Creamy Cucumber Salad with Fresh Dill

A Salad for Fresh Cucumber Season

I discovered this cucumber salad several years ago, and it’s been on repeat in our house ever since. My daughter-in-law is a big fan of dill — anything with that flavor in it — and the first time I made this for her, she absolutely loved it. Now I have to make it every year when the fresh cucumbers start coming in.

It’s one of those simple little recipes that makes you feel like you’ve really accomplished something, even though it takes about ten minutes and nothing gets cooked. The dressing is creamy with just the right amount of tang, the fresh dill makes it smell incredible, and the cucumbers stay nice and crisp. Let me show you how to make it.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes Chill Time: 2 hours (optional) Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

• 3–4 cucumbers (depending on size)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried dill)
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, salt, sugar, and white vinegar. Stir until smooth.
2. Prep the fresh dill. Pull the feathery little sprigs off the ends of the dill stalks (discard the tough stalks). Gather the sprigs together, twist or roll them up finely, then run your knife down and through them to get finer pieces. You want about a tablespoon. Stir the dill into the dressing — it’ll smell wonderful right away.
3. Peel and slice the cucumbers. Peel your cucumbers (it’s fine to leave a little bit of the peel on here and there if you’d like — that’s not going to hurt anything). Cut off the ends and slice them into rounds about a quarter to a half inch thick. If your cucumbers are on the larger side, 2 may be plenty; if they’re smaller, use 3 or 4.
4. Combine. Add the cucumber slices to the dressing and stir well. The cucumbers tend to stick together, so make sure you separate them and get the dressing coating each piece.
5. Serve or chill. You can serve this immediately, or chill it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. Either way works beautifully.

Tips

• This salad is best the first day or two. Because of the high water content in cucumbers, it doesn’t keep much longer than that.
• Stir it again every time you serve it — the cucumbers release water as it sits, so the dressing needs redistributing.
• Fresh dill really is best here. If you only have dried, use 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon since dried herbs are more potent.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does creamy cucumber salad last in the fridge? It’s best within the first 1–2 days. After that, the cucumbers release too much water and it gets soggy. Plan to enjoy it fresh.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream? Yes, you can substitute plain Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter version. The flavor will be a little sharper but still delicious.

Do I have to peel the cucumbers? Not completely — leaving some of the peel on is perfectly fine and adds a little color. If you’re using English or Persian cucumbers, you may not need to peel them at all.

What if I don’t have fresh dill? Use dried dill instead — just use 1 teaspoon since dried herbs are more potent than fresh. It will still be delicious.

Can I make this ahead for a potluck? You can make it a few hours ahead, but I wouldn’t make it the day before. For best results, mix it up within a few hours of serving.

Can I use a different vinegar? White vinegar gives it that classic sharp tang, but apple cider vinegar works too and adds a slightly fruitier note. Avoid balsamic — it’s too strong for this salad.

Is this cucumber salad keto-friendly? With the 1 tablespoon of sugar removed or swapped for a sugar substitute, yes — cucumbers, sour cream, vinegar, and dill are all low-carb ingredients.

What should I serve this with? It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, fish, burgers, or as part of a cold salad plate alongside chicken salad and fruit salad for a light lunch.

Why does my cucumber salad get watery? Cucumbers naturally release water as they sit in the dressing. This is normal. To minimize it, you can salt the sliced cucumbers and let them drain on paper towels for 15 minutes before adding to the dressing — though honestly, I usually skip that step and just give it a stir before serving.

Can I add onion to this salad? Absolutely. A thinly sliced small sweet onion or a little bit of red onion would be delicious in this. Just slice it very thin so it blends in.

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Thanks for joining us at Mary Katherine’s Table! If you make this cucumber salad, we’d love to hear how it turned out. And remember — go out today and find somebody who needs a little bit of kindness, and give them some of yours.

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