This creamy cucumber salad is made with sour cream, vinegar, and dill. Simple flavors that combine together into a truly delicious summer salad.
It's the perfect summer side dish, and you can make it ahead of time and chill it until ready to serve.
This tasty salad is one of the summer's little pleasures. Much like cold watermelon, fresh raspberries, and chilled soups (such as gazpacho).
There's something special about the combination of cucumbers and sour cream. The cucumbers are cool and fresh, the sour cream rich and creamy. And when you add vinegar and dill, you get a wonderfully flavorful salad that goes nicely with a wide variety of meals.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this creamy cucumber salad. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Sour cream: I recommend using full-fat sour cream in this recipe. I tried it once with Greek yogurt and felt it was a bit too tangy.
White wine vinegar: Champagne vinegar also works. I'm not a fan of using distilled white vinegar - it's too harsh and acidic.
Dill weed: I know that some people really dislike this herb. If you're one of them, simply omit it. Or add a bit of fresh parsley instead. If you like dill, please use it! It adds a wonderful layer of flavor to this salad.
Cucumber: It's best (but not mandatory) to use firm English cucumbers.
Red onion: Try to slice it thinly. It's not as sharp as white or yellow onions, but you still don't want to bite into big chunks of it.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the salad could end up too salty.
Instructions
Making this creamy cucumber salad is easy! It's such a simple salad. Scroll down to the recipe card for the details. Here are the basic steps:
Cucumber and onion slices are mixed with a simple dressing of sour cream, vinegar, and salt.
Then they are allowed to macerate in the fridge for a few hours.
That's it! And the result is incredible. Tasty, refreshing, and the perfect side to grilled meats and seafood.
Expert tip
I strongly recommend using English cucumbers in this recipe. English cucumbers are elongated cucumbers that come wrapped in plastic to protect their unwaxed skin. They have fewer seeds than regular cucumbers and they are firmer and not as watery.
Although English cucumbers will produce superior results, if you can't get them, regular cucumbers are fine.
Frequently asked questions
Sure! Although dill greatly enhances the flavor of this salad, if you don't like it, you can certainly omit it. Try adding chopped cilantro instead, or - for a milder flavor - chopped parsley.
Yes. Plain Greek yogurt will work. But it won't be as tasty, in my opinion. Greek yogurt has more tang and less fat than sour cream, making it not as flavorful.
If you use reduced-fat Greek yogurt, I recommend adding a tablespoon of light olive oil to the dressing.
Sure. You can replace the sour cream in this recipe with mayonnaise if you prefer. Or use half sour cream and half mayonnaise.
Variations
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- As mentioned above, if you're not a fan of dill, you can use other herbs instead. Good candidates include cilantro and parsley.
- Rather than using just sour cream, you can use half mayonnaise and half sour cream in the dressing.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of vinegar.
Serving suggestions
This is such a versatile side dish that goes with anything, really. I often serve it as an easy side to any of the following main dishes:
Storing leftovers
You can keep this salad in the fridge for 3-4 days, in an airtight container. Mix it again before serving. I find it actually tastes better the second day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
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Recipe card
Creamy Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill weed
- 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced (12 oz)
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced (or chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (not fine salt)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream, vinegar, and dill.
- Add the cucumbers and the onions and mix well.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- Before serving, sprinkle with the salt and pepper and mix again.
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NOTES
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NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 