Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad
Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad is a refreshingly light side dish perfect for BBQs and the answer to what to do with all those cucumbers!
Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad is a summer smash of a dish, with its light, pleasing flavors that are so cooling and delicious. Simple, herby creaminess mixed with cucumbers, onion, and seasonings, this cucumber salad is a wonderful balance to all those hearty BBQ dishes!
Cool Cucumbers
I grow cucumbers every summer and for some reason, I always worry that I’ll end up with too many, only to find that I have a zillion recipes for these fantastic veggies! The story’s moral is that you can never have too many cucumbers in the summer, especially when you make Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad every other weekend. When we grill juicy burgers, steaks, and such, the tzatziki-like creamy dressing and refreshing cucumbers of this salad make these meals feel much lighter and we can enjoy our warm summer nights without feeling weighed down by too much food!
Make more standout veggie side dishes for every BBQ, like vibrant Corn Salad and Broccoli Salad, a crowd classic!
Other Recipes to Serve with Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad
- Looking for the perfect meal to fire up the grill for? Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs are easy to make and a huge hit with everyone at the BBQ!
- Pina Rita’s are insanely delicious coconut and pineapple margaritas that every summer get-together needs!
Ingredients
Veggies: For this salad, you will need cucumbers, red onion, and fresh dill.
Dressing: To make the dressing, you will need Greek yogurt (non-fat is fine), olive oil, minced garlic, freshly squeezed lemon juice or white wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.
How to Make Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad
STEP ONE: Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and let the dressing sit for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors develop.
STEP TWO: Halve the cucumbers into thick slices, then thinly slice the red onion and chop the dill. Put all of the veggies into a large bowl and pour the dressing over the veggies. Toss the salad until the veggies are well coated.
STEP THREE: Chill the salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve or serve immediately. Garnish with more dill and cracked pepper if you like.
Tips for Success
- You can leave the cucumbers as they are or de-seed them, based on your preferences. While smaller, you can purchase English cucumbers and avoid seeds altogether if that is easier.
- Any Greek Yogurt will work for the dressing- non-fat, 2%, or total fat, so go with what you have on hand or can purchase. Sour cream or thicker plain yogurt can also work in a pinch if that’s what you have!
- The key to a great dressing is the time you let it sit. Giving the yogurt, garlic, lemon, and seasonings time to meld and come together will take your cucumber salad over the top.
Can I make Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad ahead of time?
Make each part separately to make this salad ahead of time, which is doable. Slice and chop your veggies the night before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Do the same with the dressing in another container. When you are ready to serve, toss the two together for a wonderfully fresh salad! Combining everything ahead of time is not recommended as the dressing will begin to draw out the water in the cucumbers, which will make your salad a watery mess.
Do I need to peel the cucumbers before using them?
Peeling cucumbers for this salad depends on your preference and the cucumber you use. A few varieties sold in grocery stores, such as English or Persian cucumbers, have thin skins and little to no seeds, so peeling is unnecessary. The large cucumbers usually found at grocery stores can have rather thick skins that taste bitter so you may want to peel this type. Try a bite to see what you think and go from there!
Stay Cool All Summer Long
- Cucumber Sandwiches
- Cucumber Punch
- Cucumber and Onion Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Frozen Cucumber Margarita
- Summer Watermelon & Cucumber Salad
*This post was originally posted on 09/05/2017.
Cucumber Yogurt Dill Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large cucumbers halved and cut into thick slices
- ¼ red onion finely sliced (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh dill roughly chopped
Dressing
- ¾ cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed (or 2 tsp white wine vinegar)
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Set the dressing aside for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Place the cucumbers, onion, and dill in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the veggies and until well coated.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature, garnished with extra dill and more cracked pepper if desired.
This makes an excellent fresh salad as written. You won’t be sorry. I scaled the recipe down by half. Of course I personalized it by adding diced roma tomatoes and gave it a little more flavor with a dash of onion powder. Also, I didn’t have greek yogurt on hand so I just used plain yogurt. I don’t think the switch made all that much difference to the taste or texture. It was excellent!