Quick Look at this Simple Creamy Cucumber
Salad with Mayo and Sour Cream
- Ready In: 40 minutes
- Serves: 8
- Main Ingredients: English cucumbers, mayo, sour cream, fresh herbs, and red onion.
- Dietary Info: Naturally vegetarian and gluten-free with dairy-free options.
- Why You’ll Love It: Creamy cucumbers with mayo and sour cream is a classic no-cook summer side dish just like Grandma used to make. We’re throwing in both mayo and sour cream to give this recipe the creamiest texture possible.
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Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- English Cucumber: A cucumber variety with a thinner skin and smaller seeds. Can swap with Persian cucumbers.
- Red Onion: Can swap with yellow onion.
- Sour Cream – Option to swap with dairy-free sour cream.
- Mayo – A staple condiment that brings tang and creaminess. Check out our homemade mayo recipe for the best flavor.
How To Make A Creamy Cucumber Salad
Step 1 – Sprinkle cucumbers with salt to draw out excess water.
Step 2 – Let them sit and then pat dry.
How To Avoid Soggy Cucumbers
Steps 1 and 2 are imperative to keeping your cucumbers crispy and crunchy even after adding the creamy mayo and sour cream. If you skip the 20-30 minute salt extraction period, your cucumbers will likely become soggy.
Step 3 – Combine the sour cream, mayo, fresh herbs, and seasonings.
Step 4 – Add cucumbers and red onions.
Step 5 – Toss to combine.
Step 6 – Taste and adjust seasonings and/or fresh herbs.
Make Ahead Instructions
Because we went through the extra step of extracting the excess water out of the cucumbers, this old fashioned cucumber salad with mayonnaise can be made a day in advance and will still be crunchy and crisp the next day.
Recipe FAQs & Tips
How to keep creamy cucumber salad from getting watery?
Drawing excess water out with salt and then patting cucumbers dry are the most important steps to keep your cucumber salad from getting watery.
What are the best cucumbers for creamy cucumber salad?
English cucumbers have a thinner skin and smaller seeds than regular cucumbers. They’re also slightly less bitter than regular cucumbers making them perfect for this creamy cucumber salad with mayonnaise.
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Ingredients
- 2 english cucumbers, cut into half moons, approx. 1/4 inch thick
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayo
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- pinch kosher salt
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prep Cucumbers: Place cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Toss to coat. Place colander on top of a plate to catch excess moisture that drips down. Let sit 20-30 minutes tossing occasionally.
- Make Dressing: Meanwhile, in a large bowl add ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayo, 3 tablespoons fresh dill, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper and pinch kosher salt. Stir to combine.
- Add Cucumbers + Onions: Once cucumbers have set for a while, pat dry with clean paper towels to dry up as much moisture as possible. Add cucumbers and sliced red onion to the sour cream mixture. Toss to combine. Taste and add additional salt, pepper or herbs – as desired.
- Serve: Enjoy or keep in the fridge until ready to serve!
Notes
- Make Ahead: this can be made the day ahead and the cucumbers should still be crunchy – we tested it and it worked great for us! I wouldn’t recommend making it more than one day ahead.
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days (after that the cucumbers will start to get a tad soggy).
- Dairy-Free: feel free to sub in a dairy-free sour cream to make this dairy-free.
Liz says
This tastes as good as my grandma’s cucumber salad! Thank you!
Bridget Montag says
Awe, thanks! 🙂