Description
Ina Garten’s creamy cucumber salad brings classic Hamptons-style comfort to summer gatherings. Crisp cucumbers mingle with tangy dressing, creating a refreshing side dish that pairs perfectly with grilled meats and provides cool relief on warm days.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (240 milliliters/8 fl oz) sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsps (30 mL) fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt, plus extra for salting cucumbers
- ¼ tsp (1.25 mL) black pepper
Instructions
- Preparing Cucumbers: Salt cucumber slices in a colander to draw out moisture, rest for 15-20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels to eliminate excess liquid.
- Crafting Dressing: Whisk sour cream or Greek yogurt with fresh dill, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smoothly blended, creating a vibrant and creamy base.
- Combining and Chilling: Integrate cucumber and red onion slices into the dressing, ensuring complete coating. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and intensify, developing a rich, harmonious taste profile. Serve cold as a refreshing accompaniment or standalone dish.
Notes
- Drain Cucumber Moisture: Salt helps extract excess water, preventing a watery salad and ensuring a crisp, concentrated cucumber texture.
- Balance Dressing Consistency: Whisk ingredients thoroughly to create a smooth, well-integrated dressing that coats vegetables evenly without separation.
- Marinate for Maximum Flavor: Refrigerating the salad allows herbs and seasonings to penetrate cucumber and onion, intensifying the overall taste experience.
- Serve Chilled for Freshness: Cold temperature enhances the salad’s crispness and keeps the dressing’s creamy consistency, making it a perfect summer side dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg