Creamy Dill Cucumber Salad

Creamy cucumber dill salad just like grandma makes it. This salad combines the crunch of fresh cucumbers with a dill and sour cream dressing. The combination makes for a refreshing side dish.

This creamy cucumber salad recipe is perfect for potlucks, BBQs, and picnics. It is a great make ahead side dish that won’t heat up the kitchen.

We love it with grilled chicken or pork chops. It is also great with lamb or Greek inspired meals.

Summertime and salads just go together. Of course it is the time of year when gardens are bursting with fresh produce.

And cucumbers tend to be one of those plants that can make a ton of vegetables all at once. They can take over if you aren’t careful, just like zucchini.

Luckily there are lots of tasty ways to make them into something delicious. While pickles are a great option, I like making fresh cucumber salads.

They are usually no effort and almost no heat. That is certainly the case for this recipe.

Recipe Notes

We like using regular slicing cucumbers for this recipe. That is what we usually grow, so it is what is normally on hand.

You can use English cucumbers if you prefer. Mini cucumbers would also be great, they would make pretty little bite sized coins when sliced.

Feel free to peel the cucumbers if you would like to. We like leaving the skin on because it adds more green color and preserves some of the nutritional value.

We just wash the cucumbers well and slice them into bite sized pieces. You can use a mandoline if you would like, but I normally just use a sharp knife.

You can use sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for the dressing in this recipe. Both are tasty, so whichever you have in the refrigerator is fine.

Fresh dill is great if you have it, but dried also works well. The flavor will seep out into the dressing during the chill time.

The vinegar adds a little bit of bite which helps balance the dressing. White vinegar works well, so does apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegars, or any light colored vinegar. You could even use lemon juice if you prefer.

A teaspoon of sugar adds a touch of sweetness, which again helps to balance everything out. You can omit it if you like or use your favorite substitute.

It is traditional to add some sliced red onions to this salad. You certainly can if you would like, but we prefer it without.

Just toss everything together and put it in the fridge until you are ready to serve your creamy cucumber salad. It is sure to be a refreshing addition to your menu.

How do you store cucumber and dill salad?

This salad is best when chilled for a couple of hours to let the flavors meld. It is best within a day or two of being made, but it can be stored it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

More Spring and Summer Side Dishes:

Bacon cheddar ranch potato salad is another great make ahead side dish salad. It is kind of like a loaded baked potato in a picnic salad form.

Honey lime slaw is a fun and zippy salad. It features fresh cilantro and a bit of sriracha to give it a bold flavor.

Spring pea salad is another classic. It features peas and bacon in a simple creamy dressing.

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