[⏱️ Prep: 15 mins | ❄️ Chill: 30-60 mins | 🥞 Servings: 4-6 | 🔥 Calories: ~90kcal | ⏳ Total: 45–75 mins]
Get ready for the best creamy cucumber salad you’ll ever make!
If you love cucumbers, this recipe is going to make your day. And even if you don’t have garden cucumbers, that’s the beauty of this salad—you can still enjoy it year-round using English cucumbers from the grocery store.
So let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love
- It is universally good: It pairs flawlessly with mashed potatoes, rice, salmon, steak, or anything fresh off the grill.
- It’s incredibly crisp and refreshing: It’s creamy and comforting, but also so light and vibrant.
If you love this, also try my Honey Garlic Salmon Rice Bowls for the perfect protein match!
What You’ll Need
Special Equipment
- Mandoline or very sharp knife
- Colander
- Bench scraper (for easy prep)
- Garlic press
- Pepper grinder
The Ingredients
- 2 large English cucumbers (or 7–10 small garden cucumbers)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt (for draining the cucumbers)
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced (or yellow onion, Vidalia onion, or ⅓ cup chopped chives/green onions)
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- ½ cup sour cream (full-fat preferred, or substitute Greek yogurt)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or substitute 1 tbsp mayonnaise for extra richness)
- 1 small garlic clove, pressed or finely minced
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
Let’s Get Mixing!
1. Prep the Cucumbers
Start with slicing up the cucumbers. You’ll need about 7 to 10 small homegrown garden cucumbers, or two English cucumbers. Trim off the ends, cut them in half lengthwise, and finally slice them up into paper-thin half-rings.
Pro Tip: There’s absolutely no need to peel them! The only cucumbers you’d want to peel are the ones coated in wax from the store (rinse well first). Also, using a bench scraper makes scooping up all these slices so much faster and easier—it’s like having an extra hand in the kitchen!
2. Salt & Drain (The Ultimate Secret Step)
While you can just toss everything in a bowl and eat it in five minutes, the true secret to the best cucumber salad is to salt and drain your cucumbers first! If you skip this, the salad can become watery.
Place the cucumber slices in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt and toss well. Let them sit for 30 to 60 minutes to draw out excess water. Gently squeeze or press the cucumbers with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible so your dressing stays perfectly thick and creamy!
3. Onion Options and Fresh Dill
Transfer the drained cucumbers to a large mixing bowl. Add half of a medium thinly sliced onion. You have options here! You can use a red onion, a yellow onion, or even a sweet Vidalia onion. Whatever you have on hand works beautifully. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can swap the onion for about a third of a cup of chopped green onions or chives (I love adding chives when they’re growing in my garden!).
Then, finely chop up your fresh dill (make sure to set a little bit aside to garnish the salad later) and add it to the bowl.
4. That Creamy, Dreamy Dressing
The dressing couldn’t be easier. To the bowl, add your sour cream. You can use full-fat, reduced-fat, or even substitute it with Greek yogurt!
To add a little extra flavor, you can use 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice, or substitute it with 1 tbsp of mayo—it adds amazing flavor and richness! Add your pressed or grated garlic clove, and ¼ tsp of freshly cracked black pepper.
5. Toss and Season
Stir everything together until well combined and every single bite is coated in that amazing sour cream dill sauce. Taste test and add a pinch more salt only if needed (the cucumbers will already retain some salt from the draining step).
6. Serve
Transfer it to a pretty serving bowl—just keeping it classy, keeping it chic! Garnish with that extra sprinkle of leftover fresh dill, and dive right in, or chill for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. If you love this, also try my 3 Super Easy 5-Ingredient Salads You HAVE to Try! for more quick wins.
If you love creamy, crisp salads like this one, don’t miss my fun Peking Duck Tacos for a bold twist!
If you like this recipe Explore more recipes
FAQs
Do I have to peel the cucumbers?
Not at all! If you are using homegrown garden cucumbers or English cucumbers from the grocery store, you can leave the skin right on. The only time you should peel your cucumbers is if you are using standard slicing cucumbers that have a thick, waxy coating on the skin (rinse well first).
Why did my cucumber salad get so watery?
Cucumbers are made mostly of water! If you mix them directly with the dressing, they will release their juices and water down the sour cream. The secret fix is to toss your sliced cucumbers with salt in a colander and let them drain for 30 to 60 minutes before mixing. Squeeze out the excess moisture, and your dressing will stay perfectly thick.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes, absolutely! Swapping full-fat sour cream for Greek yogurt is a wonderful way to add a bit of extra protein to the dish. Just keep in mind that Greek yogurt is a little tangier and slightly less silky than sour cream, but it still tastes incredibly delicious and fresh.
What do you serve with creamy cucumber salad?
This side dish is incredibly versatile! It is universally good with hearty comfort foods like mashed potatoes and rice, but it truly shines next to proteins like baked salmon, grilled steak, or BBQ chicken fresh off the grill.
The Best Creamy Cucumber Salad
Course: Side DishCuisine: German-AmericanDifficulty: Easy4–6
servings15
minutes90
kcal60
minutes1
hour15
minutesA refreshing, family-staple summer salad! Crisp cucumbers, fresh dill, and sliced onions tossed in a rich, garlicky sour cream dressing.
Ingredients
- Equipment Needed:
Mandoline or very sharp knife
Colander
Bench scraper
Garlic press
Pepper grinder
- Ingredients:
700g (2 large) English cucumbers (or 7–10 small garden cucumbers)
1 tsp (5g) fine sea salt (for draining)
½ medium (50g) red onion, thinly sliced (or yellow/Vidalia onion, or ⅓ cup chopped chives/green onions)
1 tbsp (4g) fresh dill, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
½ cup (120g) sour cream (full-fat preferred, or Greek yogurt)
1 tbsp (15g) fresh lemon juice (or 1 tbsp mayonnaise)
1 small garlic clove, pressed or finely minced
¼ tsp (1g) freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
Directions
- Slice Cucumbers: Trim ends, halve lengthwise, slice into paper-thin half-rings. (No need to peel English/garden cucumbers; rinse/peel if waxed.)
- Salt & Drain: Place slices in colander over bowl. Toss with 1 tsp sea salt. Drain 30–60 minutes. Squeeze/press dry with paper towel.
- Mix Base: Transfer drained cucumbers to large bowl. Add sliced onion and chopped dill.
- Dressing: Add sour cream, lemon juice (or mayo), garlic, and pepper.
- Toss: Stir until evenly coated. Taste; add salt only if needed.
- Serve: Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with extra dill. Serve immediately or chill 30 minutes.
Notes
- Secret to Creaminess: Don’t skip draining! Removes excess water so dressing stays thick.
- Onion Options: Red, yellow, Vidalia, or ⅓ cup chives/green onions for milder flavor.
- Substitutions: Greek yogurt for sour cream adds protein (slightly tangier). Mayo for lemon juice adds richness.
- Storage: Fridge up to 2 days (drain excess liquid before serving).
