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.

Creamy cucumber salad on a blue plate with a golden spoon

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?

Creamy cucumber salad on a plate with scallions on the side

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.

Creamy cucumber salad after mixing and with scallions

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

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.

Creamy cucumber salad with zucchini fritters
Creamy cucumber salad served on a plate with zucchini fritters.

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.

Steps for chopping ingredients in creamy cucumber salad

In a small bowl, add the vegan mayo, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, salt and black pepper.

Whisk until creamy.

creamy cucumber salad dressing in a glass bowl

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir until well combined.

yogurt dressing added to cucumber salad in a glass bowl

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.

Creamy cucumber salad after mixing and with scallions

Serving suggestions

This creamy cucumber salad is an excellent side dish for summer gatherings, barbecues, or a delicious family dinner. We recommend it with:

Creamy cucumber salad with zucchini fritters

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 on a mediterranean plate

Creamy Cucumber Salad

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 1 vote
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.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Side dish
Cuisine: American

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
  • 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.
    Steps for chopping ingredients in creamy cucumber salad
  • 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.
    creamy cucumber salad dressing in a glass bowl
  • Pour the dressing over the vegetables and stir until well combined.
    yogurt dressing added to cucumber salad in a glass bowl
  • Let marinate for 15 minutes before serving on a platter.
    Garnish with scallion tops and freshly ground black pepper.
    Creamy cucumber salad on a plate with scallions on the side

Notes

Nutritional information is an estimate for 1 serving of creamy cucumber salad out of 4 servings.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Cucumber: We tested English, American, and Persian cucumber and they all work well.
Green onions: Substitute red onion, white onion, or a shallot.
Dill: Substitute fresh chives, Italian parsley, fennel fronds, or fennel seeds (1 teaspoon).
Vegan mayo: Substitute regular mayonnaise.
Fat-free Greek yogurt: Substitute whole-fat Greek yogurt, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, or sour cream.
Apple cider vinegar: Substitute fresh lemon juice or white vinegar.
Maple syrup: Substitute honey, agave, date syrup, or sugar.
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.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g, Calories: 245kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 768mg, Potassium: 270mg, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 188IU, Vitamin B6: 0.1mg, Vitamin C: 6mg, Vitamin E: 0.1mg, Vitamin K: 23µg, Calcium: 65mg, Folate: 26µg, Iron: 0.5mg, Manganese: 0.3mg, Magnesium: 23mg, Zinc: 0.5mg
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Nico and Louise in the kitchen

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

Easy right?

5 from 1 vote

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is an incredible recipe. I love everything about it, especially the dressing with the yogurt. Thanks for sharing!