Description
Cool Mediterranean cucumber salad introduces crisp freshness with Ina Garten’s signature creamy dressing. Quick and elegant side dish combines tangy yogurt, fresh dill, and sliced cucumbers for a perfect summer companion you’ll crave at every gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Dairy:
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) sugar (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) salt, plus extra for salting cucumbers
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) black pepper
Instructions
- Salt cucumber slices in a colander to extract moisture, allowing them to rest for 15-20 minutes. Thoroughly rinse and gently blot dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid.
- Create a creamy dressing by whisking together smooth sour cream or tangy Greek yogurt with finely chopped fresh dill, zesty white vinegar, a touch of granulated sugar, and a balanced blend of salt and freshly ground black pepper until ingredients are fully integrated.
- Gently fold sliced cucumber and thinly shaved red onion into the prepared dressing, ensuring each vegetable slice is generously coated with the herb-infused mixture.
- Allow the salad to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, enabling the flavors to harmonize and develop a more complex taste profile. Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish or light accompaniment.
Notes
- Squeeze every bit of moisture from the cucumbers to ensure a crisp, refreshing salad texture that won’t become soggy.
- Gently massage salt into cucumber slices to draw out excess water, creating a more concentrated flavor profile.
- Prepare dressing ingredients in advance to let the flavors meld and intensify while the cucumbers release their liquid.
- Mix herbs just before serving to maintain their vibrant color and fresh, aromatic quality.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days, understanding the salad might release more liquid over time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg