Name: Creamy Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 English cucumber (sliced thin); 1 generous pinch salt; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 teaspoon white vinegar; 1 teaspoon white sugar; 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped); Pepper (to taste); 3-4 tablespoons red onion (chopped finely)

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This crisp and creamy cucumber salad recipe is simple and incredibly refreshing! It makes a great appetizer or side dish all summer long.

Love dill and cucumber? Try this Creamy Tzatziki Sauce next.

the BEST creamy cucumber salad (close-up in beige serving bowl)

Why you'll love it

There are endless variations of cucumber salad out there, but this is definitely our favorite. It's creamy, crisp, and simple to make. It's reminiscent of the kind of salad I grew up on having a European mom. This is basically a German cucumber salad (Gurkensalat) with its irresistible sour cream dressing!

Our kitchen is a little obsessed with how good this recipe is for how few ingredients it has. There's something to be said about simplicity. Why mess with the basics? Dill. Cucumber. Sour cream. Yes please! This is also a fabulous last-minute side dish for your summer cookouts and BBQs.

Ingredients you need

Cucumber - I recommend English cucumbers (hot house). You don't need to peel them (the skin is thinner/less tough), the seeds are small, and they're just good all-around cucumbers for salad.
Salt - for drawing out the liquid from the cucumber slices
Sour cream - I like using full fat for ultimate creaminess
Vinegar - we're using classic white vinegar
Sugar - a pinch of white sugar in the dressing adds a little sweetness that balances the tanginess of the vinegar
Dill - fresh dill adds herby brightness
Pepper - I wouldn't skip it. The peppery kick complements the dressing
Onion - red onions are the best variety for eating raw in salads and additional crunch

How to thinly slice cucumber

The easiest way is to use a mandoline slicer. It takes less than a minute to slice up an entire English cucumber, creates thin and even slices, and as long as you use a protective glove and/or guard, it's perfectly safe and simple to use.
My mandoline has a 2mm setting, but models can vary, and some have 1.5mm (1/16") setting instead, so use that setting if that's what yours has available.

How to make creamy cucumber salad

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

salting cucumber and making dressing in a bowl for creamy cucumber salad

Thinly slice the cucumber. Add the slices to a colander along with the salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes so that the water drains from them. It's important to salt the cucumber slices before adding them to the salad. Meanwhile, add the dressing ingredients to a bowl and stir. Refrigerate until needed.

assembling creamy cucumber salad in a bowl

Chop the red onion and add it to a bowl. When the cucumber is ready, give it a quick rinse with cool water to remove some of the salt, and then thoroughly dry with paper towel. Place in the bowl along with the dressing, combine, and chill or enjoy immediately.

How to salt cucumber

Salting releases some moisture from inside each slice so that the cucumber is nice and crispy and less watery. Unsalted cucumbers dilute the dressing and don't pack as much of a crunch.
Slice the cucumber up, add it to a colander, sprinkle on a fairly generous pinch of salt (about a teaspoon is good), and then toss the slices with your hands so that everything is evenly coated. Let it sit and do its thing while you prepare the dressing. I find 30 minutes is enough, but you could leave it for even longer.
I do recommend quickly rinsing the cucumber slices off prior to patting them dry with paper towel. I've tried it before without doing that, and the salad ends up a bit too salty.

Substitutions and variations

Sour cream is more traditional, but you could sub with Greek yogurt since it's also fairly tangy.
I recommend fresh dill, but if you don't have any, you can use dried dill. I'd start with 1/2 tablespoon and add more if needed.
As always, feel free to taste and adjust the dressing as needed. If you're unsure about adding a bit of sweetness, start with half the sugar and add more if needed. You could even try subbing it with honey if you wish.
If you're feeding a crowd, this recipe easily doubles. Just straight double all the ingredients!

What to serve with cucumber salad

Pair it with summer favorites like my Easy Grilled Pork Chops or Grilled Honey Garlic Shrimp recipe.
I like to eat it year-round, though, and it's a wonderful creamy complement to breaded Chicken Milanese or schnitzel!

Leftovers and storage

This salad will keep in the fridge in a covered container for a day or two, but keep in mind it will become more watery over time and the cucumber will lose its crunch quite fast.
You could add a touch more sour cream to revive the dressing if you like.

More summer favorites

creamy cucumber salad in glass prep bowl

Questions about this cucumber salad recipe? Let me know!