German Cucumber Salad Recipe
Cool, creamy German Cucumber Salad (Gurkensalat) with fresh dill in a tangy sour cream dressing, an Easy Cucumber Salad recipe that comes together fast and pairs with everything from brats to burgers.
Servings: 4
Cost: $5
Equipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- whisk
- colander
Ingredients
- 2 large English cucumbers thinly sliced (peeled or unpeeled)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion optional
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toss cucumber slices with salt in a colander and let sit 20–30 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, vinegar, sugar, dill, and onion (if using).
- Add the cucumbers to the bowl with the dressing and toss cucumbers with dressing until coated. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with extra dill and a sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Salting the cucumbers is key, don’t skip it. It prevents a watery dressing and keeps the cucumbers crisp.
- You can use sour cream or Greek yogurt; add a splash of buttermilk or milk if you prefer a looser, lighter dressing.
- Adjust the vinegar and sugar to taste. Start small and tweak for your ideal tang-to-sweet balance.
- If using dried dill, start with less, then add more to taste, it’s more concentrated than fresh.
- Optional onion: soak sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften the bite.
- Best within 24 hours; stir before serving and refresh with a spoon of sour cream if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 300mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 292IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 0.5mg