Creamy Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream and Dill 

An easy, tasty and refreshing cucumber salad mixed with a tangy sour cream and dill dressing. Whip this creamy cucumber salad together at the last minute. It is perfect for summer days and laid back barbeques or braais.   

Cucumbers are great on their own, we know that. We can eat them like peanuts! But, cucumber with a little creamy dressing never hurt anyone, right?! This creamy cucumber salad with sour cream and dill, makes for the perfect summertime side dish. It is simple, refreshing and easy to make at the last minute.  

Ingredients to Make a Creamy Cucumber Salad

Cucumber – Use a common English cucumber. Peel if you like, although I like the color of the skin and it adds extra nutrients too. 

Onion – I like to use a red onion, again for the color but if you don’t have any red onions, use a regular white or yellow onion.  

Sour cream – If you don’t have sour cream, you can substitute it with plain Greek yoghurt 

Dill – Use fresh Dill if you can otherwise use dried Dill, but just half a teaspoon and if you feel like it needs more, add little by little. 

Sugar – Use just a ½ teaspoon of sugar to balance the sharpness of the sour cream and lemon juice. You can omit this if you prefer and perhaps just reduce the lemon juice to 1 tablespoon. 

Salt and Pepper – The amounts in the recipe are guidelines – add more if necessary. 

How to Make Creamy Cucumber Salad

1. Make the dressing: Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, sugar, salt and black pepper in a bowl and mix well. 
2. Prep the veg: Using a sharp knife, slice the cucumber as well as the red onion. 
3. Combine: Add the cucumber and red onion to the bowl with the dressing and mix through gently until all the cucumber slices are coated.  
4. Garnish: Add a few slices of red onion and a sprinkle of fresh dill and black pepper. 

How long will this Creamy Cucumber Salad keep for?

The salad does not keep well for long – it is best to eat on the day or day after otherwise the dressing tends to become watery and the cucumber limp. 

Can I make this cucumber salad ahead of time?

Yes you can, but, rather slice the onions and cucumbers and place them in an airtight container and make the dressing and keep that separate too. Once ready to serve, combine the dressing, onions and cucumbers together. This helps to prevent the dressing from becoming too watery.  

Cucumber Salad is excellent as a side dish to:

• Tuna Fish Cakes or Thai Fish Cakes 
• Barbequed Chicken or Meat 
• Lasagne or Macaroni Cheese 
• Spicy Curries or even a mild Butter Chicken Curry 

How do I keep cucumbers crisp and cut down on liquid?

You can add the cucumbers to a colander, sprinkle them with a large pinch of salt (this draws the water out), shake the colander a little and then leave them for 15 minutes or so whilst you make the dressing. Then rinse the cucumbers and lay them to dry on some paper towel. Salting the cucumbers is an extra step but worth it if you have the time. 

Other salads you may like:

• Chickpea Salad with Peanut Ginger Dressing  
• Hummus and Chickpea Salad Dip 
• Beetroot Salad with Honey and Mustard Dressing 
• Bianca’s Broccoli Salad 

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