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Creamy Cucumber Salad is the cool, tangy, herb flecked side that disappears first at every cookout, and it comes together in just 15 minutes. I started bringing this to summer barbecues when our garden gave us more cucumbers than we knew what to do with, and Maddie now asks for it by name. If you love an easy make ahead side like our classic pasta salad, this creamy cucumber salad belongs on your table.
With crisp English cucumbers in a dilly sour cream dressing, it is refreshing, crunchy, and ready in minutes with no cooking at all.
Creamy Cucumber Salad Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 77kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Cool, creamy, and tangy with fresh dill, chives, and crisp cucumber
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as simple as our creamy macaroni salad
Quick Answer
To make Creamy Cucumber Salad, whisk together sour cream, red wine vinegar, garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper into a smooth dressing. Stir in fresh dill and chives, then fold in thinly sliced English cucumbers until everything is coated. Serve right away for the crispest bite or chill briefly, no cooking required and it is ready in about 15 minutes.
Jump to:
- Creamy Cucumber Salad Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Creamy Cucumber Salad FAQs
- Other Recommended Cookout Side Recipes
- Creamy Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Sour cream makes it luxuriously creamy. A sour cream base clings to every cucumber slice for a rich, tangy coating that mayo based salads cannot match.
- English cucumbers stay crisp. Thin skinned and nearly seedless, English cucumbers hold their crunch and release less water so the dressing stays thick.
- Red wine vinegar brightens everything. A splash of vinegar plus a little Dijon cuts the richness and wakes up all the fresh herb flavor.
- Fresh dill and chives do the heavy lifting. Real chopped herbs give this salad its signature garden fresh taste that dried herbs just cannot deliver.
- A touch of honey balances the tang. Just two teaspoons of honey rounds out the vinegar and salt so every bite tastes balanced, not sharp.
- It comes together in one bowl. Whisk, stir, and fold with no cooking, so it is the easiest side to throw together for a crowd.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is cool, creamy, and crunchy with a fresh herb flavor that tastes like summer.
- It is ready in 15 minutes with no cooking and just one bowl to wash.
- It is the perfect light side next to rich mains like our fall off the bone BBQ ribs.
Key Ingredients
A short list of fresh ingredients is all it takes for this creamy, herby side.
- English Cucumbers: Thin skinned and nearly seedless, they stay crisp and need no peeling or seeding.
- Sour Cream: The creamy, tangy base of the dressing. Full fat gives the richest texture.
- Fresh Dill and Chives: The fresh herbs that make this salad taste bright and garden fresh, so skip the dried.
- Red Wine Vinegar and Dijon: They add tang and a little sharpness that balances the creamy sour cream.
- Honey and Garlic: A touch of honey softens the acidity while fresh garlic adds savory depth.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make this cucumber salad your own with a few simple swaps.
- Swap Greek yogurt for the sour cream for a lighter, protein packed version.
- Add thinly sliced red onion or radish for extra crunch and color.
- Stir in crumbled feta or a handful of cherry tomatoes to make it a fuller salad.
- Use fresh mint or parsley in place of dill for a different herb profile.
- Serve it as a cool topping for grilled mains like our smash burgers.
How to Make Creamy Cucumber Salad
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Add the chopped fresh dill and sliced chives and stir until the herbs are evenly distributed through the dressing.
- Add the thinly sliced English cucumbers and stir gently until every slice is coated. Serve right away or chill until ready to eat.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Slice the cucumbers thin. A mandoline gives even, thin slices that soak up the dressing best.
- Use English cucumbers. They are nearly seedless and stay crisp, so there is no need to peel or seed.
- Serve it fresh. Cucumbers release water over time, so this salad is crispest within a few hours.
- Salt the cucumbers for crunch. For a make ahead version, salt and drain the slices first to keep the dressing from thinning.
- Taste and adjust. Add a pinch more salt or a touch more honey at the end to balance the tang to your liking.
- Chill the bowl. Mixing in a cold bowl keeps everything refreshing right up to serving.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This cool, creamy salad is the ultimate cookout sidekick. Pile it next to BBQ ribs or our crispy fried hot honey chicken for a plate that balances rich and refreshing. It is right at home on a potluck table beside ham and swiss sliders and a tray of smash burgers. The creamy crunch is a welcome contrast to all that savory protein. For an easy weeknight dinner, serve it with crock pot lemon garlic chicken thighs or an Italian lemon chicken foil packet. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the cucumbers soften as they sit.
Creamy Cucumber Salad FAQs
Creamy Cucumber Salad is best within a few hours but keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The cucumbers release water and soften over time, so give it a quick stir and drain any extra liquid before serving leftovers.
No. English cucumbers have thin, tender skin and very few seeds, so there is no need to peel or seed them for Creamy Cucumber Salad. If you use regular slicing cucumbers, you may want to peel them and scrape out the seeds.
To keep Creamy Cucumber Salad from getting watery, use crisp English cucumbers and serve it fresh. For a make ahead batch, salt the cucumber slices and let them drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes, then pat dry before tossing with the dressing.
Yes. Swap the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt for a lighter, higher protein Creamy Cucumber Salad. The flavor will be a touch tangier, so add an extra pinch of honey if you want to balance it out.
Creamy Cucumber Salad pairs beautifully with grilled and barbecued mains like ribs, burgers, fried chicken, and pulled pork. Its cool, tangy crunch is a refreshing contrast to rich, smoky, or fried foods at any cookout.
You can prep the dressing and slice the cucumbers separately up to a day ahead, then toss them together right before serving. This keeps the cucumbers in your Creamy Cucumber Salad as crisp as possible.
Looking for another fresh side to round out your spread? Try our kale and quinoa salad with cranberries and pecans next.
For a Greek-inspired dinner, serve this with our greek fries.
Round out a summer table with a creamy cucumber salad and a bowl of orzo pasta salad.
Cool things down with creamy cucumber salad next to a plate of homemade Greek gyros.
Prefer it tangy over creamy? This vinegar cucumber salad is the one for you.
Love fresh, crunchy sides? Our cucumber tomato feta salad is bright, easy, and no-cook.
Drizzle our apple cider vinegar dressing over salads for a tangy, restaurant-style finish.
Creamy Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- .5 ounce chives thinly sliced (5 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds English cucumbers thinly sliced
Instructions
- Whisk together the sour cream, vinegar, garlic, honey, dijon, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.2/3 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Add the chives and dill, stir to combine..5 ounce chives, 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- Add the cucumbers and stir, coating everything in the dressing. Serve immediately or chill until serving.1 1/2 pounds English cucumbers
Notes
- Use a sharp knife or mandoline for even slices.
- Pat cucumbers dry with a paper towel before mixing to reduce excess water.
- Let the salad chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Add the salt after slicing the cucumbers to help draw out extra moisture.
- Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture.
- Taste the dressing before adding the cucumbers—you can always tweak the tangy sour cream mix to your liking!
Nutrition
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