Easy Creamy Cucumber Salad

Ingredients You’ll Need

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• Fresh Cucumbers – I prefer to use salad (Kirby) cucumbers for this recipe, but any type of cucumber works. Most regular cucumbers’ peels can be somewhat bitter so I do take a minute to peel them.
• Salt – The bulk of the salt in this recipe is for drawing out the moisture in the cucumbers. Use either regular table salt or Kosher salt. 
• Sour Cream – Either full-fat or light sour cream is fine.
• Green Onions – Many of these types of salads use thinly sliced red onions but I prefer the milder taste of green onions.
• Fresh Dill – Cucumbers and dill are a match made in heaven! If you don’t have fresh dill fronds, use dried dill weed (see Substitutions section below.)
• Vinegar – Just plain old white vinegar. 
• Pinch of Sugar, Salt, and Pepper – The seasonings for the dressing.

How to Make Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream and Dill

1. Peel the cucumbers and cut them into thin slices.

2. Place the slices in a colander and sprinkle with the salt. Put the colander on a plate to catch any juices that drain from the cucumbers. Set aside for one hour.

3. While the cucumbers are draining, make the dressing by mixing together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Cover the dressing with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until needed.

4. When ready to serve, rinse the cucumber slices and pat dry with paper towels. Place them in a medium bowl, toss with the dressing, and serve.

Substitutions

• Although I prefer salad (or Kirby) cucumbers, you can use any type available. If using English cucumbers, you can usually skip the peeling step because they’re not as bitter as other varieties.
• Out of sour cream? There are quite a few great substitutes. Try plain Greek yogurt, Mexican crema, whipped cream cheese, buttermilk, smooth cottage cheese, or mayonnaise.
• If you can’t find fresh dill, use dried dill weed. Remember dried herbs substitute at 1/3 the amount of the fresh herb, so for this recipe, you’d use 2 teaspoons of dried.
• Substitute the green onions for mild yellow onions, red onions, or sweet onion.
• The white vinegar can easily be substituted with apple cider vinegar if you like.

Why do you salt and drain the cucumbers?

Cucumbers are about 96% water. Salting draws out a lot of that moisture and helps keep the finished salad from becoming so watery. It’s not an absolutely necessary step, but I do highly recommend it.

How do I prepare the cucumbers for old fashioned creamy cucumber salad?

If you’re using salad (Kirby) or regular cucumbers, I do suggest peeling them. Cucumber skins can sometimes be bitter. If using English (hothouse) cucumbers, taste a slice first to determine whether you think you should peel them. 

Slice the cucumbers crosswise into thin rounds. If your cucumbers are on the large side, you may want to halve them down the length first and then slice them into half-moon shapes.

If you want really uniform slices, consider using a mandoline.

Can I make 10-minute cucumber salad with yogurt?

Yogurt, specifically plain Greek yogurt, is an excellent substitute for sour cream. Feel free to use it in this recipe if you’d like. See the Substitutions list above for more ideas.

Can I make cucumber salad in advance?

If you need to make the recipe in advance, I suggest preparing the cucumbers and dressing separately up to three hours in advance and combining them when ready to serve. Even though the cucumbers have been salted and drained they still give off liquid that can ultimately make the salad watery.

Storing Leftovers

To be honest, this recipe is at its best the same day it’s made. The longer it sits the more the cucumbers lose their fresh crispness. However,  you can keep it for a few days in the refrigerator. Place the leftovers in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid and keep it cold.