German Cucumber Salad That’s Cool, Creamy & Perfect for Any Meal
German Cucumber Salad is a light, refreshing dish that’s packed with flavor and incredibly easy to make.
Perfect for warm weather or anytime you need a crisp, cool side, this classic salad combines thinly sliced cucumbers with a subtle bite of vinegar, and a creamy dill dressing that brings it all together.
If you are looking for a new go-to side dish recipe for your summer BBQ or your weeknight dinner, this one is sure to impress with its simplicity and taste.
Making this Cucumber Salad recipe is super simple and so worth it! Scroll to the bottom for the full printable recipe!
Thinly slice a couple of cucumbers (a mandoline works great for this), then sprinkle them with salt to draw out the excess water — let that sit for about 30 minutes.
While that’s happening, mix up the dressing with sour cream, vinegar, a pinch of sugar, fresh dill, and a bit of pepper.
Once the cucumbers are drained, pat them dry and toss them in the dressing.
Chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together—it’s even better the next day!
Soaking cucumbers helps draw out excess moisture. Cucumbers are made up of about 95% water, and if you skip this step, they can release that water into your salad later — making it watery and diluting the flavor of your dressing. Salting them beforehand makes the cucumbers crisper and helps your dressing stick better, giving you a more flavorful, less soggy salad.
English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers are ideal—they’re less watery and have fewer seeds. Regular cucumbers work too, just remove the seeds if they’re large.
Yes! It actually tastes better after chilling. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge and serve within 1–2 days for best texture.
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If you’re loving this recipe, be sure to check out these other tasty ideas to round out your menu—there’s something for every flavor and occasion!
- Keep your cookout stress-free with these easy crockpot side dishes — set it, forget it, and serve up deliciousness without the fuss!
- Celebrate with fresh & festive Memorial Day Salad Recipes that are perfect for backyard barbecues, picnics, and sunny gatherings.
- Spice things up with Thai Cucumber Salad—it’s tangy, sweet, and packed with fresh herbs for a refreshing twist on a classic!
German Cucumber Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh dill or 2 tsp dried dill
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Use a mandolin slicer to thinly slice the cucumbers.
- Place in a bowl or paper towel-lined plate and allow to sit as you prepare the salad dressing.
- In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, vinegar, white sugar, fresh dill, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust to personal preferences.
- Lightly compress the cucumbers to extract a bit of the water content and pour out.
- Add the cucumbers to the dressing, about 1/4 of the cucumbers at a time to ensure that all slices get equally coated in the dressing.
- Refrigerate the cucumber salad for at least 2 hours or overnight.