Description
A refreshing, tangy, and creamy cucumber salad that serves as the perfect palate cleanser for heavy meals. This gluten-free side dish is easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and improves with chilling time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium English or Persian cucumbers (about 1.5 lbs / 700g), sliced into thin half-moons
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 50g)
- ½ cup fresh dill, chopped (about 15g)
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream (120g)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (60g)
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar (30ml)
- 1–2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt (plus more for drawing out moisture)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or whole grain mustard (optional)
Instructions
- Wash cucumbers and slice them into thin half-moons (about ¼-inch thick). If using regular cucumbers, peel and scoop out seeds first.
- Place sliced cucumbers in a large bowl, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt, and toss well. Let sit for 15-20 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Pour cucumbers into a colander, rinse briefly under cold water to remove excess salt, and squeeze gently or press with paper towels to remove as much water as possible.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, white pepper, and a pinch of salt until smooth and sugar is dissolved.
- Add the drained cucumbers, sliced red onion, and chopped fresh dill to the dressing. Toss gently to coat evenly.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours) to allow flavors to meld.
- Stir once before serving. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar if needed. Serve cold.
Notes
Do not skip the salting and draining step, as it prevents the salad from becoming watery. Squeeze the cucumbers thoroughly after rinsing. White pepper is traditional but black pepper can be used. The salad improves in flavor after chilling and can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Do not reheat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: German cucumber salad, creamy cucumber salad, dill salad, side dish, gluten-free, summer salad, picnic food, palate cleanser