Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad
Cool, crunchy cucumber slices in a tangy sour cream and fresh dill dressing — the classic summer side that goes with everything off the grill.
Nutrition per serving
¾ cup- Net carbs
- 5.1g
- Calories
- 107kcal
- Protein
- 1.4g
- Fat
- 9.1g
- Total carbs
- 6.4 g
- Fiber
- 0.7 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Smashed sesame-garlic: Chinese-style smashed cucumbers in a garlicky rice vinegar, tamari and sesame dressing. No dairy, no mayo, ready in 20 minutes.
- Instead of slicing, lay the cucumber on a board and whack it along its length with the flat of a heavy knife until it cracks open, then cut it into bite-size chunks. Salt and drain for 15 minutes.
- Whisk the rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, garlic, sweetener and chili flakes. Toss with the drained cucumbers and finish with sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve within an hour.
Cucumber, tomato & onion: The Southern summer classic: cucumbers, ripe tomatoes and red onion in a light sweet-and-sour vinaigrette instead of the creamy dressing.
- Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, sweetener, dill and pepper in place of the creamy dressing.
- Toss with the drained cucumbers, onion and tomatoes and marinate in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before serving.
- Salad
- Dressing
- Salad
-
¼ small red onionleave out - Dressing
-
⅓ cup sour creamleave out -
2 tbsp mayonnaiseleave out -
3 tbsp fresh dillleave out - Also add
- Salad
- Dressing
-
⅓ cup sour creamleave out -
2 tbsp mayonnaiseleave out - Also add
Estimated cost $2.66 for 4 servings ($0.67 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Slice the cucumber about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick by hand or on a mandoline. Toss with the salt in a colander set over a bowl and let drain for 20–30 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, soak the onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes to soften their bite, then drain.
-
Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, dill, garlic, sweetener and pepper.
-
Press the cucumbers gently in a clean towel to blot away the water they released. Fold the cucumbers and onion into the dressing.
-
Chill 15–30 minutes. Taste before serving — salted cucumbers rarely need more salt — and finish with extra dill.
Tips for success
-
Salting draws a surprising amount of water out of the cucumbers. Skip it and the dressing turns thin and watery within minutes. - English or Persian cucumbers have thin skins and tiny seeds, so no peeling or seeding is needed. With regular slicing cucumbers, peel them in stripes and scoop out the seeds.
- Serve with chicken souvlaki, salmon patties or anything grilled. Prefer it thicker and tangier? Make tzatziki.
Nice to have, not needed
- A mandoline makes even, thin slices in seconds — a sharp knife works just as well.
Storage & meal prep
- Keeps 1 day in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Serve cold; drain off any liquid and stir before serving.
Prep tip: To prep ahead, keep the salted, drained cucumbers and the dressing in separate containers for up to 2 days and combine shortly before eating.
Best the day it's made. Refrigerate up to 2 days, draining off any liquid before serving. Do not freeze.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosSmashed sesame-garlic
FlavorChinese-style smashed cucumbers in a garlicky rice vinegar, tamari and sesame dressing. No dairy, no mayo, ready in 20 minutes.
- white vinegar → unseasoned rice vinegar
- garlic → garlic
- + 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- + 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- + ½ tsp chili flakes
- + 1½ tsp sesame seeds
- + ¼ cup cilantro
- no sour cream
- no mayonnaise
- no fresh dill
- no red onion
4.4 g net · 51 kcal · 1.6 g protein · 3 g fat · ≈$0.61 per serving (−0.7 g net carbs vs the original)
Cucumber, tomato & onion
VeggiesThe Southern summer classic: cucumbers, ripe tomatoes and red onion in a light sweet-and-sour vinaigrette instead of the creamy dressing.
- white vinegar → red wine vinegar
- + 1½ cups cherry tomatoes
- + 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- no sour cream
- no mayonnaise
5.6 g net · 91 kcal · 1.3 g protein · 7 g fat · ≈$0.97 per serving (+0.5 g net carbs vs the original)
Save it for later
Pin this recipe to your keto board so it’s there when you plan next week.
Save to Pinterest
