Creamy Cucumber Salad
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This creamy cucumber salad is cool, crisp, and richly satisfying—the perfect match for anything off the grill and a must at summer get-togethers.
Say goodbye to soggy cucumber salads! This creamy cucumber salad recipe is everything you want—crisp, cool, and full of tangy flavor. It’s made with crunchy English cucumbers, sweet red onions, and a creamy dressing with sour cream, mayo, and lots of fresh dill. Perfect with grilled chicken or grilled salmon, and always a hit at summer cookouts, picnics, or potlucks.
So, what’s the secret to keeping it crunchy? Since cucumbers are mostly water, the trick is to salt the sliced cucumbers and onions in a colander for 30 minutes before dressing them. It draws out the excess moisture and gives the onions a lightly pickled flavor. This one’s a summertime staple—you’ll make it on repeat all season long.
“WOW, absolutely delicious! My family has never met a recipe from Jenn that we didn’t like, but this one is right up there in the top 10.”
What You’ll Need To Make Creamy Cucumber Salad
- English cucumbers – Cool, crisp, and seedless—no peeling needed. They hold up well and give the salad its signature crunch.
- Red onion – Adds sharpness and color. Salting it with the cucumbers tones down the bite and gives it a delicious lightly pickled flavor.
- Salt, sugar & black pepper – The seasoning trio: salt draws out excess moisture and enhances flavor, sugar softens the tang, and pepper adds a subtle kick.
- Sour cream & mayonnaise – The creamy base of the dressing. Sour cream brings tang, mayo adds richness, and together they make the salad luxuriously smooth.
- White wine vinegar – Adds a splash of brightness to balance the creaminess.
- Fresh dill – The herb that makes it. It gives the salad that fresh, summery flavor that keeps you coming back for more.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the cucumbers. Peel the cucumbers and slice them in half lengthwise. Then, using a small spoon, gently scrape out the seeds—this helps keep the salad from getting watery. Slice them into thin half-moons.
Step 2: Salt the cucumbers and onion. Place the cukes in a colander, then add the thinly sliced red onion. Sprinkle everything with salt and toss to coat. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes. The salt will draw out excess moisture from the cucumbers (so the salad stays crisp) and gently mellow the onions, giving them a lightly pickled flavor.
Step 3: Squeeze out the moisture. After 30 minutes, use a large wad of paper towels or a clean dish towel to squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumbers and onions as you can. This step makes all the difference in keeping the salad from turning watery once dressed.
Step 4: Make the dressing. In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, dill, sugar, and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed—sometimes I like to add a tiny bit more vinegar or dill, depending on the day.
Step 5: Combine and chill. Add the well-drained cucumbers and onions to the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. You can serve it right away, but if you have time, let it chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. It’s even better that way. Enjoy!
More Summer Salads You May Like
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Creamy cucumber salad with crunchy cucumbers, mellow red onions, and a cool, dill-packed dressing—made for summer cookouts.
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers (also called hothouse cucumbers)
- ½ medium red onion, finely sliced (about ⅔ cup)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the cucumbers in half and then slice each half down the middle lengthwise. Use the tip of a teaspoon to scoop out the center seeds. Cut each half into thin slices and place in a colander along with the red onion slices. Toss with the salt and let sit in the sink for at least 30 minutes, until the water drains out.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, dill, sugar, and black pepper and mix well.
- When the cucumbers and onions are ready, release any excess water by tapping the colander several times on the base of the sink, then use a large wad of paper towels or clean dish towel to pat the vegetables dry. Add the vegetables to the dressing and toss well. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The salad can be made and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 day ahead of serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 126
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 336 mg
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I can’t find fresh dill. Can I substitute dried dill weed?
Sure, Kara, that should work. I’d cut the dill back to 1 scant tablespoon. Enjoy!
This is so good! Please allow it to season for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before judging it. I used Pinot Grigio white wine vinegar and thought that it was too sharp until I let the salad set in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours after which all the flavors settled into a delicious blend of deliciousness! All the ingredients married each other so nicely.
THIS IS DELICIOUS!
I tripled the recipe, and couldn’t salt the veggies because hubby had already chopped up all the ingredients (including halved cherry tomatoes). Also I used apple cider vinegar because I just love it, and used fake sugar (generic Splenda) as I am in the habit of going low carb when possible.
Your instruction to mix the dressing in a separate bowl made everything SO much easier, and why haven’t I been doing that before? Thanks for that!
I’ve made this salad many times, but I like your recipe the most. I’m printing and keeping this one and tossing all the others.
Btw, I make a LOT at one time, and the ingredients in the salad keep it tasting wonderful (and safe to eat) for well over a week.
Thank you! I’m looking forward to checking out your other recipes!
This is a lovely little salad dressing! I’ve made it a few times now and love it! However, my stomach struggles with raw onion so last night, I omitted it and added 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder instead. Hubs approved so that’s what we’ll do from now on. That’s one of the many things I love with Jenn’s recipes, they are great as written but also forgiving with minor changes. We talk about Jenn as if she were family or a close friend, lol, if only! I get so many compliments on my dishes when I use her recipes! So very thankful for her. 💕
❣️
We love this salad, and have made it many times! Note: I use champagne vinegar for it. ❤️
This was great with our cedar planked salmon, along with the sauteed zucchini and cherry tomatoes. Thank you.
Another delicious recipe! Thanks Jenn!
I won’t find fresh dill at my little local market but I have mint growing in the garden. Can I substitute mint for the dill in this recipe?
Many thanks.
Sure, that would be nice too!
Delicious and exactly what I was looking for!
I have used this recipe several times and my husband absolutely loves it. He loves the red onions sliced very thin and the recipe is very easy to use.