Creamy Cucumber Salad: A Family Favorite Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This is the creamy cucumber salad recipe I’ve been making forever. It’s the perfect balance of creamy and crunchy, and it goes well with nearly every main dish. It’s super simple to make and is always a hit!
This cucumber salad has been on my family’s menu for more than 30 years. When I was a kid, my family asked me to make it for dinner, and now it’s a recipe I pass down by asking my eight-year-old to help make it. It’s simple, familiar, and one of those dishes that never goes out of style.
Crunchy cucumber slices tossed in a creamy dressing are a classic for a reason. A generous amount of black pepper is what really makes this salad shine. I skip sugar entirely—sweetener tends to make cucumber salad watery and oddly sweet. You’ve got two great options here: a lighter, tangier version made with yogurt and a little mayo, or a fully creamy all-mayo version, which happens to be my personal favorite. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either.
READ MORE: Cucumber Tomato Salad
Tips for making the best creamy cucumber salad
While this is a simple salad, we’ve learned a few tricks over the years to make it the best.
- Use an English cucumber. These are the long, thin cucumbers that don’t need to be peeled. They are crunchier than field cucumbers and don’t need to have their seeds removed. Mini cucumbers also work well.
- Try peeling a few long strips of the cucumber skin. When you slice it, there will be a pretty pattern along the edge of each cucumber round.
- Adding a little vinegar and lots of black pepper cuts the richness of the dressing.
How long does this salad last?
While it tastes best the same day it’s made, you can store it in your fridge for 4-5 days. The cucumber slices will become a little soft, but they will still be tasty.
This salad stays fresh-tasting for many hours, so it’s a good choice to pack for a picnic or to take to a friend’s potluck.
What to serve with cucumber salad
Anything! Seriously, this is a salad recipe that goes well with everything from BBQ chicken made in the oven to curry made with lentils. Here are a few of our favorites:
Creamy Cucumber Salad: A Family Favorite Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber (sliced into rounds)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber and place the rounds into a medium-sized bowl.1 English cucumber
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.3 tablespoons mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons minced red onion, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Mix well and then serve right away.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I think this recipe calls for green apple to balance the vinegar in the mayo and sourness of the yogurt.
This recipe is awesome as is but also so versatile! We are Gorgonzola freaks so for this last time I made it I added it and it was fantastic. I’ve also done tomatoes and also good. Thanks for such a simple and yummy recipe!
I always make mine with sour cream instead of yogurt or mayo.
I love that almost all of your recipes are easily adaptable to my dietary needs. The flavor in this was amazing!!
Very nice creamy cucumber salad, I would love to try, as I eat cucumber everyday.
This looks fresh and yummy, cucumber is my favorite, will give it a try. thanks. and look absolutely delicious!
Could you sub sour cream for mayo?!
It won’t be quite as rich but if that’s what you have on hand you could substitute it. If you’re looking to reduce the mayo, try using half mayo and half sour cream. 🙂
This salad rocks! It’s deceptively simple…yet turns out so very crisp, creamy Summery scrumptious. ?
Had no red onion, but yellow subbed in just fine. I added a quarter tsp dry dill to my batch too.
Thanks Kristen. Your creamy cuke salad recipe is now a definite keeper in my Vancouver kitchen. ?
Love it! That’s so great to hear! Awesome to hear that you’re on the west coast, too!
This is a fantastic Brady salad, perfect for summer and even more perfect for cucumber lovers!
I added a pinch of dillweed which made it even yummier.
Dill is a great idea!
I made this to go with your Juicy Baked Chicken Thighs, which I have made millions of times, and it is so wonderful! Crisp, cool and full of flavor. In addition, the next day when I ate it, I anticipated that the cucumbers would have lost their crispness, but they were just as crispy and crunchy as the night before! Thank you for your recipes, Kristen!
You’re so welcome, Erika!!
These look absolutely delicious!
It is!
Absolutely delicious! Highly recommend this recipe. Was such an incredible addition to our summer BBQ. I do want to call out the importance of a high quality feta (grass fed, grocery store brand) and the English Cucumbers (so much more crunchy!). Both things really made a difference. I adjusted some of the portions because we like it creamy!!! E.g. extra mayo and feta 😉
You’re right, feta varies widely in quality. Our favorite is creamy Macedonian feta. 🙂
Did I miss the feta in this recipe? I’ve made it several times and never added feta. It’s also not listed in the recipe ingredients?
No feta in the original recipe. I think that just Anabella added it to hers. 🙂
Love this refreshing salad. Perfect to add crunch and very low calories to my diet
That’s great to hear, Bobbi!
great timing for I am searching easy salad prep and lighter food recipes
Excellent to hear!
I made this for my family last night to go with your baked pork chops. It was delicious!
A whole meal from here! That’s awesome! Really happy that you are enjoying the recipes here. 🙂
Quite tasty.
Thanks!