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Creamy German Cucumber Salad

Creamy German cucumber salad with thinly sliced cucumbers and a tangy sour cream dressing. After salting for 30 minutes and refrigerating, the cucumbers turn crisp-tender and the dill flavor blends into a cool, creamy side.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
chilling and resting 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 165
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cucumbers
  • 2 English cucumbers Thinly sliced.
Seasoning and aromatics
  • 1 tsp salt For drawing out moisture.
  • 0.5 red onion Thinly sliced.
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill Chopped; plus extra for garnish if desired.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp garlic powder
Dressing
  • 0.75 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sugar

Method
 

Prep the cucumbers
  1. Thinly slice the English cucumbers into thin rounds or half-moons.
  2. Place cucumber slices in a colander.
  3. Sprinkle the salt over the cucumbers and toss to coat.
  4. Let the cucumbers sit for 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
  5. Pat the cucumbers dry with paper towels until no visible water remains.
Make the sour cream dill dressing
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, white vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, fresh dill, black pepper, and garlic powder until smooth.
Assemble and chill
  1. Add the cucumbers and red onion to the dressing.
  2. Toss until evenly coated so the cucumbers look lightly glossy and the dill is distributed throughout.
  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
  4. Garnish with additional fresh dill before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, don’t skip the salting step—patting the cucumbers dry keeps the salad from becoming watery. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days (freezing not recommended). For a lighter option, use low-fat or Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a tangy, creamy dressing.