This creamy Old-Fashioned Cucumber Salad with Mayo is the perfect side dish for any meal. With crisp, fresh cucumbers and delicious flavor from the homemade dressing, it will quickly become a family favorite! Whether you're hosting a summer BBQ or a potluck with friends and family, this easy-to-make salad is the perfect addition to any menu!
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This creamy cucumber salad is a classic summer side dish that is easy to make and packed with refreshing flavors.
And it's the perfect way to use garden-fresh cucumbers and serve them as a cool, creamy side dish that complements any meal.
This easy salad recipe only takes 5 minutes to make, and the homemade dressing has a sweet and tangy flavor that perfectly complements the fresh crunch of the cucumbers.
The addition of fresh dill adds a pop of fresh flavor - it is just so good! This is one of my favorite salads to make during the summer months - I make it at least once a week!
The creamy dressing is smooth and dreamy - I like to pair it with Whole Smoked Chicken or Smoked Chicken Breasts to sop up that delicious sauce!
It also is equally good served alongside Smoked Brisket or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
I think this cucumber salad is a great way to serve cucumbers during the summer season and is sure to be a family favorite. It's also a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables too!
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy to Make - This fresh cucumber salad is super easy to make, requiring only a few ingredients and minimal effort. It's perfect for a last-minute potluck or get-together.
- It's refreshing: The cucumbers and creamy dressing make for a cool and refreshing side dish that's perfect for hot summer days
- Perfect for Summer - The easy cucumber salad is a refreshing and light side dish that's perfect for summer cookouts. It's cool, creamy, and crunchy, perfectly contrasting with barbecued meats or grilled vegetables.
- Family-friendly: This cucumber salad is a family-friendly recipe that everyone will enjoy, especially children who might not normally eat their vegetables.
- Budget-Friendly - This salad is perfect for those on a tight budget as it requires only a few simple ingredients, some of which you may already have in your pantry.
- Crowd-Pleaser - This crowd-pleaser salad is perfect for potlucks, BBQs, and family dinners. You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a larger group.
- Make Ahead - You can make this salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. In fact, letting it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour before serving allows the flavors to meld together, making it even more delicious. I even think it tastes better the next day!
🥒 Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
All that is required to make this creamy cucumber salad recipe is a handful of basic ingredients.
- Cucumbers. Crisp cucumbers are the star of the recipe; these add a refreshing crunch to the salad. I used long English cucumbers, but you can use any regular cucumbers you like. If you don't have garden cucumbers, pick up some at your local Farmers Market.
- Red onion. Red onion adds a sharp, tangy flavor to the salad, and I love the pop of bright color they add. You can use green onions or shallots if you like.
- Mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is used to make the dressing for the salad, giving it a creamy texture and rich flavor. You can use any mayo you have, including Miracle Whip, or even avocado mayonnaise. And if you like, you can use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of mayo.
- White vinegar. This adds a tangy flavor to the dressing, balancing out the richness of the mayo.
- Sugar. This gives the dressing a touch of sweetness, which complements the tanginess of the vinegar. You can use granulated sugar, cane sugar, or any sugar substitute.
- Fresh dill weed. This adds an amazing flavor to the cucumbers. I think this ingredient is almost as important as the cucumbers! However, if you don't have fresh dill, you can use 1 tablespoon of dried dill instead.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.
🥒 How To Make Old-Fashioned Cucumber Salad With Mayo
Wash the cucumbers and dry them with a paper towel. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Cut them into thin slices or slice them into thin half-moon shapes.
Put the cucumber slices and red onions into a large bowl.
Mix the mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.
Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the cucumber and onion mixture. Use a spatula to mix everything so that the cucumbers and onions are covered in the dressing.
Add some fresh dill to the salad to give it extra flavor.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors combine.
When you're ready to eat, stir the salad to mix everything together again. Serve it as a yummy side dish with your favorite main course.
Enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Use fresh and crispy cucumbers. The cucumbers should be firm to the touch and have a bright green color.
- Slice the cucumbers and onions thinly: To achieve the perfect texture, slice the cucumbers and onions very thinly. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife to make the slices as thin as possible.
- Add some crunch: You can add sliced celery, carrots or radishes to the salad for added crunch.
- Make the dressing ahead of time: The dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. This allows the flavors to meld together and saves time when preparing the salad.
- Chill the salad before serving: The salad tastes best when served chilled, so be sure to allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Customize the dressing to your taste: The sweetness and tanginess of the dressing can be adjusted to your taste by adding more or less sugar and vinegar.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make the salad ahead of time, just give it a good stir before serving.
Yes, you can add other vegetables such as celery, radish, cherry tomatoes, or bell peppers to the salad.
You can store the salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
English cucumbers work best for this recipe.
🍔 What can I serve this salad with?
This salad goes with pretty much anything, any time of year. I have served it for Christmas dinner alongside Smoked Prime Rib Roast, as well as with Smoked Turkey on Thanksgiving.
I have also served it alongside Smash Burgers, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick, and Smoked Chuck Roast.
It also goes great with something light like Air Fryer Tuna Patties and Air Fryer Tilapia.
👩🏻🍳 More Delicious Salad Recipes
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📋 Recipe
Creamy Old-Fashioned Cucumber Salad with Mayo
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers peeled + sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- Put the cucumber slices and red onions into a large bowl.
- Mix the mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl.
- Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the cucumber and onion mixture. Use a spatula to mix everything so that the cucumbers and onions are covered in the dressing.
- Add some fresh dill to the salad and gently toss to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors combine.
- When you're ready to eat, stir the salad to mix everything together again.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh and crispy cucumbers. The cucumbers should be firm to the touch and have a bright green color.
- Slice the cucumbers and onions thinly: To achieve the perfect texture, slice the cucumbers and onions very thinly. You can use a mandoline or a sharp knife to make the slices as thin as possible.
- Add some crunch: You can add sliced celery, carrots or radishes to the salad for added crunch.
- Make the dressing ahead of time: The dressing can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it. This allows the flavors to meld together and saves time when preparing the salad.
- Chill the salad before serving: The salad tastes best when served chilled, so be sure to allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Customize the dressing to your taste: The sweetness and tanginess of the dressing can be adjusted to your taste by adding more or less sugar and vinegar.
Nutrition
Check out 60+ Best 4th Of July Salads for more salad recipes!
NOORJEHAN
I will try to make this fresh salad to take to a friend's home for dinner gathering.
Jeri Walker
That sounds like a great idea! I'm sure your friend will appreciate the fresh salad at the dinner gathering. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂