This creamy cucumber salad is made with sour cream, vinegar, and dill. These simple flavors combine into a delicious and refreshing 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 summer's pleasures, much like cold watermelon, frozen yogurt, and chilled soups such as gazpacho or cold tomato soup.
There's something special about the combination of cucumbers and sour cream. The cucumbers are cool and fresh, and the sour cream is rich and creamy.
When you add vinegar and dill, you get a wonderfully flavorful salad that pairs beautifully 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.
- White wine vinegar: Champagne vinegar also works. I don't recommend distilled white vinegar. It's too acidic.
- Dill weed: I know that some people dislike this herb. If you're one of them, simply omit it. You can add cilantro or parsley instead. As you can see in the photo below, I often use cilantro.
- Cucumber: It's best (but not mandatory) to use 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 by half.
Variations
- As mentioned above, if you're not a fan of dill, you can use other herbs instead. I sometimes replace it with cilantro or parsley.
- Instead of just sour cream, you can use half mayonnaise and half sour cream in the dressing.
- Sometimes I use freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice instead of vinegar.
- When I don't have red onions on hand, I use yellow onions. They're a bit sharper, but they still work in this recipe.
Creamy Cucumber Salad Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
- In a large bowl, mix the sour cream, vinegar, and dill. (Photo 1).
- Slice the cucumbers and chop the onions. (Photo 2).
- Add the cucumbers and onions to the dressing. (Photo 3).
- Mix well. (Photo 4).
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- Before serving, sprinkle the salad with salt and pepper and remix it.
Expert Tip
I recommend using English cucumbers in this recipe. English cucumbers are elongated cucumbers wrapped in plastic to protect their unwaxed skin. They have fewer seeds than regular cucumbers and are firmer and less watery.
Although English cucumbers will produce superior results, if you can't get them, regular cucumbers are fine.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Dill greatly enhances the flavor of this salad, but if you don't like it, you can omit it. Try chopped cilantro instead, as I often do, or chopped parsley for a milder flavor.
Yes. Plain Greek yogurt will work. But it won't be as tasty. Greek yogurt has more tang and less fat than sour cream, making it less flavorful.
It's best to use whole-milk Greek yogurt. If you use reduced-fat Greek yogurt, I recommend adding a tablespoon of mild olive oil to the dressing.
Yes. You can replace the sour cream with mayonnaise or use half sour cream and half mayonnaise.
Serving Suggestions
This salad is a versatile side dish that goes with a variety of main courses. I often serve it with one of the following:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep this salad in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Remix it before serving. It tastes better the second day after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
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Recipe Card
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sour cream full-fat
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill weed chopped
- 1 large English cucumber thinly sliced (12 oz)
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced (or chopped)
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the sour cream, vinegar, and dill.
- Add the cucumbers and onions. Mix well.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- Before serving, sprinkle the salad with salt and pepper and mix again.
Video
Notes
- English cucumbers are elongated cucumbers wrapped in plastic to protect their unwaxed skin. They have fewer seeds than regular cucumbers and are firmer and less watery. If you can't get English cucumbers, regular cucumbers are fine.
- You can keep this salad in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Mix it again before serving. I find it actually tastes better the second day after the flavors have had a chance to meld.
Add Your Own Notes
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. 
Heidi
Used lemon juice instead of vinegar. Loved it! So creamy and refreshing. Perfect with your grilled chicken breast.
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you liked this salad, Heidi! Thank you for leaving a comment.