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This creamy Polish cucumber salad is everything you want on a hot summer day — cool, tangy, loaded with dill, and just a little heat from cayenne. It’s a simple dish that somehow tastes like way more effort than it is.
Why You’ll Love It
- Cool and refreshing — chilled cucumbers in a creamy sour cream dressing, perfect for summer dinners and cookouts
- Big dill flavor — don’t be shy with it; the dill is the whole point
- A subtle kick — just a pinch of cayenne lifts the whole dish without overpowering it
- No cooking required — just a little patience while it chills in the fridge
- Better the longer it sits — make it in the morning and it’s even better by dinner
A Few Notes on Ingredients
Use real cucumbers if you can get them. I know that sounds obvious, but those long English ones in plastic wrap are fine in a pinch and actually pretty good here because you don’t have to peel them as aggressively. Regular garden cucumbers work great, just peel them fully and scoop the seeds if they’re watery. Four large ones gives you a substantial salad — enough for a full dinner table, maybe with a little left over for lunch the next day.
The sour cream should be full fat. I know, I know. I’ve tried the low-fat version. Don’t. It gets watery and the texture is just off in a way I can’t quite articulate. Same with the mayo — real mayo, not Miracle Whip, please.
Dill: fresh is better, dried is fine. Use more than you think you need. One tablespoon is the floor, not the ceiling.
Cayenne: start with just a pinch. A real pinch. Taste the dressing before you add more. You want warmth, not a statement.
Ingredients
- 4 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
- Cold water (enough to just cover the cucumbers)
- 1 small onion, grated — I use a box grater, it practically disappears into the dressing this way
- ½ cup sour cream, full fat
- ¼ cup real mayo
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 to 3 tablespoons fresh or dried dill (I usually do closer to 3)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper, to taste — I use maybe ⅛ teaspoon, sometimes more if I’m feeling it
How To Make It
Peel your cucumbers and slice them. I go fairly thin — maybe a little less than a quarter inch? I don’t measure, I just slice until they look right. Some people salt the cucumbers directly and let them drain that way, but I like the cold water method because it chills them at the same time and I think the texture comes out better. So: put your sliced cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle them with the salt, pour cold water over them until they’re just covered, and stick the whole bowl in the fridge for about thirty minutes.
While that’s happening, make your dressing. Grate the onion into a medium bowl — and yes, grating rather than dicing matters here, because grated onion melts into the dressing and you get the flavor without biting into actual onion chunks. Add the sour cream, mayo, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, dill, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir it all together and taste it. Adjust the dill. Adjust the cayenne. Add a tiny bit more sugar if it’s too sharp. This is the part where you get to make it yours.
I should mention: one time I accidentally doubled the vinegar. I was distracted and just poured without measuring. The salad was extremely tart. Not ideal — but easy enough to avoid if you measure.
When the cucumbers have had their thirty minutes, drain them really well. I put them in a colander and press down with my hands, then let them sit for a few extra minutes. You want them dry. Wet cucumbers will water down your beautiful dressing and the whole thing will be soup by the time you eat it.
Fold the cucumbers into the dressing gently — you don’t want to break up the slices — and then refrigerate for at least an hour. More is better. Made in the morning for dinner and it’s always the best version.
Variations
A little garlic powder works here if you want it. Garlic has a way of taking over, so go easy. You can do this without the mayo entirely — just all sour cream — if that’s your preference. It’s tangier and a little looser. Some people add sliced radishes, which adds crunch and color and makes it look fancier at a cookout. Fresh mint is something I’ve thought about adding but haven’t done yet. Maybe this summer.
Keeping It
This keeps for about two days in the fridge, though it gets more watery as it sits. Give it a stir before serving the second day. By day three it’s not inedible but it’s not really what it was, either.
Do not freeze it. I don’t know why you would, but I’m saying it anyway.
It’s one of those recipes that looks simple and is simple, but gets better every time you make it because you know it better. You know how much cayenne you want. You know to really drain those cucumbers.
Sour Cream & Dill Cucumbers
Ingredients
- 4 cucumbers large, peeled and thinly sliced
- cold water enough to cover cucumbers
- 1 onion small, grated
- 1/2 cup sour cream full fat
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1-3 tbsp dill fresh or dried
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, cover with cold water, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine grated onion, sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, dill, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir until smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more dill, sugar, or cayenne as desired.
- Drain cucumbers thoroughly and pat dry to remove excess moisture.
- Gently fold cucumbers into the dressing until evenly coated.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving for best flavor.
