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Creamy Cucumber Salad

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on April 19, 2012

Time

25 minutes, plus 20 minutes resting

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

3 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin½ cup thinly sliced red onion 3 tablespoons cider vinegar ½ cup sour cream ¼ cup minced fresh dill ½ teaspoon granulated sugar Salt and pepper

Before You Begin

Allow the cucumber to sit for the full 20 minutes before folding them into the dressing.

Instructions

  1. Spread cucumber slices in single layer on paper towel–lined baking sheet; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Combine onion and vinegar in bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
  2. Whisk sour cream, dill, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add cucumbers and onion-vinegar mixture, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

25 minutes, plus 20 minutes resting

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

3 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup minced fresh dill
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup minced fresh dill
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

3 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup minced fresh dill
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

All too often, cucumber salads suffer from limp, flimsy slices of cucumber swimming in a diluted dressing. Laying the sliced cucumbers out on a paper towel lined–baking sheet dries them out enough while keeping them crisp. Marinating the onions in vinegar before we add them to the salad tames their raw bite, and starting with a thick, flavorful dressing results in a creamy—not watery—cucumber salad.

Before You Begin

Allow the cucumber to sit for the full 20 minutes before folding them into the dressing.

Instructions

  1. Spread cucumber slices in single layer on paper towel–lined baking sheet; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Combine onion and vinegar in bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
  2. Whisk sour cream, dill, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add cucumbers and onion-vinegar mixture, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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