Creamy Cucumber Salad

Name: Creamy Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 large English Cucumber (thinly sliced); 1 small red onion (thinly sliced); 1/2 cup sour cream (or dairy-free plain yogurt); 2 tbsp fresh dill (chopped); 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove (minced); Kosher salt and ground pepper (to taste)

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This creamy cucumber salad recipe is super easy to make and takes just 10 minutes with very little effort. Perfect salad to enjoy all year round that’s low in carbs and keto-friendly.

top view cucumber salad in a white bowl with herbs and purple onion

Light, creamy, crunchy, and flavorful salad recipe that’s great to serve all year long but perfectly suitable for hot summer days. This creamy cucumber and onion salad recipe makes for a refreshing side dish that’s made with cucumbers, sour cream, onions, savory herbs and spices, and a dash of lemons. They are low in carbs and work well as a side dish with most of your cookout grilling. You can even serve it as an appetizer! So light, crunchy, and full of flavor.

Why you will love this salad

Simple, quick, easy: Can’t get any easier to make this salad. You probably already have all the ingredients handy. Takes just 10 minutes to whip up this creamy delicious cucumber salad.
Versatile: Serve as a side dish with any meal, a quick snack, or as an appetizer for a small party.
Healthy and delicious: A lighter version of the classic cucumber salad usually made with mayo. Can easily be made with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Crunchy with every bite and bursting with flavor.

Ingredients you will need

English Cucumber: you may also use Persian Cucumbers
Red onion: red onions work best, but you may also use white sweet onions if that’s what you have handy. Yellow onions are a bit intense for this recipe but will still work.
Sour cream: sour cream was used to make this salad but you may also use Greek yogurt.
Fresh Herbs: We used fresh dill for the best flavor. If in a pinch use dried dill. Don’t like dill? Use fresh chopped parsley.
Olive oil: or avocado oil
Lemon juice: it is important to use fresh lemon juice and not bottles of lemon juice.
Garlic powder or fresh garlic: we prefer fresh garlic.
Salt and ground black pepper

How to make creamy cucumber salad

Using a sharp knife thinly slice the cucumber and red onion and add them to a large salad bowl.

In a small bowl whisk the remaining ingredients. Add the creamy sour cream dressing over the cucumber and toss to coat.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

sliced cucumber and onions on a cutting board

creamy salad dressing in jar next to sliced cucumbers

Recipe notes and tips

Use any cucumber of your choice. we do love English cucumbers for this recipe. Persian cucumbers work just as well.
Sour cream: this can be substituted with Greek yogurt or any dairy-free plain yogurt for a vegan option.
You may use either garlic powder or garlic cloves. Fresh garlic will taste better.
Fresh dill is preferred but if you can’t find any use dried dill.
Avocado oil will work well in place of olive oil.
Cucumbers will release water. When you slice the cucumbers, you may place them over a paper towel to absorb some of the moisture from the cucumbers.
Made it a bit spicy by adding 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
You can make this ahead and store the dressing separately and just mix it when ready to serve.

top view creamy cucumber salad in a white bowl

Storage recommendations

If you have any leftovers, you may store them in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to serve again, you may add a bit more sour cream if the dressing has thinned out from water released from the cucumbers.

We do not recommend freezing this creamy cucumber salad.

top view creamy looking cucumber salad with red onions, and topped with fresh dill

What does creamy cucumber salad go with

frequently asked questions

Should I peel cucumbers for salad?

It all depends on the type of cucumber you are using. Some cucumbers have thinner skins like English or Persian cucumbers, which don’t need to be peeled and are ok to eat. But cucumbers with thicker skin tend to be a bit bitter and should be peeled.

Is it OK to eat cucumber skin?

Yes! It is perfectly OK to eat cucumber skin. They are not poisonous as some of you have probably heard. The skin of a cucumber is fibrous and full of vitamin A. Be sure to wash your cucumbers well if you plan on having them with the skin.

Why is my cucumber salad watery?

The cucumber releases water after it has a chance to sit. This is most likely why your cucumber salad looks more like water than when you first made it. Whether you made your cucumber salad with vinegar, mayo, or yogurt, this may happen. If making a creamy cucumber salad, you may add a bit more yogurt or sour cream to thicken it up a bit.

side shot of cucumber salad in a white bowl

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5 from 9 votes