Description
This Creamy Cucumber Salad is a refreshing and tangy side dish made with thinly sliced cucumbers, red onion, and a creamy dressing of sour cream, white vinegar, and fresh dill. It’s chilled to meld the flavors perfectly and is ideal for warm days or as an accompaniment to grilled dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2 large English cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
- 1/2 medium red onion (thinly sliced)
Dressing
- 1 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt for a lighter version)
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped, plus extra for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (divided)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Cucumbers: Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Optionally peel them, leaving some strips of skin for color and texture to add visual interest and crispness.
- Slice Cucumbers: Use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice the cucumbers thinly, about 1/8 inch thick, ensuring uniform slices for even flavor absorption.
- Salt Cucumbers: Place the cucumber slices in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture and crisp up the cucumbers.
- Soak Onion: While cucumbers sit, soak the thinly sliced red onion in ice water for 10 minutes to mellow its sharpness. Drain and pat dry thoroughly.
- Mix Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, white vinegar, chopped dill, granulated sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Dry Cucumbers: After 30 minutes, gently pat the salted cucumber slices dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture for a creamy, non-watery salad.
- Combine Salad: Add the dried cucumbers and drained red onion to the dressing bowl. Toss gently to coat every slice evenly with the creamy dressing.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and salad to chill properly.
- Adjust Seasoning: Before serving, stir the salad gently, taste, and adjust salt or pepper if needed for perfect flavor balance.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the creamy cucumber salad to a serving bowl and garnish with extra fresh dill for color and a burst of fresh herb aroma.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- Make the salad ahead to enhance flavor, but add delicate garnishes just before serving.
- Use English cucumbers for fewer seeds and thinner skin.
- Adjust the vinegar amount to taste for more or less tang.
