I have a new recipe for your summer capsule menu today! Creamy Cucumber Salad. Forget the soggy, bland cucumber salads you may have tasted in the past. This healthy version is crisp, refreshing, and guaranteed to coordinate with the rest of your potluck spread.
Eating this Creamy Cucumber Salad made me realize that I overlook cucumbers more easily than I should.
At the market or grocery store, I don’t flock to the cucumber stand or suddenly wonder how I ended up with a giant stack of cucumbers in my cart the way I do with berries and bell peppers.
Cucumbers aren’t usually an ingredient that I choose to make the centerpiece of a dish I bring to a barbecue or potluck. When I do, it’s as a supporting ingredient, like in this Italian Farro Salad.
This Creamy Cucumber Salad made me rethink my ways. Not only do cucumbers have star power, they are an ideal addition to a larger potluck spread.
Since they’re mild, cucumbers blend nicely with a wide array of dishes. No matter what else ends up on the picnic table, your Creamy Cucumber Salad will be right on trend.
Cucumbers are delightfully fresh, meaning they provide just the bright accent that any summer meal needs to feel balanced and complete. Check out my Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad for another incredibly fresh summer dish using cucumbers.
Creamy Cucumber Salad, Made Better (and Better For You!)
Prior to making this recipe, I’d never been a big fan of cucumber salads.
Most had the same standard creamy cucumber salad salad dressing with mayo and milk or mayo and sour cream (or if someone felt really wild, it would be a creamy cucumber salad with miracle whip). The dressings were all bland, gloopy, and took away from what I love about cucumbers most: their spa-like lightness and crunch.
I ditched the mayo, opting instead to make my Creamy Cucumber Salad with Greek yogurt. It is still plenty creamy and tangy, without overwhelming the cucumbers’ delicate flavor.
To give the Cucumber Salad extra zip and crunch, I layered the cucumbers with sliced radishes, another under-sung but oh-so-wonderful ingredient. The two play well off of each other and make this recipe much more interesting than other standard-issue cucumber salads you may have tried.
Finally, for extra color and super-fresh flavor, I sprinkled this healthy Creamy Cucumber Salad with a handful of chopped dill and chives.
If you prefer a cucumber salad no dill (or no chives), you can replace either with another fresh herb you enjoy or have in your garden.
A quick recipe tip: you’ll notice the recipe starts with salting and draining the cucumbers before adding any other ingredients. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. It’s important to extract extra water from the cucumbers to ensure that your salad stays crisp and doesn’t become watery.
I tried the recipe both ways (salting + draining and not), and I pinky promise you it’s worth the time.
How to Store this Salad
- To Store. This salad can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Store the radishes and cucumbers separately from the dressing, then combine just before serving.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint Avocado and Lime
- Strawberry Farro Salad with Avocado and Feta
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 long English cucumbers peels left on, thinly sliced (if using regular cucumbers, peel first)
- 1 bunch radishes thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided, plus additional to taste
- 3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, place the cucumbers and radishes. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover and let sit 30 minutes. This step is crucial to ensure your salad does not become watery.
- Pour the cucumbers and radishes into a colander and stir, draining out as much of the water as you can. Transfer to a dry bowl.
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the Greek yogurt, vinegar, honey, garlic, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour half of the dressing over the cucumbers and radishes and stir to combine. Continue adding additional dressing until you reach your desired creaminess. You want the vegetables to be well coated but not soggy.
- Stir in the dill and chives. Taste and season with additional salt and/or pepper as desired. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- This salad can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Store the radishes and cucumbers separately from the dressing, then combine just before serving.
- For an extra super creamy salad, swap 3 tablespoons of the Greek yogurt for olive oil-based mayo.
Nutrition
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So true on not flocking to cucumbers — not sure why they don’t have the same pull! This looks amazing though and I’m always looking to expand my summer side dishes.
Carissa, I am going to try to eat them so much more this summer. I forgot how delicious they are!
Perfect recipe for using cucumbers from my garden!! :)
So perfect! I hope you love it!
Ooo! I am definitely busting out the mandoline for this!
YES! Worth it!
If I don’t have, or want to buy, white vinegar which would you suggest to use in place. Red wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar?
I would suggest rice vinegar Emily! Apple cider would work as well.
What a great way to add some color to the bbq spread!
What other herbs besides dill and chives would you recommend to go with this recipe?
Janine, parsley and/or mint would both be delicious and refreshing!
Very nicely done Erin!! Perfect summer treat right there (:
Made this last night and it was a hit! I have not been of fan of radishes but loved them in this. I ran out of time and only keep items salted for 15 mins and and the end of the meal had water in my bowl so agree that 30 minutes salted time is important. I also used 2% Greek Yogurt instead of 0% and found the dressing to be much thinker and helped dressing stay on the cucumbers and radishes. Will be making all summer long!
Thanks Erin!
Cindy, YAY! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this. Thanks for the tip and reminder on the Greek yogurt/salting too!
What dairy free alternative would you recommend for the Greek yogurt?
Samantha, if there is a non-dairy yogurt with a flavor similar to sour cream you enjoy (such as a soy-based yogurt) I’d go that route! You could also look for a dairy free sour cream alternative (I think Daiya might make one).
Erin, I’ve made this a couple of times since you first posted this last month. When I lived in New Orleans, I used to make tzatziki with my unlimited summer crop of cucumbers, but here in Seattle, I produced a good crop of radishes, but my cucumbers at the Farmers Markets. This is a marriage made in salad heaven! I add fresh fennel and mint from our garden, and just can’t stop eating this! Thanks for this recipe, no one even misses my tzatziki anymore!
Meant to say*buy* my cucumbers from the Farmers Market.
Alan, what a joy to read this! I’m glad this keeps you cool and has become a go-to for you. Thanks for sharing! I love the idea of the fennel too. YUM!
Delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it!!
I did no care for this recipe. However, my husband and daughter loved it.
I’m happy to hear they did enjoy it. Thanks for reporting back!
Yogurt and cucumber is such a great combination!
I couldn’t agree more! Thank you for sharing this kind comment!
Yum I am loving this amazing and refreshing salad
I’m so happy to hear that, Fatima! Thank you for sharing this kind comment!
Hi Erin. Your creamy cucumber salad looks and sounds amazing — I LOVE CUCS! But unfortunately they don’t love my husband so I don’t make recipes with them except to snack myself. Do you think this recipe would work with zucchini instead???
BTW congratulations on your new cookbook — I will be ordering it shortly when I get into “fall cooking mode”!
Thank you for your kind words, Sandra! I’ve never tried this swap myself, so it would be an experiment. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Made this as a side with your King Ranch chicken. Perfection! Loved the colors, crispness and creamy dressing. Easy and delicious. It’s a keeper!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Marnie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!