Classic Cucumber Salad with Heavy Cream

If you ask me, creamy cucumber salad is one of those old-fashioned sides that deserves a comeback.

This classic salad brings together crisp cucumbers and sweet onions in a tangy, dill-speckled cream dressing. The vegetables get salted first to draw out excess moisture, which keeps things from getting watery.

Then they’re tossed with heavy cream, vinegar, and fresh dill for a cool and refreshing side dish. White pepper adds a little kick without overpowering the clean cucumber flavor.

It’s a simple recipe that works great alongside grilled meats or at summer potlucks.

What Kind of Cucumbers Should I Use?

For this creamy cucumber salad, you have a few good options when it comes to cucumber varieties. English cucumbers are a great choice because they have fewer seeds and thinner skins, so you won’t need to peel them. Regular slicing cucumbers from the grocery store work perfectly fine too, though you might want to peel them if the skin seems thick or waxy. Persian cucumbers are another solid option if you can find them – they’re crisp and have a mild flavor that works well with the cream dressing. Whatever type you choose, make sure they’re firm and fresh without any soft spots, and slice them thin so they can properly absorb the dressing.

Options for Substitutions

This simple salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Heavy whipping cream: You can swap heavy cream with sour cream for a tangier flavor, or use Greek yogurt if you want something lighter. If using Greek yogurt, you might want to thin it out with a splash of milk to get the right consistency.
• White onion: Red onion works great here and adds a nice pop of color. You can also use sweet onion if you prefer a milder taste. If raw onion is too strong for you, soak the sliced onions in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad.
• Fresh dill: No fresh dill? Dried dill works in a pinch – just use about 2 teaspoons instead of the 2 tablespoons of fresh. You could also try fresh parsley or chives for a different flavor profile.
• Vinegar: White vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar all work well here. Each brings a slightly different taste, but they’ll all give you that tangy kick.
• Cucumbers: English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers are great choices. If using regular cucumbers with thick skins and large seeds, you might want to peel them and scoop out the seeds first.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with cucumber salad is skipping or rushing the salting step, which is essential for drawing out excess water from the cucumbers – if you don’t wait the full 2 hours, your salad will end up watery and diluted within minutes of adding the cream.

After draining, make sure to thoroughly rinse the cucumbers and pat them dry with paper towels, otherwise your salad will taste way too salty and overpower the fresh dill flavor.

When it comes to the cream, add it right before serving rather than letting it sit for hours, since the cucumbers will continue to release moisture and thin out your dressing.

For extra flavor, try chilling your salad for 15-20 minutes after mixing in the cream – this helps the flavors blend together and makes the dish more refreshing.

What to Serve With Cucumber Salad?

This creamy cucumber salad is perfect alongside grilled meats like chicken, steak, or pork chops since the cool, tangy flavors balance out anything hot off the grill. It’s also a natural fit for summer cookouts – serve it next to burgers, hot dogs, or barbecue ribs for a refreshing side that cuts through all that richness. I love pairing it with salmon or other fish dishes too, since the dill and cream complement seafood so well. This salad also works great as part of a bigger spread with other picnic favorites like potato salad, coleslaw, and corn on the cob.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This cucumber salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just know that the cucumbers will release more water as they sit, so the salad might get a bit watery. Give it a good stir before serving and drain off any excess liquid if needed.

Make Ahead: If you want to prep this ahead, you can slice the cucumbers and onions and keep them in the salt mixture in the fridge for up to 24 hours before adding the cream and dill. This actually helps draw out extra moisture from the cucumbers. Just rinse, drain well, and add the creamy dressing right before serving for the best texture.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 650-750
• Protein: 6-8 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 25-35 g

Ingredients

For the base: :

• 8 cups cucumbers (thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds)
• 1 medium onion (halved and sliced into thin half-moons)
• 3 tbsp salt

For the dressing: :

• 3 tsp vinegar (I use Heinz All-Natural White Vinegar)
• 1 1/8 cups heavy cream (I prefer Horizon Organic for a richer texture)
• 3 tbsp fresh dill
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Step 1: Prep and Salt the Vegetables

• 8 cups cucumbers, thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
• 3 tbsp salt

Slice the cucumbers into thin 1/8-inch rounds and halve the onion before slicing it into thin half-moons.

Place both vegetables in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, stirring gently to distribute evenly.

The salt will draw out excess moisture from the cucumbers, which is essential for preventing a watery salad later.

Let this sit undisturbed at room temperature for 2 hours—I like to cover the bowl loosely so nothing gets into it while the vegetables release their liquid.

Step 2: Drain and Rinse the Vegetables

• salted vegetables from Step 1

Pour the salted vegetables into a colander and let them drain completely for a minute.

Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water while gently tossing with your hands to remove the excess salt.

Drain well again and return the vegetables to the bowl—this step is crucial because it removes the brine while keeping the vegetables crisp and properly seasoned rather than overly salty.

Step 3: Create the Cream Dressing and Finish

• drained vegetables from Step 2
• 1 1/8 cups heavy cream
• 3 tsp vinegar
• 3 tbsp fresh dill
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Pour the heavy cream into the bowl with the drained vegetables, then add the vinegar, fresh dill, and ground white pepper.

Fold everything together gently using a rubber spatula, making sure the cream coats all the vegetables evenly.

I prefer to dress the salad just before serving because the cucumbers will continue to release a bit of moisture—this keeps the salad from becoming too wet if you need to let it sit.

Classic Cucumber Salad with Heavy Cream

Delicious Classic Cucumber Salad with Heavy Cream recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 700

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the base: :

• 8 cups cucumbers (thinly sliced into 1/8-inch rounds)
• 1 medium onion (halved and sliced into thin half-moons)
• 3 tbsp salt

For the dressing: :

• 3 tsp vinegar (I use Heinz All-Natural White Vinegar)
• 1 1/8 cups heavy cream (I prefer Horizon Organic for a richer texture)
• 3 tbsp fresh dill
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

Method

 

1. Slice the cucumbers into thin 1/8-inch rounds and halve the onion before slicing it into thin half-moons. Place both vegetables in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, stirring gently to distribute evenly. The salt will draw out excess moisture from the cucumbers, which is essential for preventing a watery salad later. Let this sit undisturbed at room temperature for 2 hours—I like to cover the bowl loosely so nothing gets into it while the vegetables release their liquid.
2. Pour the salted vegetables into a colander and let them drain completely for a minute. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water while gently tossing with your hands to remove the excess salt. Drain well again and return the vegetables to the bowl—this step is crucial because it removes the brine while keeping the vegetables crisp and properly seasoned rather than overly salty.
3. Pour the heavy cream into the bowl with the drained vegetables, then add the vinegar, fresh dill, and ground white pepper. Fold everything together gently using a rubber spatula, making sure the cream coats all the vegetables evenly. I prefer to dress the salad just before serving because the cucumbers will continue to release a bit of moisture—this keeps the salad from becoming too wet if you need to let it sit.