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A white bowl filled with sliced cucumbers and onions in a cucumber salad with onion and vinegar.

Cucumber Salad

This old-fashioned cucumber salad recipe is made with a simple vinegar and sour cream dressing poured over thinly sliced cucumbers and onions. It's a creamy and delicious summer classic with a hint of nostalgia in every bite. If you are searching for a cucumbers onion vinegar sugar recipe just like grandma used to make, this is it!
4.92 from 12 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 56 kcal

Equipment

  • bowl
  • knife or mandolin

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cucumbers large
  • 1 yellow onion
  • ⅓ cup white vinegar
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar optional
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper fresh ground

Instructions
 

  1. Use a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the cucumber skin.  If the variety of cucumber you are using has a tender and thinner skin, it can be left on if you want to.
  2. Next, cut or use a mandolin slicer to chop the cucumbers into thin slices and put the cucumber slices in a medium bowl. Slice the onions into rings and add them to the bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, vinegar, and sour cream and whisk until smooth. If you are adding fresh herbs, such as dill, add it here!
  4. Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and season with salt and pepper to taste.  
  5. Serve immediately or refrigerate until suppertime. It's best to eat this salad right away, but can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Video

Notes

EASY CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE VARIATIONS

Red Onions – For a spicier cucumber salad, try swapping the sweet onion for red or white onion. Yellow onions, like vidalia onion, will make a sweeter and milder salad.
Apple Cider Vinegar –Apple cider vinegar is a great alternative to white vinegar if you are wanting to make a slightly milder and less acidic salad. Red wine vinegar or rice vinegar  would also be options for adding your own spin on this recipe. Try creating your own vinegar mixture with a little bit of this, a little bit of that to create your own vinegar dressing!
Fresh Herbs & Fresh Veggies – This salad can be taken to a new level by adding fresh garden herbs.  While we prefer to keep it simple and just use dried or fresh dill, other herbs like fresh basil, green onions, a little celery seed, or cherry tomatoes would be delicious in this simple salad. There are so many different ways to make this salad!
Cucumbers – Crisp cucumbers are key for making a refreshing cucumber salad. When you are planting your garden, choose a type of cucumber that is smaller than your hand and thinner than a banana.  The larger the garden cucumber, the bigger the seeds.  The type of fresh cucumber will determine how large it can grow before the flesh begins to taste bitter.  I always remove the cucumber peels because they can add a tough texture to this salad that isn't our personal preference.
Pasta Salad – For a heartier version of this salad, add 2 cups of cooked and cooled pasta to make your very own garden fresh pasta salad recipe.

​HOW TO STORE CUCUMBER SALAD

After preparing the salad, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Place it in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Store the cucumber salad in the refrigerator at a temperature below 40°F (4°C). This will help retain its crispness and flavors.
This cucumber salad is best consumed within 1-2 days for optimal taste and texture. As time passes, the cucumbers will lose their crunch and may become softer. It's recommended to make smaller batches if you anticipate leftovers.
If you're planning to serve the salad outdoors or at a picnic, keep it in a cooler with ice packs to maintain its freshness. The ingredients in this salad won't stand up to freezing.

TOP TIP

This salad has a lot of liquid.  I prefer to transport it to cookouts or summer night dinner parties in a ½ gallon mason jar with the lid tightly closed.  Another storage and transport option would be a pyrex bowl with tight fitting lid. No one wants a sloshy mess in their car!

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 782mgPotassium: 184mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 154IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 0.3mg
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