Grandma’s Easy 5 Minute Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe (2024)

This is a really easy creamy cucumber salad recipe that is sure to become one of your favorite summer sides. With only five simple ingredients you can whip it up in just 5 minutes!

The Sunday lunch highlight at my grandma’s place wasn’t the roast for me. Nope, it was the creamy cucumber salad.

I know that children might have odd food preferences. But when I went for lunch at my grandparents that salad was what I always looked forward to.

My grandma was such a great cook. I always wish I’d asked her for more recipes.

Sadly, when I finally came up with that idea her Alzheimer’s had progressed too far. Oh well, at least her best cucumber salad stayed with me. Thanks Bernadine!

Ingredients

Cucumber

The humble cucumber is the main star in this easy summer salad. English cucumbers are fairly easy to get hold of so work well for this recipe.

If you need to choose another variety that’s fine too. You could even use a combination of cucumbers.

Onion

White onions are a good choice to add to the crunchy texture. They’ll also give that little bit of zing to contrast with the freshness of the cucumbers.

Cream

This classic summer salad recipe wouldn’t be as amazing without cream. It really brings the other four ingredients together and creates the best creamy salad.

Obviously, if you’re watching your weight you could try a lower-calorie alternative. We also have suggestions for a vegan option below in our FAQs.

White Wine Vinegar

This is an ingredient that you should be able to easily find at the grocery store. It’s a classic to add to a simple creamy dressing and will really add some lovely flavour.

If you can’t get hold of any you could always substitute it for apple cider vinegar.

Salt

You can’t have a good salad without a bit of seasoning!

Sugar

Although this may seem an unusual ingredient for a savoury dish, sugar really does well at balancing out the overall flavour.

Health Benefits

Here’s a quick macro overview of 1 serving:

kcal 154kcal

Carbs 4g

Fat 14g

Protein 1g

If you’re looking for healthy recipes then this is a great one!

Despite having a high water content and low-calorie count, cucumbers actually pack quite a punch when it comes to vitamins and minerals.

Most of the (few) calories in cucumbers come from dietary fiber. Fiber is good for you because it can help with digestion, and gut health and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Cucumbers also contain antioxidants that can help to fight the accumulation of free radicals and may reduce the risk of disease. Check out these 7 health benefits of cucumbers to find out more!

To maximize the nutritional benefits you should leave the skin on those crunchy cucumbers, as we have in this simple salad.

This easy side dish is not only vegetarian, but gluten-free, and egg-free. You could easily change out the dairy ingredients too to make it vegan.

For more healthy meal inspiration download your FREE 7-day Vegetarian Weight Loss Meal Plan.

How to make Grandma’s Creamy Cucumber Salad

My grandma Bernadine really did create an easy cucumber salad. This refreshing side dish will be ready in only 5 minutes!

• Slice those lovely crisp cucumbers into really thin slices, the thinner the better – we don’t want any chunks around here!
• Add it to a medium bowl and mix in the cream
• Finish off the salad with vinegar, sugar, and salt
• Mix well and let the salad rest for at least 2 hours for maximum taste
• Enjoy!

Creamy cucumber salad recipe FAQs

We’ve answered some of the most common questions about this recipe, but if you have more just let us know in the comments.

How do you store creamy cucumber salad?

This salad should last well in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. We actually suggest making it ahead as it gets tastier over time, so if you can, leave it for a few hours or even a day before tucking in.

What type of cream works best in the dressing?

We suggest a cream that is approx 35% fat but runny enough to pour and mix.

Is it keto?

Yep! The good news is this recipe is low in carbs and could be a great addition for anyone on a keto diet (more vegetarian keto dishes right here!).

Why is my cucumber salad watery?

Cucumbers hold a lot of water right? They’re great for hydration but you don’t want to have a watery salad. If you want you can salt the cucumber in a collider first to remove the excess water.

You may also find that if you make a lower-calorie version it could cause to change in the thickness of the overall salad.

What to serve with cucumber salad?

This salad is the perfect side dish for the summer months, thanks to how refreshing and versatile it is.

Whether you’re taking it to outdoor barbecues or dishing it up with crusty bread, we’re sure it will go down well!

My favorite thing to add on top is fresh dill weed, it really is the best way to make the perfect salad even better.

Don’t worry if you haven’t got any though – the recipe survived thirty years without it, and will continue to do so.

Check out our vegetarian summer recipes for even more inspiration.

Can I make cucumber salad ahead?

Yes, you can make cucumber salad a few hours ahead of time, great for when you have lots of dishes to pull together for a party or BBQ.

Variations and Alternatives

Whilst we’ve only made this recipe with dairy cream, it should translate well into a vegan dish!

We suggest choosing a soy cream (instead of yogurt) as it will need a similar fat content of around 35% to get that delicious creamy sauce!

For a lower-calorie vegetarian alternative, you could substitute the cream for natural yogurt and leave out the vinegar if you wish.

If you can’t get any regular white onions you could use some sweet red onions or perhaps shallots instead.

More cucumber recipes

If you’re hooked on this creamy cucumber salad, check out our recipes for:

• high-society cucumber sandwiches
• Persian cucumber dip
• cucumber raita

So there you have it, my grandma Bernadine’s homemade creamy cucumber salad. I hope you agree that it really is a great recipe!

Whether you only like it on hot summer days at a good bbq, or as a great accompaniment to a roast dinner like I do it is sure to become a favorite!

For more healthy salad ideas take a look at our collection of 14 Weight Loss Salad Recipes.