German Cucumber Salad (Gurkensalat) - Recipes From Europe (2024)

This German Cucumber Salad Recipe is Always a Favorite!

Looking for a simple yet oh-so-delicious cucumber salad recipe? Our German Cucumber Salad with dill is for you!

With fresh dill and just the right amount of creaminess, this salad – known in German as Gurkensalat – is packed with flavor, but it’s not overpowering.

To be fair, there are lots of different German cucumber salads out there.

Some are made with just oil and vinegar, some have a little bit of sour cream, some use heavy cream, and some have a bit more of a “fancy dressing”.

This recipe is a classic version of a German cucumber salad that Lisa grew up eating and used to make with her dad.

It is not that different from the Hungarian cucumber salad we already have on the website.

The main difference is the use of dill and the exclusion of paprika. It’s like dill and paprika swapped jobs in these two recipes – but both are excellent in their own way.

Ingredients

To make this classic Gurkensalat recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• English cucumbers – Use fresh, firm cucumbers.
• Salt – To draw out excess water from the cucumbers and to season the salad.
• Yellow onion – To add some extra flavor to the salad. You can also use a sweet onion if you prefer or skip it altogether.
• Fresh dill – Adds more flavor to the salad. You can use dried dill if needed, but we recommend fresh dill.
• Vegetable oil – You can substitute another neutral-tasting oil, such as avocado oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil.
• White wine vinegar – Alternatively, you can also use regular white vinegar.
• Granulated sugar – To balance out the flavor; adjust to taste.
• Sour cream – Adds creaminess and a slight tang to the dressing. Alternatively, you can use Greek yogurt if you prefer.
• Black pepper – To season the salad.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Before you make this version of traditional German cucumber salad, have a quick read through these tips and substitutions, so you end up with a tasty salad:

• Use fresh, firm English cucumbers for the best taste. You can peel them if you like, but it’s not necessary (we don’t usually peel them).
• We recommend using a mandolin to slice the cucumbers so they end up thin and even.
• Let the cucumber slices and salt sit for at least 20 minutes to draw out some of the excess water. If you are pressed for time and plan to eat the salad right away, you could skip this step – the salad dressing will just end up slightly more watery.
• If you don’t have fresh dill, you can use a dried salad herb mix for example.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of sour cream to taste. If you don’t like your German cucumber salad with sour cream, you can also omit it completely and adjust the amount of vinegar and sugar to taste.

How to Make German Cucumber Salad – Step by Step Instructions

In this section, you will see just how we make our authentic German cucumber salad. We have included all the process photos below so you can visually follow along as you make the salad at home.

The recipe card with all the ingredient amounts and instructions is at the end of this post!

First, wash and dry the cucumbers. You can peel the cucumber if you want, but it’s not necessary. We usually leave the skin on.

Next, slice the cucumbers using a mandolin slicer or box grater. Do this over a bowl to catch all the slices. Be careful with your fingers towards the end!

Now sprinkle the salt over the cucumbers and give the cucumbers a stir with a spoon to evenly distribute the salt.

Let the bowl of sliced cucumbers sit for about 20 minutes to draw out the excess water.

In the meantime, peel and finely dice a small onion (or half of a larger onion as we have done here).

Feel free to adjust the amount of onion you add to taste. You can also use a sweet onion instead of a yellow onion if you prefer.

After 20 minutes, gently squeeze the cucumbers with your clean hands and drain the liquid from the bowl.

The cucumbers will still have some liquid left (they are cucumbers, after all), but there should be no excess water in the bowl.

Next, add the freshly chopped dill, sour cream, vegetable oil, white wine vinegar, sugar, and black pepper. Hold off on adding more salt until you taste it later.

With a large spoon, stir well to combine. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, sugar, and/or vinegar if needed.

You can eat the salad right away, or you can place it in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to serve.

This gives the flavors time to mingle and the salad to become chilled. It will taste quite refreshing if it has time to cool in the fridge, but it will also be a bit more watery.

You can serve the salad as an appetizer or as a side to main dishes such as Rouladen, Käsespätzle, Schnitzel and more!

Storage Tips

If you have leftover cucumber salad, you can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

However, for the best taste, consume it by the next day to prevent it from becoming too watery. Before serving, give it a good stir and, if necessary, drain off any excess liquid.

FAQ

Related Recipes

If you’re looking for more great German salad recipes, give these ones a try:

• German Tomato Salad
• German Vegan Potato Salad
• German Creamed Savoy Cabbage
• Easy Green Bean Salad
• Carrot Salad (German-style)
• Sauerkraut Salad

This recipe was first published in September 2020 and updated with new photos and tips in November 2023.