Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad (Printable)

Light and fresh cucumber salad featuring creamy Greek yogurt and aromatic dill dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Dairy

03 - 1 cup Greek yogurt, whole milk or low-fat

→ Fresh Herbs

04 - 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

→ Pantry

05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - Extra dill sprigs
11 - Freshly ground black pepper

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Place sliced cucumbers and red onion in a colander. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 10 minutes to release excess moisture. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, sugar if using, salt, pepper, and chopped dill until smooth and well combined.
03 - Add the prepared cucumbers and red onion to the dressing. Toss gently until all vegetables are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the salad and adjust salt, pepper, and vinegar as desired to achieve desired flavor balance.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra dill sprigs and freshly ground black pepper before plating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dill and yogurt combination tastes like a restaurant side but takes 15 minutes flat.
  • It's refreshing without being boring, creamy without sitting like a brick in your stomach.
  • Everything about it screams summer without requiring any actual cooking.
02 -
  • Skipping the salting step leaves you with a watery mess, so don't rush this part even though it feels like you're doing nothing.
  • Cold dressing tastes better than room temperature, so some people even chill the yogurt mixture before adding the cucumbers.
03 -
  • Slice everything on a mandoline if you have one and the patience for it, because paper-thin cucumbers are actually superior and you'll taste the difference.
  • Make the dressing in a small bowl first, then add cucumbers, instead of whisking in the same bowl where they'll be sitting, because the acid will start breaking them down slightly and that's not what you want.
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