This simple kachumber salad is the quintessential Pakistani salad. Refreshing, crunchy, and tangy, this salad is the perfect accompaniment to a spicy South Asian curry, such as my Chicken Karahi recipe, Keema, or even Tadka Daal. The best part? It only takes 10 minutes to make.
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What is Kachumber?
Kachumber, also spelled kachomer or kachumbar, means “chopped” in Gujarati. In Pakistan, most kachumber salads comprise cucumber, onion, tomato, green chili, and cilantro, dressed with lemon juice or vinegar and seasoned with salt.
Kachumber has a few counterparts. In Mexico, it’s Pico de Gallo, and I recently learned from a friend that in Africa it’s called Kachumbari. Which, as it turns out, is an Indian import.
Kachumber Salad Ingredient Notes
Onion: You can use white or red onion here. They both work.
Tomato: I use Roma tomatoes because they are widely available where I live, but feel free to use any variety you can find.
Cucumber: I like to peel my cucumber because that’s how I had it growing up, but if your cucumber is thin-skinned, like an English or Persian cucumber, feel free to leave the skin on. Like I have done in this Viral Cucumber Salad Jar Recipe and this carrot cucumber salad.
Green chili: I use Serrano pepper, but it can be spicier than jalapeño, so use the variety you can tolerate. If you’re feeling adventurous, try Thai pepper.
Cilantro: If you are the percentage of the population that gets that soapy taste when eating cilantro, omit it and add mint instead. Or leave it out altogether.
Lemon juice: Vinegar or lime juice will work too!
How to make Kachumber Salad
This is the easiest salad to make and comes together in under 10 minutes! Made even faster if you have a food chopper. A friend gifted it to me a couple of years ago, and I hardly used it. I took it out because I’m seeing it all over Instagram, and I can say it’s worth it if you chop a lot! And if you make fries, etc. But I digress! Back to the kachumber!
Variations
- Add other hard veggies like cabbage, carrots, and radish.
- Add yogurt. My mom sometimes added yogurt when she made rice dishes like biryani or pulao. To do this, simply substitute 1/4 cup of plain whole-milk yogurt for the lemon juice and adjust the salt to taste.
Kachumber Salad FAQS
Absolutely! Hold off on the lemon juice and salt, as they tend to draw water from the onions. Once assembled, try to use it up within 2 days for the best taste.
Kachumber salad is served with curry or rice dishes in South Asian cuisine. It would pair very well with my Tandoori Chicken Curry or Keema recipe.
Kachumber salad is usually best enjoyed immediately, as salt draws moisture from the onion, making the salad soggy. Try to eat it within 2 days if possible.
If you do want to make it ahead of time, hold off on the salt and lemon juice and add them when ready to serve. Store in an airtight container.
More Refreshing Salads to Try
Kachumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 onion red or white
- 1 tomato medium, like Roma
- 1 cucumber peeled and diced. See Note 1
- 1 green chili pepper I use Serrano
- 1 handful cilantro chopped. About 2 tablespoons.
- 1 lemon medium, juiced.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper optional
Instructions
- Chop all the veggies and transfer them to a bowl. Next Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix well and enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
- If you use the Garden variety cucumber, most commonly available in American grocery stores, it would be best to peel it as the skin is thick. Skip peeling if you are using a thin-skinned cucumber like the English or Persian cucumber.
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