You can never have too many salad recipes, and this Easy Cucumber Salad is quick, delicious and the perfect side for meat or fish.
Cucumbers, pickled red onions, and a creamy sour cream and dill dressing. Crunchy, refreshing, and the perfect side to any bbq meal.
Not only does this salad tickle your taste buds, but cucumbers are also packed with nutrition. Low in calories, high in hydration, they contain essential vitamins and minerals too. Perfect on their own as a snack, or in lots of great recipes.
- Smoked salmon salad with cucumber noodles is one of our favourite summer meals.
- Stuffed cucumbers make a great appetizer for any party.
- They are a great addition to this refreshing snap pea salad.
- This bagel sandwich is a must-try if you are a fan of cucumber tea sandwiches.
Salads are a stable, especially in the summer. I love the crunch of the raw vegetables. So crisp and refreshing. Cauliflower coleslaw is one of our favourites.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this old-fashioned creamy cucumber and onion salad can be found at the bottom of this post.
Easy Cucumber Salad Ingredients
Easy to find ingredients, perfect for making this delicious creamy cucumber recipe.
- fresh cucumbers
- sour cream
- dried dill
- pickled onions
- salt
Be sure to check out the recipe tips below.
Preparing Cucumber Onion Salad
Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Wash and cut the cucumbers.
- Place in a mesh sieve, sprinkle with salt, and allow to sit. See recipe tips for more info.
- Mix the sour cream and dill dressing in a bowl and set aside.
- Rinse and squeeze dry cucumbers in paper towels or kitchen towel.
- Add them to a mixing bowl.
- Add in the pickled onions.
- Add the sour cream and dill dressing.
- Toss and serve.
Suggestions/Recipe Tips
Fresh cucumbers are the star of the show. With so many varieties, pick your favourite.
The cucumbers can be peeled (or not), cut in circles or chunks. Seeded by removing the pulp (or not), and some people like to sprinkle salt over the cucumber slices/pieces and let them drain (sweat) for a few minutes to release excess moisture.
Sour cream and cucumbers are a match for sure. I like to use the full-fat version. You can choose low-fat sour cream if you prefer. A great alternative is Greek yogurt.
Dill is such a wonderful herb. I love growing it during the summer in the garden. I used dried dill in this creamy dill dressing. Fresh dill is a great alternative. Adjust the amount according to your preference.
Red onions are so great in salads. I used my homemade pickled onions in this recipe. Feel free to use raw red onions, or sweet white onions like Vidalia. Green onions are always a great alternative.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge. This cucumber salad will last for a day or two. It may become a little watery the longer it is kept.
This cucumber pickled onion salad with sour cream and dill dressing is sure to be a hit. Cool and crunchy, easy to prepare refreshing side dish perfect for summer.
Serve it with: zucchini burgers, grilled chicken skewers, or kofta kebabs.
Cucumber and Onion Salad
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ cup pickled onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash and slice the cucumber into ¼" rounds. Place in a mesh sieve (over a bowl or in the sink) and sprinkle with the salt and mix a bit to distribute.
- Place in a mesh sieve (over a bowl or in the sink) and sprinkle with the salt and mix a bit to distribute. Let the cucumbers sit for 10-30 minutes (depending on how much time you have).
- Mix the sour cream and dill in a bowl and set aside. Feel free to use more if you like.
- Slice the pickled onions into thin strips, and place in a bowl.
- Rinse and take the cucumbers out of the sieve, and place in either paper towels or a kitchen towel. Give this a good squeeze to release as much moisture as possible. Place the cucumbers in the bowl with the onions.
- Add the sour cream mixture, stir to combine. Serve.
Kathy McDaniel
I love cucumbers in every single way! The onions here are genius – I never thought of adding pickled onions but it makes so much sense and adds so much flavor. I love dill too so this is perfect for me. I can see serving this salads with things like grilled meats and fish. Perfect for warm weather!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes the pickled onions really do make a HUGE difference in taste and texture.
Dana
This is so so perfect for Spring and Summer! Some days, here in Raleigh, it just gets too hot to want to cook or eat. But I mean, ya *gotta* eat! So my husband and I have a go-to cucumber salad recipe we make especially for those days. I’m going to add this one to the rotation for sure! Nothing like feeding yourself while also nourishing your bod and quenching your thirst.
Homemade & Yummy
Perfect for summer eating all season long. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Amy Nash
This really does sound wonderful and reminds me of the cucumber salads I would eat in Germany. I’m totally making this with the Greek yogurt variation this summer.
Homemade & Yummy
Enjoy…it is so easy and delicious.
swathi
I make curry with cucumber and sour cream never tried as salad. Your version of salad looks really creamy, I am going to try this one. Also the addition of pickled onions sounds interesting combo with cucumber .
Homemade & Yummy
This is such a great salad, especially for the hot summer weather.
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon
I completely understand not having a green thumb! At least I keep the local farmers in business. 🙂 And I love that you used pickled onions in this salad. Pickled onions are so wonderful and I’m always looking for new recipes to use them in. Thanks!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHHA…well I am glad I am not the only one. The pickled onions work so well in this dish.
Amanda
I love a good cucumber salad in the summer! It’s so refreshing. This is my favorite combo for it, too, with the sour cream and dill. Perfect with grilled foods, and sometimes I eat it on its own for lunch! I wish I had a green thumb and could grow cucumbers in a garden at home!
Homemade & Yummy
It really is the perfect summer salad, so refreshing and easy to make.
debi at Life Currents
Every Christmas and Thanksgiving I would ask my mom to make the cucumber salad. It’s still one of my favorites! I love your version of the recipe, and will have to try it soon! Thanks!
Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH….well I am so glad you like cucumber salad…ENJOY!
Jennifer Bigler
I can not wait for the weather to warm up just so I can make this! This looks delicious and super easy! I love cucumbers in all forms, but believe it or not I never made a salad with them as the primary ingredient. This would be perfect with chicken skewers like you suggested. Yum!!
Homemade & Yummy
YUP…bring on the hot weather and summer grilling. This is perfect for sure.
Michelle Blackwood
I agree that you can never have too many cucumber salad recipes, I have never had pickled onions, sounds so delicious. This recipe is on my to-do list now!
Homemade & Yummy
It really takes that “bite” out of raw onions that so many people do not like.
Karyl Henry
This dish absolutely screams summer! I’m not usually a fan of pickled veggies, but I do like that you used them here, to cut down on some of that bite
Homemade & Yummy
Yes I usually don’t eat a lot of pickled things either, but even I who likes onions prefers it this way.
melve
I like this Cucumber Salad with Pickled Onions looks delicious, creamy and healthy. I have to try this sometimes.
Homemade & Yummy
Hope you do …it is so easy to make.
Colleen
The pickled onions are really intriguing me in this salad! Bookmarking for when my cucumbers get ripe this summer.
Homemade & Yummy
I like raw onions….but will admit I prefer the pickled ones in this.
Jenn
I like to take a white onion, chopped, and a bag if little cucumbers, slice with mandoline, and soak them in a mixture of white vinegar, Italian seasoning, and Himalayan pink salt. After that has marinated for a day I mix it with sliced cherry tomatoes and cottage cheese. So good!
Homemade & Yummy
That sounds delicious too.
Anne Murphy
I love the pickled onion in it! (OK, so I’m not fond of raw onion either…) And everyone needs a few more variations of cucumber salad – it’s such a constant in hot summer weather.
Homemade & Yummy
I know it is to easy and delicious.
Scarlet
Wow. That looks so good and fresh and cooling for summer cookouts.
Homemade & Yummy
YES….bring on the summer cooking…and this salad will be happening ALL summer long.