This Creamy Cucumber Salad Is Always A Crowd Pleaser!
If you are looking for a great creamy cucumber salad recipe, you are in luck! Our version of cucumber salad is made with sour cream, finely chopped onion, and paprika resulting in a simple but delicious taste.
This salad makes a great side dish to a big family meal an is especially great in the warm summer months at a barbecue.
It’s actually kind of fascinating how many different cucumber salads there are across countries and cultures.
Who knew fresh cucumbers could be prepared so many different ways? This specific recipe – like many others on this website – has been passed along by Eric’s Hungarian grandmother.
Today, his mom makes it for family gatherings and it goes fast. People plead with her to make a larger portion year after year.
Relatives are left scraping the bowl for the remains. Not even kidding. So, we decided to give the creamy cucumber recipe a go as well – and it did not disappoint.
That said, this recipe is very creamy – but you can always reduce the amount of sour cream to suit your style. You can also add some fresh garlic for a bit of kick.
Also, the longer the cucumbers sit in the fridge to get rid of the excess water and become chilled, the better it tastes! However, after you add the sour cream, you should not put it back into the fridge – it might get too soggy.
Recipe Tips
Before you dive into creating your own creamy cucumber salad, there are a few things you should consider:
- This recipe does not include vinegar. There is actually another recipe for a Hungarian cucumber salad that is more vinegar-based. We will make it soon and post it here for you to re-create it at home.
- As we usually say with Hungarian recipes, there are different types of paprika you can buy: sweet, smoked, or hot. Be sure to buy and include the once that you want. There’s nothing worse than adding a spicy flavor that you can’t dial back!
Related Recipes
We have a love for all cucumber salad recipes – so have a look at these other popular versions:
- German Cucumber Salad – A slightly creamy version that leans on fresh dill for flavor
- Hungarian Cucumber Salad – A more authentic recipe with paprika, garlic, and much more
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 small onion
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash and peel the cucumbers. Slice them thin using a mandolin or the slicing side of a 4-sided grater.
- Add salt to the top, cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or similar), and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Remove the cucumber bowl from the fridge, strain the visible water, and squeeze the cucumbers with your hands to remove excess water. Alternatively, you can also press a small plate against the cucumbers if you don’t want to use your hands.
- Peel and thinly slice a small onion.
- Add sour cream, onion, and paprika to the bowl and mix well.
- Add pepper and salt to taste (be very careful with any extra salt because it should be salty enough), mix and serve.
Notes
- This cucumber salad is best served chilled. It is better if it sits in the fridge for a few hours so you can remove the excess water. That said, if you make it and serve it right away it would not lose that much water but it also wouldn’t taste as good as it does when chilled.
- After you add the sour cream, be sure to consume the salad shortly thereafter. You should not put it back into the fridge once you’ve added the sour cream as it might get too soggy.
- This recipe is creamy. You can always reduce the amount of sour cream if desired.
- You can also add a clove of crushed garlic to this recipe for a strong kick of flavor.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
My grandmother came from Temesvar in Hungary. She made a combination stewed and chicken and marinated spareribs baked in a dough and served with strained broth from the meats,lemon juice, with sour cream. She said Hungarian soldiers carried the Bashsteten in their knapsacks without the broth . She only made it once a year on her birthday, February2nd. If you can find the recipe please send it to me.
Hi Sarah, thanks for sharing! This recipe doesn’t sound familiar off the top of our heads, but we’ll ask around in the family to see if anyone remembers it. And I’ll leave this comment up – maybe someone else can chime in. /Lisa