

You'll need a large tomato or two medium ones. Dice the tomatoes finely and place them in a separate bowl while preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Cucumber - You'll need about half of an English cucumber for this salad. Peeling the cucumber is optional. You can remove the seeds if you like. Dice it the same size as the tomatoes.

Red onion - If you don't like the smell and taste of raw onion in salads, place the chopped onion in a bowl of cold water for 10-15 minutes before adding it to the salad.

Spices - The spices used for kachumber are highly customizable. I went for a mix of ground cumin and chili powder, but you can also use garam masala or chaat masala.

Cilantro - Most kachumber recipes call for chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) or a mix of cilantro and fresh mint. Feel free to use either or both.

Lime juice (or lemon juice) - This is optional but a great way to some extra brightness to your kachumber salad.

How to make Indian kachumber salad

Dice the fresh tomatoes into small pieces and place them in a small bowl. Drain the extra juice before adding the tomatoes to the salad.

Peel the cucumbers and remove the seeds if you like. Dice them into small pieces.

Peel the onion and dice it finely.

Deseed the green chili and chop it finely.

Mix the chopped vegetables with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Season to taste and serve immediately with your favorite Indian dishes.

Leftovers and storage

• Kachumber salad is best served immediately as it will become watery if it sits for hours.
• If you need to make it ahead, simply chop the tomatoes and cucumbers and keep them in the fridge for a couple of hours.
• When ready to serve, chop the onion and herbs and mix all the ingredients together.

Recipe notes and tips

• It's always best to chop the veggies approximately the same size so you get even flavors with every bite.
• Skip the green chili if you don't want your kachumber to be spicy.
• To make the salad fiery, don't deseed the green chili or add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or use a hot red chili powder.
• Other veggies you can add to this Indian salad recipe include bell pepper, green peas, radishes and carrot.

If you liked this kachumber salad, you might also like some of my other easy salads:

• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Healthy Tuna Salad Without Mayo
• Summer Tortellini Salad
• Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta
• Prawn and Pink Grapefruit Bulgur Salad

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