Old Fashioned Creamy Cucumber Salad

Is there anything better than an old fashioned creamy cucumber salad on a hot day?

This is such an easy recipe that's light in calories too. I've swapped the mayonnaise or sour cream for fat free Greek yogurt, and it's still rich and creamy.

Really, no one will know and it's only 28 calories for a generous portion!

Flavoured with garlic, shallots, lemon and mint, for plenty of freshness, I guarantee that you will love this simple dish that can be made in advance too.

Enjoy!

Jump to:

❤️ Why you will love this recipe
🥘 Ingredients
🍽 Equipment
🔪 Instructions
⏲️ Chilling Time
🥗 Serve with
🥙 Substitutions
📖 Variations
🍣 Storage
🍱 Prepare in Advance
🤔 FAQs
📋 Recipe
💬 Comments

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best, and this old fashioned creamy cucumber salad is about as simple as it gets.

This makes it perfect for hot summer days, when you don't want to be slaving in the kitchen, but want a quick side dish or lunch, that will be cool and refreshing.

Great for making in advance, this salad is great for barbecues and picnics in the summer or as part of a buffet in the winter too.

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

Quick and simple to make
Light and refreshing
Low in fat and calories - just 28 calories a portion
Great for making ahead

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🥘 Ingredients

Cucumber - whole English cucumber. In the UK the supermarkets just tend to sell this type of long cucumber. It's sweet, with a thin skin and the seeds are small, so it's easy to prepare.
Shallots - banana shallots are easier to peel than normal shallots. They give a mild tang to the salad without overpowering the flavour.
Garlic - this adds an extra level of flavour, but is entirely optional.
Salt - flaked sea salt.
Pepper - freshly ground black pepper.
Sugar - granulated or caster sugar to balance the garlic and shallot.
Yogurt - fat free Greak yohurt for creaminess and stability. Other low fat plain yogurt tends to separate.
Lemon juice - fresh or from a bottle.
Mint - fresh mint leaves. If you buy it from the supermarket it is usually spearmint, which is perfect.

The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post.

🍽 Equipment

sharp knife
mixing bowl
chopping board
serving dish or plate

🔪 Instructions

Peel and finely mince the garlic.

Remove the leaves from the mint and chop finely.

Peel the shallots, slice in half lengthways and slice across.

Wash the cucumber, cut off the ends and finely slice.

💭 Top Tip

It doesn't take long to cut the cucumber by hand but you can do this with a mandolin or use the slicing attachment on a food processor if you prefer.

Put all of the cut vegetables and remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

cucumber, and other ingredients in a bowl.

Mix together gently, so as not to break the slices.

I find that a large metal spoon is best for this.

Pile the salad into a serving dish.

⏲️ Chilling Time

Cover and ideally chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving

🥗 Serve with

This old fashioned creamy cucumber salad goes with anything in the summer, particularly seafood dishes, but try out these ideas too.

🥙 Substitutions

Greek yogurt - use crème fraiche, soured cream, plain yogurt, mayonnaise or a mixture if you prefer.
Fresh mint - use mint sauce from a jar that is normally in a vinegar base, (not mint jelly), but use a teaspoon or to taste.
English cucumber - use another variety, but be prepared to need to remove the seeds if they are large, as they can be indigestible. See the Frequently Asked Questions section.

📖 Variations

Capers - add a few capers for some extra salty tang or some sliced green olives.
Citrus - add lime juice instead or sprinkle over the zest of lemon or lime as a garnish.
Shallots - swap the shallot for finely sliced spring or green onions.

🍣 Storage

Refrigerator - cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer - not suitable for freezing.

🍱 Prepare in Advance

Make the cucumber salad and store in the fridge until required in the mixing bowl. Stir again and place in a new dish to serve.

🤔 FAQs

Do you leave skin on cucumber?

If you have an English cucumber the skin is quite thin and can be eaten.

For thicker, shorter cucumber, such as Kirby or Persian, the skin tends to be tough, so ma be removed.

However, if at all possible retain the skin as it is full of vitamins and minerals.

Should you remove the seeds from cucumbers?

Generally no, as they have a high nutritional value.

However, some varieties, such as Kirby or Persian, have large bitter seeds that can be difficult to digest.

Slice the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
I often use a strawberry huller or grapefruit spoom to do this if required.

If you are making a cucumber salad several hours in advance it may be better to remove the seeds. Cucumbers are mainly water, and once cut, can leech water into the dressing.

More salad recipes

📋 Recipe

Old Fashioned Creamy Cucumber Salad

Amanda

Light and refreshing cucumber salad with fat free yogurt, mint, lemon, shallots and garlic.

5 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine British

Servings

Calories 33 kcal

Equipment

Sharp knife
Chopping board
serving dish or plate
Mixing bowlm

Ingredients

1 cucumber English
1 shallot long shallot
1 clove garlic
5 tablespoon fat free Greek yogurt
2 tablespoon mint
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Peel and finely mince the garlic. Remove the leaves from the mint and chop finely. Peel the shallots, slice in half lengthways and slice across. Wash the cucumber, cut off the ends and finely slice.
Put the cut vegetables and remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix gently together.
Pile the salad into a serving dish, cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Old Fashioned Creamy Cucumber Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 33 Calories from Fat 2

% Daily Value*

Fat 0.2g0%

Saturated Fat 0.04g0%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.02g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.01g

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 155mg7%

Potassium 172mg5%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 162IU3%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 42mg4%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article

Keyword creamy cucumber salad

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Food Safety

Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
Wash hands after touching raw meat.
Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
Never leave cooking food unattended.
Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
Always have good ventilation when using gas.

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Old Fashioned Creamy Cucumber Salad