Our creamy cucumber salad is the ultimate crisp, cool, refreshing recipe for a hot summer day.
We take the classic combination of dill and cucumber to the next level by adding a heavenly yogurt-mayonnaise dressing and zesty spring onions.
Enjoy this elegant recipe for a family dinner, or bring it to your next summer gathering, barbecue, or potluck.
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan (with vegan mayo and non-dairy yogurt), and gluten-free diet.
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What is creamy cucumber salad?
Thinly sliced cucumbers meet aromatic fresh dill, zesty spring onions, and a gorgeously creamy dressing, which you all loved in our creamy broccoli salad, creamy pasta salad, and macaroni salad.
What differentiates our dressing from most other creamy dressings is that we optimize for creaminess while keeping an eye on health.
For this reason, we combine our vegan mayo (you can use any other mayo) and a thick, fat-free Greek-style yogurt (you can use non-dairy yogurt if you are vegan) to achieve a mouthwatering silky and creamy texture while cutting the calories and the fats in half.
We season the dressing with salt and black pepper for flavor, apple cider vinegar for tang, and maple syrup for a touch of sweetness to balance the sourness and acidity of yogurt and vinegar.
If you don’t mind the calories and the saturated fats, you can substitute vegan mayo for regular mayo and fat-free yogurt for full-fat yogurt.
Either way, this creamy cucumber salad is delicious!
Ingredients for creamy cucumber salad
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Cucumber
We use English cucumber here, but American cucumber works equally well. Pick your favorite.
Green onions
We prefer green onions (also called scallions or spring onions) to regular onions because they have a fresher and milder onion flavor.
We use both the white part and the green tops.
Substitute white onion, red onion, or shallots for green onions.
Dill
Fresh dill is delicious with creamy dressing and fresh cucumber, so we strongly recommend it here.
Substitute Italian parsley, chives, fresh fennel fronds, or fennel seeds for fresh dill.
Dressing
Vegan mayo
You can use our homemade vegan mayo, a store-bought vegan mayo, or a regular mayonnaise.
Greek yogurt
We use fat-free Greek yogurt (the thick one) to cut the mayo in half, making the dressing lighter, fresher, and with more protein, less saturated fats, and fewer calories.
You can substitute fat-free Greek yogurt with whole-fat Greek yogurt or with unsweetened non-dairy yogurt. You can also use sourcream instead of yogurt.
Tip: When you buy fat-free yogurt, make sure it doesn’t contain added sugar. Unfortunately, this is often the case with fat-free products, so keep an eye on the label.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is for tang, which is delicious in this creamy cucumber salad.
Substitute fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar.
Maple syrup
The natural sweetness of maple syrup balances the sourness of yogurt and vinegar.
Substitute honey, agave syrup, date syrup, or sugar for maple syrup.
Salt and black pepper
We recommend sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Kosher salt works, too, but its larger granules might take more stirring to dissolve in the dressing.
How to make creamy cucumber salad
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Rinse and dry the cucumber, spring onions, and dill.
Thinly slice the cucumber. You can do so with a sharp knife or with a mandoline slicer.
Thinly slice the green onion and finely chop the dill. Add all to a large mixing bowl.
Tip: Reserve some of the scallion tops to garnish the salad.
In a small bowl, add the vegan mayo, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt and black pepper.
Whisk until creamy.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir until well combined.
Let marinate for 15 minutes before serving on a platter, topped with scallion tops and freshly ground black pepper.
Tip: The cucumbers will release water, making the dressing a little runny. We LOVE the combination of cucumber water with the dressing; it tastes similar to a ranch dressing. So we scoop it and drizzle it over the salad once it is plated.
Serving suggestions
This creamy cucumber salad is an excellent side dish for summer gatherings, barbecues, or a delicious family dinner. We recommend it with:
- Zucchini fritters
- Chickpea fritters
- Lentil patties
- Falafel
- BBQ Tofu
- Grilled proteins like pastured chicken or grilled tofu.
It’s also delicious next to stuffed veggies like:
Storage
Make ahead: This recipe is excellent for making ahead as the flavor improves an hour or two after mixing the ingredients. The cucumber, however, might release some water two to three hours after it’s mixed with the dressing.
We don’t mind this. We give the salad a quick toss or scoop out the liquid that gathers at the bottom of the bowl and serve it in a pouring jar to drizzle back on top of the salad.
Alternatively, toss in a couple of dollops of yogurt to thicken the salad.
Refrigerator: transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store for three days.
Freezer: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
More salads with cucumber
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 large green onion
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill
FOR THE DRESSING
- ½ cup vegan mayo or regular mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt we use fat-free Greek yogurt. Substitute non-dairy yogurt.
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice 2 large cucumbers with a sharp knife or mandoline slicer.Thinly slice 1 large green onion (set aside some spring onion tops for garnishing) and finely chop about 3 tablespoons fresh dill.Add veggies to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, add ½ cup vegan mayo, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk until creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir until well combined.
- Let marinate for 15 minutes before serving on a platter. Garnish with scallion tops and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked this creamy cucumber salad, you might also enjoy:
This is an incredible recipe. I love everything about it, especially the dressing with the yogurt. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Amy! We are happy you liked the creamy cucumber salad ๐