Creamy Cucumber Salad
Photo by Amanda Widis
- Serves
- 6 to 8 as a side
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
A creamy but still bright cucumber salad to serve alongside grilled chicken, crispy-skinned fish, black bean burgers, you name it. For this salad, keeping or ditching the cucumber skin is a personal choice. Besides adding a pop of fresh color, the skin contains vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and why throw away all those good vibes when you don't have to? Also worth noting that the cucumber variety called for—English or Persian—boasts super tender skin. If you’re using another variety with thicker skin, you can use a peeler to remove all of it, or in stripes for a pretty visual. This dish is best served soon after preparing it. If you want to prep the components in advance, just keep the cucumbers and dressing separate in the fridge, and combine right before serving. When it comes to cutting the cucumbers, a very sharp knife, mandonline, or, even speedier, the slicing disc of your food processor, will be your friend. Leave the herbs in larger pieces, refraining from them chopping too finely—this is a sure-fire way to keep the herby flavor in your salad and not leave it on your board.
Ingredients
Creamy cucumber salad
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (full-fat highly recommended)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 medium lemon, zest and juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pound English cucumbers (about 2 medium- sized ones, or the equivalent weight in Persian or another seedless variety)
- 1/2 cup mixed tender herbs (such as parsley, mint, chives, tarragon and/or dill)
- 2 very thinly sliced radishes to toss in at the end with herbs
Optional, but really nice, additions
- 1 minced shallot mixed with a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Featured Video
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice and zest. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Step 2
Using either a food processor with a slicing disc (2mm), a mandoline (careful of your fingers, please!), or a sharp knife and cutting board, slice the cucumbers into ⅛-inch thin coins. (We prefer to leave the skin on, but if you want to peel before slicing, feel free.)
- Step 3
Add the cucumbers to the bowl with the creamy dressing and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stick the salad in the fridge while you prepare your herbs and optional garnishes.
- Step 4
To prep the tender herbs, pick the leaves off the stem and run your knife through them a few times, leaving much of the leaves intact.
- Step 5
Before serving, add the herbs and radishes to the cucumber salad, and give a good toss. If you’re using any of the optional garnishes (minced shallot or crumbled feta cheese), add them at this step too.