Creamy Cucumber Salad

Refreshing, classic Creamy Cucumber Salad is a summertime favorite at any picnic, party or potluck! A mixture of cool cucumbers and red onions in a creamy dill sauce. This is a must make for summer!

I am all about the summer salads! There are usually so many potlucks, BBQs, and get-togethers with friends and family that I am always trying new recipes to keep everyone on their toes! This creamy cucumber salad is actually one that has been made in our family for years and I’m so excited to share it with you.

It’s an old-fashioned cucumber salad with the best creamy dressing that’s perfect with all the summer main dishes. You’ll want to fire up the grill and pair this salad with my best bbq chicken marinade, baked beans, and some lemonade to sip on for a great summer dinner. So tasty and easy to make!

Why You’ll Love this Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe

• I love cucumbers during the summer – they’re crisp, fresh, and perfect in this salad. They’re paired with red onion and that dreamy dill dressing for a delicious side dish.
• You only need seven simple ingredients to make it and there’s very little prep work. It only takes about 15 minutes to make!
• This is a cucumber salad without mayonnaise – not everyone is a fan and I’ve found that sour cream works great. It gives the dressing a tangy flavor that’s so good.

Ingredients for Cucumber Salad

• English cucumbers – I like this type for this salad because they have fewer seeds and aren’t as bitter as regular cucumbers.
• Red onion – Make sure it’s thinly sliced so that each bite isn’t overpowered by onion flavor.
• Sour cream – This is the key to making a creamy cucumber salad. If you don’t like sour cream, you can use Greek yogurt instead.
• White vinegar – Vinegar adds a little bit of bite to this cucumber salad. You can also add some fresh lemon juice for more of that tart bite.
• White sugar – Balance the flavors with a little dash of sugar.
• Minced dill – Fresh dill is best! You can also use dried dill if that is all that you can find.
• Salt and pepper – Bring out the delicious flavors of this dish with a touch of black pepper and salt.

How to Make Creamy Cucumber Salad

I like to peel the cucumbers, but this is optional. As long as the cucumber has a thinner skin, it’s okay to leave it on. Your choice!

Whether you peel it or not, you’ll want to thinly slice it with a sharp knife.

The dressing is very easy – combine the sour cream, vinegar, sugar, dill, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Then add the sliced cucumber and onion. Gently stir to coat everything evenly in the dressing.

Chill the creamy cucumber salad for one hour before serving so it’s nice and cold.

How to Store Creamy Cucumber Salad

This salad will keep for several days, but the dressing may get thinned from the water from the cucumbers. If you plan to keep it in the refrigerator I would salt and drain the cucumber first as I mentioned before. Make sure you keep it in airtight storage container too.

How far in advance can you make creamy cucumber salad?

The best way to make it ahead of time is to wait to add the cucumber. You can make the dressing up to days in advance. On the day you want to serve it, slice the cucumber, onion, toss them with the salad and then refrigerate. It won’t take any time at all!

How do you keep cucumber salad from getting watery?

Cucumber has a lot of water which can leak out and turn your salad watery. To avoid this excess moisture, it’s best to serve the salad within an hour of making it. The longer the salad sits it will get more watery.

If it’s going to be sitting out or in the refrigerator for more than an hour you can drain the cucumber first. Place the slices in a colander and sprinkle them with salt. Leave them for 30 minutes or so – the salt will draw out the water and it will drain off. Rinse the slices and pat them dry with paper towels, then make the salad.

Do you peel cucumbers for salad?

It depends. If the cucumbers have a thin skin, you don’t have to peel them. If the skin is thicker it may add a bitter flavor to your salad so it would be best to peel it. Peeling cucumbers won’t add too much to your prep time and could improve the flavor of this cucumber onion salad.

What to Serve with Creamy Cucumber Salad

This yummy salad is great alongside burgers, hot dogs, and tasty chicken. A summer shrimp boil always needs a yummy side dish too, and this salad is perfect. It also goes great with baja shrimp tacos.

You can also serve it with dishes like parmesan crusted tilapia and ham balls too. It’s a quick and easy side for dishes like pork schnitzel and air fryer shrimp.

Cool, creamy, and crunchy! This salad has all the best things going on – the best side dish for all of your summer events! I hope you give a try and love it as much as we do.

More BBQ Side Dishes!

• For another cold salad try my Watermelon Salad! It’s a little sweet and savory – the perfect summer dish!
• Pesto Pasta Salad is always a hit when I make it. It pairs perfectly with all of your favorite grilled main dishes.
• Everyone loves Broccoli Salad! Crunchy with a delicious dressing, you’ll want to make it all summer long.
• This creamy Dill Potato Salad is a delicious twist on your traditional version.
• Quick and easy creamy Shrimp Pasta Salad comes together quickly for summer picnics and potlucks.
• Red, White & Blue Salad is a refreshing, patriotic dessert packed with fresh blueberries and strawberries!
• These Cucumber Sandwiches are so easy to make and the perfect idea for bridal and baby showers, Mother’s Day, Easter or tea!