This creamy cucumber salad, also known as German cucumber salad, is a refreshing combination of cucumbers, red onion and dill tossed in a simple dressing. Dill cucumber salad takes just minutes to make and is the perfect side dish for any summer meal.
Creamy cucumber salad is a simple yet satisfying dish that pairs perfectly with grilled chicken kabobs, burgers, marinated salmon, and more. It contains just 7 basic ingredients and can be on your table in no time!
Most of my favorite summer salads include cucumbers – they’re inexpensive, readily available, and so very versatile. This creamy cucumber salad is always at the top of my list, especially during the summer months because it’s so light and refreshing. Tossed in a light creamy dressing, this chilled salad is the perfect addition to any grilling get together or summer event.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CREAMY CUCUMBER SALAD?
Start by slicing some cucumbers and red onion, then mince some fresh dill. Place your veggies in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together your refreshing ingredients for the creamy dressing. Pour the dressing over your veggies and toss together to create the perfect German cucumber salad.
Tips for creamy cucumber salad
- It’s well worth the money to buy fresh dill. It’s an important flavor component with this dill cucumber salad so it needs to have a strong presence. You just don’t get the same flavor from dried dill. Got leftover dill? It’s great tossed into green salads, sprinkled over eggs, or stirred into cream cheese to spread onto bagels.
- Use a mandoline to get super thin slices of cucumber and red onion.
- You can use regular waxy cucumbers, English cucumbers, or Persian cucumbers for this recipe. I typically use English cucumbers. If you use waxy cucumbers, you may want to peel them before processing with the recipe.
Can cucumber salad be made in advance?
This salad can be made an hour or two before you plan to serve it. That being said, I wouldn’t refrigerate it for longer than that. Cucumbers have a habit of releasing liquid as they sit. If the salad is left for too long, it could get watery which dilutes the flavor of the dressing.
Creamy cucumber salad variations
This is a basic recipe for cucumber salad, and sometimes I like to add other ingredients for a different flavor. Some great additions to this salad include
- Tomatoes
- Minced garlic
- Olives
- Red peppers
- Shredded carrots
CAN CREAMY CUCUMBER SALAD BE MADE WITH MAYO?
Yes, this creamy cucumber salad and other versions of it, can easily be made with mayo. You will simply need to remove the sour cream from the recipe and use mayo in its place. Be sure to use the same amount of mayo as you would have sour cream. You can even do half and half if you like both ingredients.
There are some recipes that are just so easy that you find yourself making them often just because you can. This is one of those recipes for me. It works as a great side dish, snack, addition to sandwiches, and the list goes on. Definitely a keeper in my book!
MORE CUCUMBER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Cucumber Feta Salad
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Thai Cucumber Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
Creamy Cucumber Salad Video
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 5 cups sliced cucumbers peeled and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup red onion peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Place the cucumbers, red onion and dill in a large bowl.
- In small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, sour cream and sugar.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately, or chill for up to one hour.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on June 12, 2018 and was updated on May 12, 2019 with new content.
Bea says
Very tasty and easy!
Katie says
This looks just like my Grandmother’s recipe! Can’t wait to try it to see if its the same! If it is… I even loved it as a kid! Can’t wait!
Shannon says
This was fabulous!! We exchange a lot of fresh veggies during the summer, and we were given a different variety of cucumbers this year. This was so light and so refreshing of a salad!
Thank you from Idaho!
Laura J says
If you slice the cucumbers, toss them in a little salt and let them sit in a colander in your sink it will sweat out most of the excess water and the salad won’t get runny as quickly.
Bea says
This recipe has been a favorite since the first time I made it! Yummy!
Beth says
I love summer for salad recipes like this one!! I do love this recipe as it is but for a fun twist do you think greek yogurt would be a tasty option?
Cathy says
I love cucumber salad! It is perfect for all summer meals and grill outs. And yours looks delightfully perfect and creamy! This perfect for this weekends BBQ!
Jessie says
I love Onion and Cucumber Salad for the summer but I have never made it creamy. This looks so good I can’t wait to try this one!