When it’s 104° in the shade and even the thought of turning on the stove makes your hair frizz up, this old-fashioned sour cream cucumber salad is the answer. Cool, crisp, creamy, and just tangy enough to wake up your taste buds—it’s been gracing Southern tables longer than Tupperware parties and sweet tea pitchers.
Made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, this easy side dish takes minutes to throw together and tastes even better after a little fridge time. It’s the perfect pairing for fried chicken, grilled pork chops, or anything that comes off the BBQ. And, leftovers make the best sandwiches.
Table of Contents
Want the classic tricks for slicing, swapping, and storing like a Southern granny with a garden full of cucumbers? Download the free sour cream cucumber salad kitchen cheat sheet here.
❤️ Why this is an A-List recipe
- Cooler than your Aunt Jean’s iced tea pitcher. This salad is refreshing, crisp, and creamy without being heavy. It’s basically air conditioning in a bowl.
- No-fuss, no-cook, no kidding. Just slice, mix, chill, and serve. It’s the kind of easy recipe you can make with one eye open and a cold drink in your hand.
- Goes with everything. Fried chicken? Yep. BBQ ribs? Obviously. Leftover meatloaf and a prayer? Even better. It’s the side dish that shows up and shows out.
This easy salad is light and refreshing - a classic recipe that's almost a requirement at summer parties and a nice change from pasta salads.
🧾 Ingredients for sour cream cucumber salald
- Cucumbers – The star of the show. Go for firm, fresh ones that don’t look like they’ve had a rough day at the grocery store. If you use English cukes or homegrown ones with thin skins you won't have to peel them
- Salt – Not just for seasoning. It draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers so they stay snappy and don’t turn into sad little slivers. You’ll rinse it off—no need to panic.
- Sour Cream – Thick, tangy, and the reason this salad feels like it belongs at a summer wedding and a backyard fish fry. You could substitute plain Greek yogurt if you wish.
- Red Onion – For a little bite and a lot of color. Sliced super thin unless you’re trying to ruin friendships.
- Sugar – Just a whisper. Balances the tang and makes everything taste like Southern hospitality.
- Vinegar – White or apple cider. Brings the twang, brightens the flavor, and keeps it from being too rich.
- Black Pepper – Because we’re not animals, Brenda. A few grinds brings it all together.
📖 Recipe
Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
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Cucumbers
- 4 cups cucumbers, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup onion, peeled and sliced - more or less to taste
Dressing
- ¾ cup sour cream, don't use nonfat
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar, more or less to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle with the tablespoon of salt - stir gently so all the slices are coated with the salt.
- Let stand for 30 minutes.
- Pour out any liquid in the bowl and rinse the salt off the cucumber slices. Pat dry.
- Toss the cucumbers and onions together in a large bowl. Add the dressing, stirring to coat the cucumbers completely.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Sour cream dressing
- Whisk the sour cream, vinegar, and about 2 teaspoons of sugar together.
- Taste and add more sugar if desired.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over the cucumbers as directed above.
Notes
- If you use English cucumbers you won't have to peel them. The skins are more tender and not bitter at all.
- A mandolin slicer makes creating even-sized slices of cucumber a breeze!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make creamy cucumber salad
- Place the cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle them with a tablespoon of kosher salt. Stir gently so all the slices are coated with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. This helps remove excess juices from the cucumbers.
- Pour out any liquid in the bowl. Rinse the salt off the cucumber slices. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
- Toss the cucumbers and onions together in a large serving bowl and stir in the dressing.
Why do you salt the cucumber slices?
This is called "sweating". The salt removes some of the water from the slices and keeps the cucumbers from getting soggy in the dressing.
📚 Related recipes
This creamy cucumber salad recipe (and other side dishes made with dairy or mayonnaise) need to be handled carefully if you will be eating outside. Be sure to keep these foods chilled.
- Pea Salad disappears really fast at picnics and potlucks. Tender-crisp peas, cheddar, and bacon in a creamy dressing? Yes please!
- Sweet Heat Refrigerator Pickles are an easy way to deal with an abundance of cucumbers!
- Creamy Southern Coleslaw Copycat is almost required if you're serving fried chicken! SO good.
This summer side dish is so refreshing on those hot days! It's a welcome addition to the dinner no matter how unbearably steamy and sticky it is outside.
Mom made a creamy version and a tangy vinaigrette cucumber salad version of this recipe but this one is my favorite.
This creamy cucumber salad was pretty much a daily dish all summer long when I was growing up.
My mom sliced cucumbers from our backyard garden into a bowl of salt and left them for about a half hour. After that, she rinsed them well, patted them dry, and added the onions and sour cream mixture.
I was so addicted. In fact, I loved when there were enough left that I could make a sandwich out of them.
After the cucumbers were gone Mom would just add more cucumbers to the tangy dressing that was left in the bowl.
I'm sure that by today's standards that's all kinds of dangerous but back then it was a standard practice.
If you make this - and you know you will - be sure to take a picture and tag me on instagram @marye_restlesschipotle!
PJ says
My family ate my Polish grandmothers cuke salad all the time too. Sometimes she would add tomato, but the onion, sour cream and cukes is a classic, thanks so much for the memory. Adding the vinegar and pepper - brilliant!
Lorraine GunnI says
I used to love this cold refreshing salad my mother's best friend, Lillian used to make for her big family picknics. Now I see what key ingredient I was leaving out, when I tried to recreate this at home: salt! Thankyou for bringing back a nice 1960's memory (on my birthday).
Lorraine
Marye says
Happy birthday!
Wendy Wismer says
This along with tomatoes,cucs and onions in oil and vinegar was a summer staple. We reused the dressing multiple times and lived to tell the tale! The only difference is a cucumber salad had to have fresh dill. This is a salad that tastes like my Nanas farm!
Gail Reinke says
Do not have a printer but can not wait until I do to print your wonderful suggestions!!