This delicious Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad is a quick and easy side dish that pairs well with almost any meal. All you need is 3 ingredients plus pantry staples and 5 minutes and you can enjoy this crisp and refreshing salad.
This Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad recipe has been around for ages, I'm sure every old-fashioned grandma has served it at some point in her life. Although not wildly popular anymore, this salad is surprisingly good for being so simple so I propose we bring it back into rotation. The cool crispness of this cucumber salad makes it a particularly good summer salad to pair with grilled and smoked meats. This salad is vegetarian, gluten-free, low-carb and keto-friendly as is so it works for a variety of dietary restrictions.
Because of the mild flavors, this salad pairs well with a variety of meals, I particularly like it with classic comfort foods like Meatloaf, Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin or Southern Baked Chicken Thighs because it feels nostalgic. But honestly, you can serve this salad with any meal.
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Ingredients
Here's what you need to make Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad:
- English cucmber
- red onion
- salt
- black pepper
- dried dill
- white vinegar
- sour cream
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's how to make Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad:
1. Add the sour cream, vinegar, salt, pepper and dill to a bowl.
2. Whisk to combine the ingredients into a sour cream dressing.
3. Slice the cucumbers and thinly slice the onions into half-moons.
4. Add the sliced cucumbers and thinly sliced onions to the bowl with the sour cream mixture. Stir to combine.
Hint: Using English cucumbers in this recipe means you save time by not needing to peel the cucumber and it's more pleasing to look at with the dark green contrast in the salad. Feel free to peel the cucumbers if you prefer the skin removed. Learn more about the difference between English cucumbers and other varieties.
Substitutions
Want to substitute one of the ingredients for Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad? Here's how:
- Dried dill - use ½ tablespoon fresh dill in place of the dried dill.
- Sour cream - use an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.
- White vinegar - use an equal amount of red wine, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in place of the white vinegar.
- English cucumber - substitute a different variety of cucumber for the English cucumber peeling it first if it has a thick and waxy skin.
Equipment
These tools come in handy for Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad:
Storage
This salad is best when eaten within 3 hours of assembling it. You can however prep and chop the ingredients storing them separately in airtight containers up to 24 hours prior to assembling the salad.
FAQ
Red onions, also known as purple onions, are the best onions for a salad. These onions have a sweeter and more mild flavor than white and yellow onions making them ideal to consume raw by adding them to salads, sandwiches and dips.
Related
Looking for other easy salad recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Serve this Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad with one of these dinner recipes for a balanced meal the whole family will love:
Recipe
Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 english cucumber
- ½ red onion
Instructions
- Add the sour cream, vinegar, salt, dill and pepper to a bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Slice the cucumbers and onions into half-moons.
- Add the sliced cucumbers and onions to the bowl with the sour cream mixture. Stir to combine and serve or refrigerate up to 3 hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
Shannon
Surprisingly delicious!