Cuernavaca Style Cucumber Salad

Ensalada de Pepino Estilo Cuernavaca

Aug 10, 2025

This rustic Mexican cucumber salad, called “ensalada de pepino” in Spanish, is popular in the city of Cuernavaca, Morelos about 45 minutes south of Mexico City.

This salad only has four ingredients, five if you count the salt: cucumber, white onion, Mexican oregano, and lime juice. You might think a four-ingredient salad sounds dull but it's not.

It's bright, fresh, and has a surprisingly bold flavor. The secret is Mexican oregano which has a sharper flavor than Mediterranean oregano. The sharp flavor of the oregano is balanced nicely by the mild flavor of the cucumber.

In Cuernavaca, it is always paired with another dish although it's great on its own too. Serve it as a side dish for carne asada or grilled fish. It's perfect on a warm summer afternoon.

It’s a great salad to prepare if you are short on time. It only takes 10 minutes to make and you probably have all of the ingredients on hand.

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Ingredients

3 cucumbers
1 large white onion
2 tsp. Mexican oregano
4 Mexican limes
½ tsp. salt + to taste

Instructions

Scrub the cucumbers and peel.
Cut the onion into ¼" rings then cut the rings in half to make long strips.
Slice the cucumber into ¼" rounds.
Put the cucumber and onion into a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of Mexican oregano.
Squeeze the juice of the 2 limes onto the vegetables.
Add the salt.
Gently toss the salad to evenly distribute the oregano, salt, and lime juice.
Adjust the salt if needed.
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve chilled.

Preparation Notes

Serve chilled.
This is not a dainty salad. Be sure to cut cucumbers and onion are cut into substantial slices, about 1/4" thick.
It's is best served the same day that you make it but it will keep for a day in the refrigerator.
Use Mexican oregano if possible. It has a stronger, sharper taste compared to the taste of Mediterranean oregano. Look for it in the Mexican section of the grocery store. It shouldn't be too difficult to find.

Substitutions

You can substitute 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar for the lime juice if you prefer.

Kitchen Spanish

Cucumber = pepino
Onion = cebolla
Oregano = oregano
Lime = limón
Salt = sal