A simple salad is the perfect side dish on a hot summer day! This takes just minutes to make!
Next time try my classic potato salad recipe.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- crunchy cucumbers
- rich, creamy sour cream dressing
- perfect side dish to any summer meal
If you're looking for an old fashioned creamy cucumber salad recipe with plenty of sour cream and onions (you know, like mom used to make) you are in luck!
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.
Crisp, cool cucumbers and sweet onions are tossed together in a lick-the-bowl-delicious sour cream dressing.
If you have any leftover the next day it makes an amazing filling for a sandwich!
🧾 Ingredients
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- English cucumbers or the regular cucumbers. Peel them if they are waxed.
- kosher salt
- red onion ( I still think it's purple onion - but whatever)
- sour cream
- cider vinegar
- cracked black pepper
Sometimes I use a 1015 or vidalia onion - not as pretty but SO delicious!
🔪 Instructions
Step one
- Place the cucumber slices in a large bowl and sprinkle them with the tablespoon of kosher salt. Stir gently so all the slices are coated with the salt.
- Let stand for 30 minutes.
- Pour out any liquid in the bowl. Rinse the salt off the cucumber slices. Pat dry.
Step two
- Toss the cucumbers and onions together in a large serving bowl.
- Add the dressing, stirring to coat the vegetables completely.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
🥄 Equipment
You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
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- mandoline slicer
- large bowl
- small bowl
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- tea towel
- colander
These cute red and white serving bowls are the best option for taking chilled foods to potlucks and picnics. Since they're insulated the food stays cold and less chance of spoilage in the heat. They have their own covers, too.
🥫 Storage
Store leftover creamy cucumber salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. After that it gets kind of watery.
This easy salad recipe is best served fresh - it doesn't freeze well.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip:If you use English cucumbers you won't have to peel them. The skins are more tender and not bitter at all.
- Depending on your tastes you can use a large or small red onion. I like lots of onion so I use large.
- Salting the cucumbers gets rid of excess moisture that can make your salad watery. I'd advise against skipping this step.
- If you're using fresh garden cucumbers there's no need to peel them.
- Vidalia onions are a delicious alternative to the red onions.
- I use lots of cracked black pepper because Mom did but I know some people prefer to use white pepper so the finished dish doesn't look speckled.
- A mandoline slicer makes creating even sized slices of cucumber a breeze!
👩🍳 FAQs
This is probably one of the easiest summer side dishes known to man but if you've never made it before you may have a couple of questions. Here are the most common questions that I am asked about my favorite cucumbers in sour cream!
You can! It will have a slightly different texture and taste but it's definitely an acceptable substitute.
Use regular cucumbers from the store and peel them or you can use the English cucumbers - they have thin skins so no need to peel. Of course, if you have access to fresh cucumbers from the garden those are the best!
This is called "sweating". The salt removes some of the water from the slices and keeps the cucumbers from getting soggy in the dressing.
By using the "sweating method" above. It keeps your salad from being watery and only takes a few extra minutes.
I used white onions in this recipe but yellow or red onions are fine, too. It just depends on the look you want.
It will be fine for at least 4 days if you store it, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Maybe longer, we've just not ever had any last that long.
You can. Your salad may get a little watery but it will taste fine.
📖 Variations
With a plethora of fresh summer produce it's good to have a few recipes that use it while it's in season - and this is one of the best.
There are so many ways you can make this recipe you own! Different herbs, different amount sugar, you can even stir in different vegetables. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Add fresh dill or basil instead of parsley.
- Add some crushed red pepper flakes for an unexpected punch of fresh flavor.
- Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Try half mayonnaise and half sour cream or even all mayo.
- Add a squeeze of lemon.
- Add a clove of garlic, minced.
- Chop jalapenos in a small dice and stir in.
- Add sliced, quartered, or diced ripe tomato.
- Consider adding some Ranch dressing to taste.
📚 Related recipes
Cool, creamy salads are such a refreshing compliment to grilled meats and other summer recipes. I have several that have been family traditions every summer for as long as I can remember...
And that's a long time. This is one of my favorite salad recipes because it's SO refreshing!
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.
- Macaroni Salad is classic, isn't it? Tender elbow macaroni, finely chopped vegetables, and plenty of green olives enveloped in a creamy dressing. YUM!
- Pea Salad disappears really fast at picnics and potlucks. Tender-crisp peas, cheddar, and bacon in a creamy dressing? Yes please!
- BBQ Macaroni Salad is like old fashioned macaroni salad but has the tangy addition of bbq sauce to the dressing. So good.
- Cowboy Caviar or Black Eyed Pea Salad has always been one of my favorites with its earthy, spicy flavors. It's another refreshing dish to serve during hot summer months!
- Creamy KFC Coleslaw Copycat is almost required if you're serving fried chicken! SO good.
📞 The last word
I could eat this stuff all day long, every week, all summer.
Mom made a creamy version and a tangy vinaigrette 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 our garden cucumbers into a bowl of salt and left them for about a half hour. After that she rinsed them well, patted 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.
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.
Summer Party? Be sure to check out these holiday menus! It makes planning your party so easy! I've put together clickable menus for several different holidays.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream
Print Pin Recipe SaveIngredients
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
Step one
- 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.
Step two
- 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
- Depending on your tastes you can use a large or small red onion. I like lots of onion so I use large.
- Vidalia onions are a delicious alternative to the red onions.
- I use lots of cracked black pepper because Mom did but I know some people prefer to use white pepper so the finished dish doesn't look speckled.
- A mandoline slicer makes creating even sized slices of cucumber a breeze!
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published May 23, 2019. Last updated June 24, 2021 for better images and increased information.
Lorraine GunnI
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
Happy birthday!
Wendy Wismer
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
Do not have a printer but can not wait until I do to print your wonderful suggestions!!