An easy summer classic—Creamy Cucumber Onion Salad loaded with fresh, crisp cucumbers, onion, and sour cream! This cucumber salad recipe is versatile and so simple to make year-round! It takes about 5 minutes to make, there’s no prep-ahead, and it’s the kind of everyday side that goes with anything!
With garden season in full bloom and summer produce abundant, especially cucumbers, they get used! So when we get fresh cucumbers after cucumber, I like to use them to make fresh summer salads, pickles, sandwiches, and veggie trays for dipping.
Typically, I’d make canned dill pickles, but we planted English Cucumbers this year. These cucumbers are longer than the pickling cucumbers and aren’t ideal for canning. English cucumbers, on the other hand, are great for slicing, making them ideal for veggie dips and fresh salads. They’re crisp and crunchy and pair perfectly with crunchy onions for this sour cream cucumber salad.
Cucumber Onion Salad
Being Ukrainian, we love our cucumber salads! Cucumbers are just a staple! We make a Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad for variation, and sometimes, we leave cucumbers out if tomatoes are plentiful; in other words tomato salad. We grow many tomatoes and cucumbers and are big onion consumers, so we try to use these ingredients heavily when in season. I will sometimes use a big bunch of green onions instead of raw onions, and this makes it milder (if you have picky eaters).
To be honest, this creamy cucumber salad comes together without a recipe. It’s the type of salad you just whip up by taste, but I wanted to give exact measurements so you can make this salad recipe at home for your family! I literally measured amounts because you need to try this cucumber and onion salad this summer!
The creamy version is one of our family’s favorite salads, although we also enjoy a tomato and cucumber variation with an oil and vinegar dressing. It’s really what you’re in the mood for, but a general rule of thumb is if your main dish is creamy, like Alfredo Pasta, then go with the oil variation or vice versa. If it’s grilled chicken, make the creamy salad.
My mom likes to add a pinch of sugar to balance out the tangy taste of the dressing, and sometimes, she’ll even use equal parts of mayonnaise and sour cream. The variations are so many. You can add fresh radishes for part of the cucumbers or a combination of green onions with raw onions.
Some cooks add fresh dill from the garden, but this simple salad is so good with just cucumbers and onions, and you don’t miss out on all the other flavors because this is pretty much the base. My children love this cucumber onion salad the way it is here, so feel free to adapt it to your liking!
Ingredients for This Cucumber Salad with Onions:
Fresh cucumber recipes don’t need a lot of ingredients. This salad works great with just onions and cucumbers! We use a good amount of sour cream for great flavor, so go generous with the dressing here.
- Cucumbers—any slicing cucumber, such as Persian, English, or pickling cucumber, will work. I like to slice them into rings and very large ones into half slices so that they’re easy to bite into. There is no need to peel cucumbers unless they’re coated in wax, damaged, or sunburnt.
- Onion- adds a nice crunch; however, use a sweet Vidalia onion for a less bitter taste. We often use any yellow onion that we have on hand or green onions from the garden. Another good choice is red onion.
- Sour Cream—Daisy brand is my favorite brand. The sour cream is thick and creamy, making it a delicious dressing that is not too runny.
- Vinegar- add a nice tang to the cucumbers, if you don’t have any, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. It also thins out the sour cream a bit.
- Seasonings- Salt and pepper are all you need, but if you like to garnish your salads, then fresh dill is the best herb to use here! Frozen dill will work too, but it will be darker in color.
How To Make Cucumber Onion Salad:
Cucumber salad is so quick and easy to make that it’s no wonder it’s a standby recipe any time of the summer. The key to a crunchy cucumber salad is to NOT slice cucumbers thin! They will wilt far too quickly and make more slices than your dressing can handle. I like to cut 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices for cucumbers to stay crunchy to the bite. Use a Mandoline to make uniform slices, or if you’re like me, a cutting board and sharp knife will work, too.
- Trim off the ends and slice the cucumbers into rings or half slices (if too large).
- Peel and cut the onion in half. Then, cut each half in half again and slice across. This makes smaller wedge-like slices of onion that are easier to bite.
- Place the sliced cucumbers and onion in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sour cream directly on top, with the vinegar, salt and pepper. This makes it super creamy, as you’re not over-stirring the sour cream. If you were to mix it separately and then add it to the salad, it would be runnier to start with.
- Fold the sour cream into the cucumbers and onion with a large spoon or spatula until well coated.
- Serve fresh!
Note: add two garlic cloves for extra flavor, and use a garlic press to finely mince it.
Can I Make Ahead?
It would just be so easy to make it that it’s really unnecessary to make it in advance! Literally, this salad takes about 5 minutes to make because all you have to do is slice the vegetables, and add the dressing ingredients directly into the bowl! If you want to get a little prep done before guests, simply cut the cucumbers and onions into a bowl and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. I suggest adding the sour cream right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy. This salad keeps best up to 2 hours after coating in the dressing and is best eaten within one day.
If you have leftovers for days, drain any juices before serving and add a little extra sour cream if needed.
What To Serve With Creamy Cucumber Salad
This creamy cucumber salad makes the perfect side for grilled meats and all your summer gatherings (barbecue, picnic, or potluck)! You can pair it with so many things. It is universal and such a handy staple recipe for a fast side!
- Pair it with your favorite comfort food like Mashed Potatoes or Rice.
- Grilled chicken thighs, Kebabs, and Burgers go great with this recipe, and any type of Grilled meat, like steak, pair well.
- Make this an easy and quick side to pizza night, Pasta, or sandwiches!
- It goes well with BBQ Ribs, Salmon, and Meatballs!
Tips for Making The BEST Creamy Cucumber Salad:
- Cut the cucumbers on the thicker side so they stay crisp longer.
- Add the sour cream directly to the bowl of cucumbers. Mixing it in a separate bowl will thin it out and make the dressing runnier.
- Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream.
- For milder flavor use 1 cup of chopped green onion or chives for the raw onion in this recipe. We like the extra crunch from raw onions.
- Leftovers? Store this salad in the fridge for up to 2 days and revive it with more sour cream and seasonings before serving. I’ll sometimes add a little more sliced cucumbers to keep the salad crisp.
More Fresh Summer Salads To Make:
Summer means cucumber season is in full bloom, and cucumber recipes are plentiful including other veggies that maybe growing in the garden! Check out our other fresh and crisp salads that you can enjoy all year round with store-bought produce or garden veggies in the summer!
Cucumber Onion Salad
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs English cucumbers
- 1 onion (sliced in half-wedges)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp white distilled vinegar
Instructions
Directions:
Slice the cucumbers. Trim off the ends and cut them in half lengthwise, then slice them up into half rings or whole slices. Cut the onion into wedges and slice.- Transfer sliced cucumbers and onion into a bowl and add the sour cream, salt, pepper, and vinegar.
- Fold in the sour cream until cucumbers are coated well. Serve fresh!
Notes
- Slice the cucumbers on the thicker side, about 1/4 to 1/8-inch slices, so they stay fresh and crisp longer.
- Add the sour cream directly to the bowl of sliced cucumbers and onion. Mixing it in a separate bowl will thin it out and make the dressing runnier.
- Use 1 cup of chopped green onions or chives for a milder taste.
