Cilantro Cucumber Salad

Name: Cilantro Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 English cucumber (sliced); ½ red onion (finely diced); ¼ cup Greek yogurt; ¼ cup sour cream; squeeze of fresh lemon juice; 1 cup (packed) cilantro (finely chopped); 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; black pepper and salt; chopped chives to garnish

Perfectly creamy and fresh, this cilantro cucumber salad is ready to serve in minutes. Made with Greek yogurt and sour cream, it's tangy and so refreshing.

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Close up of creamy cilantro cucumber salad on a long serving plate.

Last Updated on April 8, 2021 by Betty Davies

Elevate your salad game with this easy 10 minute recipe. This cilantro cucumber salad is perfectly creamy and made with fresh and zingy ingredients. A great summer side dish that will leave you wanting more!

Cucumber salad on a white serving plate ready to eat.

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The weather is slowly getting warmer, so my mind turns to all things salad!

This cilantro cucumber salad is so fresh and tangy. The creamy dressing is made with a mix of sour cream and Greek yogurt and fresh cilantro and chives and a great herby flavor.

Perfect to serve with all of your favorite mains, this salad is a keeper!

Be sure to check out my other delicious summer sides like Greek salsa and apple cider vinegar dressing.

Why you will love this recipe!

Quick and easy: It takes no more than 10 minutes to whip up a batch of this salad. Just chop the ingredients and mix everything together and you are good to go.
Simple ingredients: You just need a handful of fresh ingredients, nothing overly fancy needed!
Dietary info: This cilantro cucumber salad is vegetarian and gluten-free.

Cucumber salad garnished with fresh chives on a long white serving plate.

Ingredients

Cucumber: Use an english cucumber for this recipe. High in nutrients, especially vitamin K, they are a great way to rehydrate in the hot weather.
Red onion: Finely dice the red onion so that it’s not overpowering. Red onion is much milder than white or yellow, so it’s great to use raw in salads.
Greek yogurt and sour cream: Greek yogurt is an easy way to sneak some extra protein into this recipe and when combined with the sour cream, it creates a delicious creamy dressing.
Lemon juice: Use fresh rather than bottled lemon juice for a more zingy flavor. You just need a little squeeze, and definitely not the whole half a lemon.
Cilantro: Use freshly chopped cilantro for a fresh and herby flavor.
Apple cider vinegar: Just a little for added tang.
Salt and pepper: Added to taste. I prefer this salad with just a little salt and more black pepper.
Chives: The chopped chives are an optional garnish, but they add a great flavor to each bite.

How to make cilantro cucumber salad

Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!

Slice and chop your ingredients and place everything into a large bowl (photo 1).
Mix everything together and chill until ready to serve (photo 2).

Two step by step photos to show how to make the salad.

Recipe Variations

This cilantro cucumber salad is pretty delicious as it is, but there are a few easy swaps you can make to suit your tastes.

Swap the cilantro: I know some people have an aversion, so you can swap this for fresh parsley. Alternatively you can use fresh chives.
Swap the onion: For a less sharp falvor, you can use green onions or omit them altogether.
For the dressing: I like to use a mix of sour cream and Greek yogurt, but you can use one or the other. You can also use plain yogurt instead of Greek.
Make it healthier: Use a low fat sour cream and yogurt.
Swap the vinegar: Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can use white wine vinegar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to peel the cucumber?

I like to partially peel the cucumber. The skin can be tough to eat sometimes, but leaving some of it intact adds a nice color to the dish. You can fully peel or not peel it all, the choice is yours! Either way, be sure to wash the cucumber well before using it.

How long does it keep?

This salad will keep well, covered in the fridge, for around 3 days, but it’s best enjoyed the day you’ve made it. When the cucumber sits it will start to loose some if it’s moisture, making it quite watery. You can easily drain the salad to remove the excess.

Don’t leave the salad out for more than two hours at room temperature.

How do you stop it from getting watery?

If you plan to make this cilantro cucumber salad more than a day ahead of time, then it’s worth salting the cucumbers to remove some of the excess water.

Place a layers of sliced cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with salt, then repeat the process until all the cucumber is used up. Let them sit in the sink for an hour and then pat dry with kitchen paper. The salt helps to draw out excess moisture, so your cucumber will stay nice and crunchy and won’t leak water into the creamy dressing.

Serving Suggestions

This cilantro cucumber salad is great to serve at BBQs, pot lucks and picnics. It’s great with grilled chicken, fish and meats. It’s a great addition to any weeknight meal, and works great with baked cod and lemon rosemary chicken breasts.

Overhead shot of the cilantro cucumber salad on a white serving plate.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Slice the cucumber as evenly as you can. You can do this by hand or use a mandoline for more even slices.
Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled. You just need a squeeze for a hint of flavor.
Keep the cucumber salad refrigerated.

More Salad Recipes

If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!