Creamy Cucumber Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This classic, creamy Cucumber Salad is the perfect side dish for your next meal. Made using chilled, sliced cucumbers and onion all tossed in a tangy sauce with fresh dill. Light, healthy and refreshing!
Creamy Cucumber Salad
This cucumber salad is so easy to make and is great for potlucks, BBQs and picnics. Just keep it cold along with your drinks and it’s the perfect side salad.
Summer grilling season is on and I love to mix up my salad game. This isn’t my grandma’s cucumber and onion salad recipe either. I’ve adjusted hers to this version using Greek yogurt in mine.
What kind of cucumber do I use in the salad?
While I love English cucumbers in this, the ones at the market were just too thin and since I find the peel not that tasty, after peeling I’d be left with not much cucumber, so regular cucumbers were next on my list. So, first pick would be the long English cucumber and second the thicker, regular cucumber.
Typically less flavorful and a bit more watery than the English variety, I remedied that by sweating the slices with some salt.
Are cucumbers a fruit?
Cucumbers are usually considered a vegetable because of how it’s used in the culinary world. However, as it grows from flowers and contains seeds, it’s botanically a fruit.
What’s sweating a cucumber?
It’s when salt is tossed with the vegetable and allowed to rest. The excess water is pulled from the vegetable and discarded.
No one wants a soupy salad, right?
What’s in cucumber salad?
- thinly sliced cucumber
- thinly sliced red onion
- plain Greek yogurt (in lieu of mayonnaise)
- apple cider vinegar
- fresh dill
- seasonings
Super easy, right? Either slice the cucumber and onion thinly by hand or use a mandoline.
This is the best Cucumber Salad for bringing back those memories of summer, barbecues and family. I remember always eating this at lunches and dinners seated at picnic tables up at a summer resort with my grandparents and family. We would leave the City of San Francisco and head up to the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California, and vacationed at a town called Guerneville. Great memories!
The creamy dill sauce is fantastic, perfectly balanced with the sweetness from the sugar, tartness from the apple cider vinegar and tang from the Greek yogurt. As I’m not a big mayonnaise fan, it works fantastic.
I’ve also made this using rice wine vinegar and omitted the sugar, it works great. Enjoy!
Other salads to try:
- Smoked Potato Salad
A must try and easy to make. Instead of boiling the potatoes I smoked them first then tossed them with the usual ingredients plus bacon for the win. - Broccoli Salad
Cold Broccoli Salad with Tarragon Dressing has lots of fresh broccoli, golden raisins, marinated red onion and roasted pumpkin seeds all tossed in an amazingly tangy and delicious salad dressing. - Greek Salad with Feta
Chunks of cucumber, sliced teardrop tomatoes, a variety of olives and crumbled feta in an herb infused, lemon dressing. - Summer Pasta Salad
This has an incredible, homemade Cilantro Ranch dressing that’s super easy to make and is loaded with lots of fresh vegetables, nuts and cheese, too.
Subscribe to my Newsletter, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube for all my latest recipes and videos.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced
Salad Dressing
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (See Note 1)
- 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1 tsp sugar or more for sweeter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Peel the cucumber and using a sharp knife or food mandoline, slice thinly. Place the cucumber slices in a sieve and toss with the tablespoon of kosher salt. Allow to drain for 30 minutes.
- Peel the red onion and using a sharp knife or food mandoline, slice thinly. Add to the cucumbers.
- In a small bowl mix together the salad dressing ingredients.
- In a salad bowl add the drained cucumbers, onion and dressing, tossing to coat and mix thoroughly. Season to taste (See Note 2). Cover and chill for an hour before serving.
Notes
- If you do not have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute red wine vinegar or if using rice wine vinegar omit the sugar.
- To add a bit of a kick, I sometimes add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This cucumber salad is delicious. Unfortunately, my husband is allergic to cucumbers. We have learned to substitute zucchini. And it is very good with the zucchini as well. First recipe from your blog. Will not be my last. I appreciate your no-nonsense approach to putting out your recipes. Thanks so much. Now if I could have a grill in my place….Oh, and the no-bake cheesecake is to die for. Thanks so much.
So glad to read the adaption to zucchini was a hit! So glad you found me, so many great recipes to explore!
No one wants soupy salad, indeed! We’re going to a bbq this weekend and now I know what to take along – this yummy cucumber salad! This looks so fresh and tasty, Kevin 🙂
Excellent! Hope you guys have a wonderful BBQ!
One of my favorite summer salads. Love that you used Greek yogurt as the dressing base!
I have never been a big fan of mayo, so Greek yogurt is my go to Substitute. Thanks Marissa!