Cucumbers with Sour Cream & Dill

This is a salad I learned from my mother. She makes it all summer long, to accompany salmon or steak, or as a light lunch with tomatoes and sourdough bread.

The cucumbers add a much needed crunch on a hot day, and the tang of the dressing goes well with most meats without overpowering other vegetables you might bring to the table. Since it comes together quickly, you’ll have plenty of time for other tasks, like sipping a cold glass of Chardonnay or even watching the grass grow. Prepare at least a few hours ahead of dinner to allow the flavors to meld. If you’d like to experiment further, Martha Stewart has a version that uses lemon juice as the acid; find it here.

Cucumbers with Sour Cream & Dill

½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
Pinch of freshly ground pepper, more to taste
½-1 teaspoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or the yield of one bunch from the market)
1 large English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

  1. In a medium serving bowl, combine all ingredients except the cucumber, whisking to combine.
  2. Taste, using a slice of cucumber; adjust seasoning as needed.
  3. Add the cucumbers to the dressing, stir to combine, cover and refrigerator an hour or two before serving.

19 thoughts on “Cucumbers with Sour Cream & Dill”

    1. The Gonzo Gourmet Post author

      Hi Jolene – I’m so glad you stopped by and found this old food memory! It’s amazing what recipes can do in terms of rescuing memories from the past. I’d forgotten about an Easter Bunny cake my mom used to make until I saw a friend post hers on facebook, now I can’t wait to try it.

      1. lincolnmom

        I still make this Easter Bunny cake every year, and I still have the original cookbook I used, called “Baker’s Cut-Up Cake Party Book”. I can never get rid of a cookbook.

  4. Nami @ Just One Cookbook

    Dill and sour cream is something that I don’t normally use. And when I use for some recipe, I don’t know what to do with the rest. So, I love when I find a delicious recipe using some ingredients that I don’t know what to use for. Thanks for sharing this recipe. This is a refreshing salad!

    1. The Gonzo Gourmet Post author

      Hi Nami, I’m so glad you like the recipe. You’re right – using “left over” ingredients is hard sometimes. What makes this salad special is it lends itself to using what you have on hand – the quantities are a suggestion.

  5. Miranda

    This looks so good. My hubs loves cucumbers, so this will be a hit. Thanks for linking this to Fat Camp Friday, see you next time!

  7. Anne

    Oh that sounds DIVINE! My grandmother used to make a cucumber salad without any dairy, but she added yellow onions. And my mother makes a dill spread for cucumber sandwiches – this is like a combination of the two. I LOVE fresh dill and simple, summery salads like this. 🙂

  8. lincolnmom

    I love this recipe-it really speaks of summer. This has always been one of my favorite recipes, as I got it from my Mother, so I have been enjoying it for a long time. I think my Mother would be amazed to see one of her recipes on the internet.

  9. tammy

    I will soon have cucumbers coming out my ears and my dill is getting so big and healthy. 🙂 My hungarian mother in law used to make this cucumber salad along with another non-dairy version. So yummy! Adding red onions sounds like a winner!

  10. Bibi

    This is one of my favorite summer salads. Sometimes I skip the sour cream and just have it clear. It is so refreshing and satisfying during hot summer days.

    Thank you for linking it up to Foodie Wednesday.

  11. Aifton

    This looks amazing! It definitely looks refreshing for the summer time. It reminds me of one my grandma makes with cucs, tomatoes, and some italian dressing. Yum!

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