Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream and Dill

Instead of following a trendy recipe, this salad deserves a place in your rotaion because it is genuinely good. Cucumbers create a refreshing salad, and combined with a creamy sour cream dressing and a hint of vinegar to brighten the flavor, it takes no time to make. Dill in the sour cream dressing gets better the longer it sits. If you grow cucumbers in Iowa like I do, by July you’ll have an abundance of them. One of the best ways to use up a large quantity of cucumbers is this salad, as it keeps in the fridge for days.

Why This Works

Many cucumber salads tend to be either lackluster and watery or worst yet, too much dressing turning them into mush. This recipe is different. What makes all the difference here is salting the cucumbers before dressing them. You see, cucumbers, when sliced, release a large amount of moisture. Not doing this step would result in your dressing getting diluted and turning your salad into a soup. Salt draws moisture out to a point that is remains behind and is instead, a cucumber that has a structure and remains crisp even after sitting overnight.

The dad’s sour cream dressing is cream-based but not too heavy. The white vinegar also provides a bright, lilting sharpness that helps to offset the richness of the sour cream, and the dried dill weed is that nostalgic flavor that makes this reminiscent of something a grandma would have set out at a summer potluck, but in a good way. A bit of sugar balances the flavor with sweetness. The interplay of the four dominant flavors – creaminess, a sharp tang, herbiness, and a whisper of sweetness – is what makes this dressing so excellent.

You can count on this recipe because it can be made ahead of time. Just mix everything together, seal it, and stick it in the fridge for 12–24 hours. The dressing and flavors mix together and taste better than if you served it rinse. That makes it perfect for cookouts, potlucks, and other situations where you want to get a side dish done the day before.

What You Need to Know Before You Start

Before you start chopping up any of the ingredients for the salad you can do a few things that will simplify the process.

You must do the salting step to keep the salad from getting watery. Although it may feel like additional work, this step will pull moisture out of the cucumbers, so it will not turn into a puddle. Salting cucumbers is one of the most effective secrets for a crisp salad. Sprinkle the sliced cucumbers with about half a teaspoon of extra salt, let them sit for 20-30 minutes, then rinse and pat them dry. Be sure to rinse them, or your salad will taste like the ocean!

Thin slices are important. You want cucumbers to be thin enough to be flexed to absorb the dressing but not so thin that they will fall apart on you. About an eighth of an inch should do the trick. You can do this manually with a knife, but it will be time-consuming. A mandolin will make it so that every slice is uniform and cut your prep time in half. I’ve had a Norpro mandolin for a long time and it is easy to operate, simple to clean, and costs around $17. For any recipe that requires a lot of slicing, this is worth the money.

Be sure to plan this salad ahead of time. It really does need to develop. If you make it and taste it right after, then the dressing might seem thin and the cucumbers could taste underdressed. Take this salad to the fridge for at least 12 hours and you'll taste the difference. Making this salad the morning of a cookout or the day before will make it even better.

***A mixing bowl with a lid is best. You will want to store this in the fridge for up to 24 hours before serving, and ideally, you will want to save some leftovers for a few days.*** ***A large mixing bowl with a good lid will keep everything contained, and makes it easier to toss everything together before serving. I like to use the glass mixing bowl sets with lids for this type of recipe — they can go straight from the fridge to the table and you can see what you have in them.***

Ingredients and What to Look For

This recipe features a short list of ingredients. Here’s what to consider while selecting them.

Cucumbers

You will need four large cucumbers. The standard slicing variety known as garden cucumbers will work just fine for this. When choosing cucumbers from the store, pick cucumbers that are firm all the way to the ends and have no soft spots. Long, shrink-wrapped cucumbers that are English cucumbers also work well and usually have fewer seeds which means less moisture to contend with. Stay away from cucumbers that feel hollow when you press down on them and have soft tips.

If your cucumbers have thick skins, or a lot of seeds, you can peel them completely and scoop out some of the seeds with a spoon before slicing. Garden cucumbers can be on the larger size mid-summer, so use your judgment. Four large cucumbers is a generous amount that feeds a crowd.

Sour Cream

The perfect texture and flavor comes from using full-fat sour cream. Low-fat sour cream can work, but the dressing will end up thinner, and the cucumber will be able to taste the difference. Unless you really like the taste, don’t use Greek yogurt here. It alters the flavor significantly, although it’s a change some people enjoy.

Dried Dill Weed

This recipe is centered on dried dill, but if you have fresh dill available, perhaps from your garden, you can go for a tablespoon and a half of fresh dill in place of the one and a half teaspoons of dried dill. Dried dill doesn’t taste as fresh and bright as fresh dill, but the flavor of the dried dill always comes through, especially clear after the salad has had time to sit.

White Vinegar

White vinegar will provide a bright, cleaned flavor but you can use apple cider vinegar instead if you want a more mellow fruitier flavor. For an even gentler touch, you can use rice vinegar. What you don’t want is balsamic or red wine vinegar, which would clash with the dill and sour cream.

Sweet Onion (Optional)

The sliced sweet onion (optional for the recipe) adds bite and complexity to the salad. Vidalia and Walla Walla onions are some of the most mild. Cut them as thin as the cucumbers. If raw onion is too sharp for your taste, soak the slices in cold water for ten minutes before adding them to the salad. This will take the edge off.

How to Make Cucumber Salad

Step 1: Peel and Slice the Cucumbers

Peel the cucumbers and slice them thin, about an eighth of an inch. A mandoline slicer is perfect for this, and will help you do it quickly and consistently. If you are slicing by hand, a sharp chef’s knife and a steady hand will do the job, just a bit more slowly. If you are using a sharp chef’s knife, ensure it’s actually sharp as a dull knife will compress and bruise the cucumbers instead of slicing them cleanly. Also, at this stage, slice the onion thin if you are including it.

Step 2: Salt and Drain

To get started, you will need a colander, a bowl, and, preferably, a sink. Layer your colander with your sliced cucumbers and add about half a teaspoon of salt. (This is to go on top of what is in the dressing recipe.) Mix it and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. You will see the liquid pool. Don’t worry, that is the water you need to get rid of in the salad. After 30 minutes, rinse the cucumbers with cold water and pat, or, spin them, dry. If you have a salad spinner, great! It will remove more moisture than patting with paper towels. It is also faster.

Step 3: Make the Dressing

In another bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, white vinegar, dried dill weed, and salt and pepper, and whisk until blended. You can taste it at this point; it should have a tangy and creamy flavor with a good seasoning balance. If the flavor is too flat, sprinkle a little more salt. If it tastes too tart, add a touch of sugar. Adjust the flavor however you want before it gets mixed with the cucumbers.

Step 4: Combine and Refrigerate

Place the drained cucumbers (and onions if using) in a large bowl or container with a tight-fitting lid. Add the dressing and toss gently to coat. Close the lid and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours. 24 hours is best. The cucumbers will soften a bit, and the dressing will flavor the cucumbers like a 30 minute chill just can’t achieve.

Step 5: Toss and Serve

Before serving, toss the salad to mix the ingredients and redistribute the dressing. You may need to taste and adjust the seasoning. Salad should be served straight from the fridge. This dish is best enjoyed as a side to grilled meats, sandwiches, or anything from the summer cookout spread.

Tips

• Don’t skip the salting and draining step — it’s the single most important thing you can do to keep this salad from turning watery.
• A mandoline slicer makes thin, even slices fast. If you’re making this regularly through cucumber season, it’s a worthwhile tool to have.
• Full-fat sour cream gives you a richer, creamier dressing. Low-fat works but the texture is thinner.
• Fresh dill is a worthy upgrade if you have it. Use about three times the amount of dried dill called for.
• Adding sliced sweet onion is optional, but it adds a layer of flavor that pairs well with the dill. Vidalia onions are the mildest choice.
• Taste the dressing before adding it to the cucumbers. Adjust the vinegar and sugar to your preference — some people like it tangier, some like it more balanced.
• This salad is better on day two than day one. Make it ahead whenever you can.
• If you’re serving a smaller group, this recipe scales down easily — just halve everything.
• The salad keeps well for three to four days in the fridge, though the cucumbers will soften over time. It’s at its crispest in the first 24 to 48 hours.

Storage

Keep your salad in an airtight container in the fridge, it will last for about three to four days. If you prefer crunchier cucumbers, eat it sooner, like within 1 to 2 days. Once past this, the cucumbers will still taste great, just a little mushy.

Please do not freeze this salad. Cucumbers and sour cream do not freeze well. The cucumbers will turn mushy, and the dressing will separate. At that point, there’s no salvaging it.

To keep your batch crisp for longer, store the dressing on the side and mix with the cucumbers each day instead of all at once. That being said, it usually finishes before the three-day mark, so it isn’t normally a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

Of course, Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute. Use the same amount of plain full-fat Greek yogurt. The flavor will be a bit tangier and less creamy than with sour cream and the dressing will be a little bit thinner. Some people like it that way. If the yogurt makes the dressing too tart, just reduce the vinegar a little or add a bit more sugar.

Do I have to peel the cucumbers?

The cucumbers you typically find in grocery stores have thick and waxy skins. Those skins don’t soften with the flesh, so they are not as pleasant as the flesh to eat. The same goes for standard, garden, and slicing cucumbers that are sold at stores. However, the skin on English cucumbers, which are long cucumbers that are sold in shrink wrap, are thinner. Because of this, peeling English cucumbers is a personal choice as opposed to a requirement. There is no right or wrong answer, but most people prefer to eat this salad without the skins because the texture of the salad is much better that way.

My salad got watery. What went wrong?

This is often the case because the cucumbers were not drained sufficiently prior to the addition of the dressing. Cucumbers tend to lose large volumes of water when they are placed in a salty environment. Be sure to salt and drain the cucumbers for 20 to 30 minutes and rinse and dry the cucumbers before adding dressing. Ensure the container is sealed tightly in the refrigerator because exposure to air can increase the amount of liquid released.

Can I add other vegetables to this salad?

Absolutely. Radishes give a nice crunch and a spicy hit. Just before serving, halved cherry tomatoes are a sweet surprise; don’t add them until the last minute or they will get mushy. Sliced bell pepper adds crunch and a touch of sweetness. Choose veggies that will withstand the dressing without disintegrating.

Can I make this the day before?

Yes! You should make this salad ahead of time. The salad is best after sitting in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, so making it the night before your cookout or potluck is perfect! Not only will it taste better, it will also be more well-seasoned than if you served it the same day you made it.

What’s the best cucumber variety for this recipe?

Standard slicing cucumbers from the garden are excellent and what this recipe was built around. English cucumbers are a close second because they have thinner skin and fewer seeds, making them easier to work with. Kirby cucumbers (the small pickling ones) are also great, but you’ll need more of them because they have a firmer texture. Persian cucumbers are small, tender skinned, and mild in flavor. If you see them at the grocery store, grab them. As the garden season comes to an end, the cucumbers can be off. Avoid large, bitter cucumbers that are more waterlogged and bitter. These have a more seedy and less desirable texture.

Is this the same as German cucumber salad?

It’s the same. Except here, we have been able to capture the essence of classic German Gurkensalat, which traditionally uses dill, vinegar, and sour cream dressings. Variations of the recipe exist that either use heavy cream instead of sour, and some eschew the sugar. If you have eaten Gurkensalat at German restaurants or summer parties, this will taste very familiar. This combination of ingredients has been proven to work, and appears across many different cuisines.

Related Recipes

Pasta salad is an easy option for summer events! It stays good in the fridge for days and is great for larger gatherings. Another great option is coleslaw. It goes with just about anything off the grill! If you have a lot of zucchinis in your garden, be sure to check out some of the summer squash recipes. It helps to give you ideas on how to use your mid-summer harvest!