Kachumber Salad

This Indian chopped salad is great for making ahead.

By
Annika Panikker
Annika Panikker
Annika Panikker
Annika is a chef turned food content creator since 2017, and is currently featured in Simply Recipes. She has been in the food service industry since 2010 and started out as home baker in Mumbai, India when she was 15 years old.
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Updated April 29, 2025
Annika Panikker
kachumber salad in a blue bowl

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

Key Takeaways

• Kachumber salad is an Indian chopped salad made with cucumber, tomato, red onion, serrano pepper, fresh herbs, and spices.
• Chill the salad at least 15 minutes before serving, or refrigerate it up to three days.

Growing up, we had this salad in our fridge every single week. My mum would make a large batch on Monday and it would sit in the fridge for about three days. We ate it with at least one of our daily meals. 

What I love about this kachumber salad is, the longer you keep it, the more juices settle at the bottom. When I got home from school, I would rush to the fridge to drink it cold straight out of the bowl with the fridge door still open. Needless to say this got me in trouble and caused many fights—the juices at the bottom are the best part! 

This kachumber salad is not only fresh and juicy but also an oil-free recipe. Most salads require oil to create a dressing, but in this recipe the juices from the onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers are released with the addition of salt and lime juice, creating a very slurpy salad. 

Kachumber salad is a budget-friendly weekday recipe that requires minimal effort but is a gift that keeps on giving. Having this salad sitting in my fridge gives me comfort knowing I can pair it with any meal. 

Quick Tips for Making Kachumber Salad

  • If you don’t have lime, lemon juice works well in this recipe.
  • Macerating the onion in the lime juice adds flavor to the salad and makes the raw onion less pungent.
  • If you are averse to spice, remove the seeds from the chile before chopping.
  • You can leave out the chaat masala if you can’t find it, but you may need to adjust the seasoning at the end (for example, adding a little more salt).
close up of kachumber salad

Simply Recipes / Shilpa Iyer

How to Serve Kachumber Salad

Serve this salad with Indian chicken biryani, red lentil dal, channa masala, or just about any meal. In our household, this salad gets served with lasagna, pizza, and even a simple grilled chicken. I personally love having it with a slice of sourdough toast and cottage cheese or crumbled feta.

If you’re pressed for time and need a quick meal, add some drained chickpeas and yogurt to the salad to make it more filling. 

Quick Summer Sides

Kachumber Salad

Prep Time 10 mins
Chill Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Servings 4 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 medium red onion, diced

  • 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  • 1 large beefsteak or heirloom tomato, chopped

  • 1 large English cucumber or 2 medium regular cucumbers, chopped

  • 1 serrano pepper, finely diced

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon chaat masala, optional

Method

  1. Macerate the onion:

    Place the onion in a large bowl and add the lime juice and salt. Use your hands to squeeze the onions with the lime juice until the onions have broken down a bit. Press down and let this mixture soak for 5 minutes.

    Simple Tip!

    While the onions soak, prepare the other ingredients.

  2. Add the vegetables and herbs:

    Add the tomato, cucumber, serrano pepper, cilantro, and mint. Use a fork or your hands to mix all the ingredients together until well combined.

  3. Add the spices and chill:

    Add the cumin, black pepper, and chaat masala, if using, and mix again. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Allow the salad to chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before serving. 

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
39 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 39
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 271mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 15mg 76%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 308mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.