This delectable sour cream-based German Cucumber Salad also known as gurkensalat, is made with a little more than a handful of ingredients in less than fifteen minutes. This easy dish has all the great flavors of the salad that your German grandmother made.
It is a delicious side dish for all of your summer bbq and grilling. However, if you want to keep the meal traditionally German, serve it with Pork Schnitzel or German Beef Rouladen.
How to make this traditional German Cucumber Salad
Start by slicing your cucumbers and onions very thin. I use a mandolin, but with a little patience and a sharp knife, it can be done without one. Then in a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, white vinegar, and dill. Gently stir it into the sliced cucumbers and onions. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- A mandolin is an excellent way to slice the cucumbers and onions into thin, uniform pieces.
- Fresh dill is best in this salad as it is incredibly flavorful and fragrant. However, in a pinch, you can substitute 2 teaspoons of dried dill.
- Chill the salad for a couple of hours before serving.
- English cucumbers work best for this salad. Their skins are less tough, so peeling is not necessary, and the seeds are so small they are barely noticeable. Smaller seeds also mean less water and better texture.
- If less moisture in the salad is desired, sprinkle the cucumbers with a teaspoon salt and place them in a colander to drain for about an hour. Then dry with a paper towel before proceeding with the recipe.
- Other fresh herbs that taste great in this salad include chives and parsley. Or add a clove of pressed garlic.
- You can substitute white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar.
- Serve this dish with a slotted spoon.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What are English cucumbers?
English cucumbers, also known as seedless cucumbers, are long, thin cucumbers with seeds that are so small they are hardly noticeable. They are individually wrapped in clear plastic and are available at most local grocery stores in the produce section next to the other cucumbers. They are great for cucumber salads, garden salads, and cucumber sandwiches because their skins are tender, and their seeds are minimal.
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German Cucumber Salad
A delicious sour cream-based German Cucumber Salad with onion made in less than fifteen minutes. It is perfect for all your summer picnics, family reunions, and potlucks. Serve with chicken schnitzel of sauerbraten.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: salad
- Method: bowl and spoon
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 English cucumbers sliced thin
- ½ onion sliced thin
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, white vinegar, and dill.
- Gently stir it into a bowl with the sliced cucumbers and onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- A mandolin is an excellent way to slice the cucumbers and onions into thin, uniform pieces.
- Fresh dill is best in this salad as it is incredibly flavorful and fragrant. However, in a pinch, you can substitute 2 teaspoons of dried dill.
- Chill the salad for a couple of hours before serving.
- English cucumbers work best for this salad. Their skins are less tough, so peeling is not necessary, and the seeds are so small they are barely noticeable. Smaller seeds also mean less water and better texture.
- Other fresh herbs that taste great in this salad include chives and parsley. Or add a clove of pressed garlic.
- You can substitute white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the white vinegar.
- Serve this dish with a slotted spoon.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Keywords: how to make German cucumber salad, cucumber salad, easy cucumber salad
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Katja
Hi,
German here… my Grandma used to make this salad and I learned to make it from her… little tipp, pour a teaspoon of salt over the cucumbers after slicing them and let them sit for a while, drain them and then pour the marinade over it… the salad will be better 😉
jupiter hadley
Oh wow this sounds a lot like a potato salad but healthier! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Yeah Lifestyle
Such a refreshing salad and I bet this would be perfect for summer bbqs as well, can’t wait to try making this over the weekend
★★★★★
Laura
Yum! Cucumber is one of those veggies that you often take for granted but it can be so delicious.
Beth Pierce
So true!
Melissa Cushing
I have never tried a recipe like this but would love to! I am pinning this recipe to make for my family this week 😉
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Enjoy!
Risa Lopez
This recipe was simple and yummy! I made it over the weekend and whole family enjoyed it.
★★★★★
Tammy
Mm what a perfectly refreshing summer salad. My mom loves cucumbers so I made it for her. She loved it!
Mosaic Art
This looks sooooo good! I love salads, especially salads that are fresh…I would have them daily.
Rhian Westbury
We have a mandolin too as there’s no way I’d be able to chop things so finely and not hurt myself or take forever doing it. This is perfect for the heat the UK seems to be having now x
Beth Pierce
Understood! It is warm here too. I love my mandoline.
Samantha Donnelly
These are delicious and easy. Perfect for summer get togethers and something a little different than how we normally serve cucumbers.
★★★★★
Melanie E
This is a great salad. It was both tasty and refreshing. A great dish for summer.
★★★★★
Sarah Stockley
My kids absolutely love cucumber so I thought I would give this a try with them and it was a big hit! Really tasty and refreshing too.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sarah! So glad that you and the kids enjoyed it!
Stephanie
My husband loves all things German food and cucumbers so this is perfect for him! We have almost everything here already so it’ll be simple to whip up.
★★★★★
Talya Stone
This looks like the perfect summer side dish. I have a whole cucumber in the fridge which would be ideal for this – will give it a try thanks for the inspiration!
Joan Gundersen
My German Dad always made this but insisted on salting sliced cucumbers first and bleeding their liquid this way for an hour or so before. After that, dry them with a paper towel. He may have also added a pinch of sugar.
Thena Franssen
One of my favorites! I love the flavor of the added ingredients that you’ve put into this recipe! It’s so delicious and wonderful!
Jennifer Prince
OOh! I love how fresh and tasty this sounds. Cucumbers are so delicious when they’re thinly sliced like that, too!
Nilakshi
I used to eat slices of cucumber by sprinkling some chat masala on it. I will give this recipe a try for sure.
★★★★★
Danni Torr
I love cucumbers so I’m eager to try this recipe. The combination of dill and sour cream sounds delicious!!!
Ebony
I made this for my lunch today and it was so easy and yummy! Saving this recipe to make again in the future!
★★★★★
Heatherkleinwolf
My husband would love this. Definitely need to try this recipe soon.
★★★★★
Heather Castillo
There is a restaurant by our old home that serves this salad. My girls absolutely love it!
briannemanzb
I loved it. This salad looks so healthy and easy to make. I definitely trying this
★★★★★
Gervin Khan
I have never tried it but looks delicious.
I will make this for everyone for dinner.
★★★★★
Christine
Looks so refreshing and pretty easy to make. Can’t wait to give this a try!
Romy
Love this. Feels so authentic. Looks fresha nd tasty!
Cristina S Petrini
I did not know this simple, fresh and healthy German recipe!
★★★★★
Eden
This salad was so good! The cucumbers and dill made it taste so fresh, loved it!
★★★★★
Toni
This is seriously amazing! I love that it is easy to make and tastes so good!
★★★★★
Julia
This salad is so beautiful in its simplicity!! We loved it!
★★★★★
Allyson Zea
Made this for our BBQ and everyone loved it!
★★★★★
Allyson Zea
Oh my goodness these flavors are incredible! Love making this on the weekend!
★★★★★
Sandi
My hubby was so excited when I made this for him. It tasted great.
★★★★★
Erin
This German Cucumber Salad is most definitely an EPIC side dish! We love it!
★★★★★
Kimberly
The creamy version of German cucumber salad has always been my favorite!
★★★★★
Claire
I love this! It is so refreshing and it satisfy my cravings since I really love salads.
★★★★★
Maria
This side dish is so healthy and perfect for grilling partys <3 I love this! Thank you so much for sharing.
★★★★★
Anjali
This salad was super simple, refreshing and so easy to make! We ate it alongside some grilled sandwiches for dinner today and it was great!
★★★★★
Dannii
This is one of my favourite side dishes. Always a must at a BBQ
★★★★★
Seema Sriram
Summer will be here soon and once I pull out the bbq, this salad will be the first of the sides to try. Looks gorgeous.
★★★★★
Charla
This looks and sound delicious and I bet this salad would make the best side dish for any summertime BBQ.
★★★★★