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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Cucumber Salad

    BY: Jane PUBLISHED: 20 Jun, '22 UPDATED: 20 Jun, '22 11 Comments

    This easy cucumber salad recipe is ever so creamy with a fantastic lime flavor that is perfect for slicing and enjoying on a bed of lettuce! This creamy cucumber spread is light and refreshing that takes minutes to prepare using minimal ingredients, and it's perfect for a hot summer's day.

    Cucumber salad - featured
    Contents
    • 🌟 Why this recipe works
    • 🍽 Key Ingredients
    • 🔪 How to make
    • 💭 Cooking tips
    • 📖 Recipe Variations
    • 🥗 What to serve with
    • 🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 🧊 Storage
    • 🍳 Related Cucumber Recipes
    • 👪 Serving Size
    • Easy Cucumber Salad (Creamy and Refreshing)
    • 💬 Comments

    🌟 Why this recipe works

    Unlike the traditional cucumber & onion salad that comes in salad form with sliced cucumber, red onion, herbs, and apple cider vinegar, this creamy recipe is more like a refreshing light spread that is perfect for summer weather.

    You can enjoy this delicious cucumber spread with salad recipes, on toast, or as a refreshing side dish to accompany healthy main meals.

    The creamy texture from the sour cream and cottage cheese balances perfectly with the shredded cucumber and onion. And the lime jello holds it all together while adding a slightly tangy flavor.

    If you're looking for something new and easy to make in less than 10 minutes that uses just 5 ingredients and is super delicious - this refreshing cucumber salad recipe is it!

    It's also cheap to make, which is great for families on a budget and so easy to prepare that any home cook can make it with no special kitchen equipment necessary.

    🍽 Key Ingredients

    This is the best cucumber salad recipe that uses fresh ingredients commonly found in your pantry and fridge.

    Dairy - To give the cucumber spread its creaminess, use sour cream and cottage cheese.

    Cucumbers - Use fresh cucumbers (peeled) from the garden, if possible, or from the veg market. English cucumbers are the best for salad cucumber recipes.

    Onion - For this creamy cucumber salad, it's best to use sweet onions rather than ordinary white onions as they are too tarty. And we want a slight sweetness to aid the cucumber.

    Jello - To hold the ingredients together and add a bit of lime flavor, buy lime jello from the grocery store.

    Substitutions

    Sour cream

    If you don't have sour cream in your fridge, you can use natural yogurt as an equal substitute.

    Cheese

    Feta cheese or cream cheese will also work in this recipe in place of cottage cheese.

    🔪 How to make

    This creamy cucumber salad is easy to prepare with 5 simple steps to follow. You need to mix all the ingredients and chill the cucumber spread overnight before consuming.

    Step 1
    First, you will need to combine one (3 ounce) package lime jello with ¾ cup of hot water in an 8 inch x 8 inch Pyrex baking dish. 

    Tip: You could use a mold, if desired. Set aside to cool but do not refrigerate.

    Lime jello

    Step 2
    In the meantime, you will need 2 medium size or 3 small cucumbers. These are pickling cucumbers that we grew in our garden, but you could use any type of cucumber. 

    Pickling cucumbers

    Step 3
    Wash and peel the cucumbers and then grate them using a box grater. You will need about ¾ cup of grated cucumber.

    Grated cucumbers

    Step 4
    Grate ½ of a small sweet onion until you have about 2 tablespoons of grated onion. We grew this onion in our garden, but you could use a Vidalia or Texas Sweet onion. 

    Place the grated cucumber and the grated onion in a colander and let drain. Press the top with a paper towel to remove more moisture. 

    Small sweet onion

    Step 5
    Whisk in 1 cup sour cream into the cooled lime jello. 

    Sour cream and lime jello

    Step 6
    Add 1 cup cottage cheese along with the grated onion and cucumber.

    Cottage cheese with grated onion and cucumber

    Step 7
    Stir until it's all mixed together and then place the cucumber salad in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

    Mixed cucumber salad

    Step 8
    To serve, cut into squares and place on lettuce leaves. Add a dollop of sour cream and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. 

    Cucumber salad on lettuce leaves

    💭 Cooking tips

    Smoother consistency

    If you want a smoother consistency, use a food processor to blend the fresh cucumbers and onions and drain the juices before mixing with the dairy products.

    📖 Recipe Variations

    You can make many variations of this easy cucumber salad recipe by adding some flavorsome ingredients.

    Cucumber & avocado salad

    This variation is amazingly tasty with a smooth texture and cool refreshing taste! Mash 1 ripe avocado, swap the cottage cheese for cream cheese and mix it with the other ingredients.

    Cucumber salad with fresh dill

    If you have some fresh dill in your pantry, finely chop a small bunch (around 1 tablespoon) and mix it into the cucumber spread. Dill is an amazing herb that is flavorful and perfect with cucumber salad.

    Cucumber salad with pickling cucumbers

    Give the creamy cucumber salad a touch of acidity and crunch by adding 2 tablespoons of finely diced pickled cucumbers.

    Cucumber salad with pickled cucumber

    🥗 What to serve with

    Cucumber salad is best eaten for breakfast or lunch with lettuce or avocado toast. It also pairs nicely with these easy flavorsome summer creations:

    Garden pea fritters

    Garden peas are not always to everyone's liking, but garden pea fritters are entirely different! They're easy to make and have subtle flavors of mint and onion with a creamy center and a breadcrumb, crunchy texture that pairs beautifully with a slice of cucumber salad.

    Italian zucchini pie

    Use any garden zucchinis with this simple creamy Italian zucchini pie with a crescent roll pie crust and a cheesy egg custard center full of cooked zucchini. It's absolutely delicious and perfect for hot summer days.

    Roasted cherry tomato pie

    This is another delicious pie that is filled with summer cherry tomatoes and Italian flavors of basil, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and balsamic vinegar. It's a simple pie with puff pastry and a sweet cherry tomato filling that is irresistibly moreish with a slice of cucumber salad.

    🙋 Frequently Asked Questions

    Should you peel cucumbers for a salad?

    For this salad, it is necessary to peel the skins. In other salad recipes, you may not need to, depending on the type of cucumber. For example, English or Persian cucumbers have very thin skins that are fine to eat.

    Why is my cucumber salad watery?

    If your cucumber salad is watery, you may not have drained all the excess moisture from them before mixing it in the jello mixture. Alternatively, you may not have used enough jello for the cucumber salad to set properly.

    🧊 Storage

    Fresh recipes, like cucumber salad, are great for refrigerating but not so much for freezing because it contains jello.

    Fridge - You can keep the creamy cucumber spread in the fridge in the dish covered in plastic wrap for 5 to 6 days.

    🍳 Related Cucumber Recipes

    Looking for ways to use up your fresh garden cucumbers? Try one of my cumber recipes or consider canning your cucumbers.

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    👪 Serving Size

    This cucumber salad recipe will give you approximately 8 thick slices, depending on the size of your dish. Each slice is equal to one portion, and it is easy to double or triple the recipe amount to cater to bigger crowds.

    I love making this cucumber salad spread in the summer because it is so creamy and delicious, especially with the added lime jello ingredient that instantly lifts the flavor. Once you make it, you will fall in love with it - and you will be making it again and again!

    Congealed cucumber salad

    Easy Cucumber Salad (Creamy and Refreshing)

    1

    This easy cucumber salad recipe is ever so creamy with a fantastic lime flavor that is perfect for slicing and enjoying on a bed of lettuce! This creamy cucumber spread is light and refreshing that takes minutes to prepare using minimal ingredients, and it's perfect for a hot summer's day.

    • 1 package lime jello (3 ounces)
    • ¾ cup hot water
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • 1 cup cottage cheese (small curd)
    • 2 tablespoons sweet onion (grated)
    • ¾ cup cucumber (peeled and grated)
    1. Combine jello and hot water; set aside to cool but do not refrigerate.

    2. Using a box grater, grate the onion and the cucumber. Place in a colander to drain.

    3. Whisk the sour cream into the cool jello mixture.

    4. Add the cottage cheese, grated onion, and cucumber. Stir to mix all ingredients thoroughly.

    5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

    6. To serve, cut into squares and serve on lettuce leaves. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley, if desired.

    Smoother consistency

    If you want a smoother consistency, use a food processor to blend the fresh cucumbers and onions and drain the juices before mixing with the dairy products.

    Salad
    American
    summer salad, congealed salad

    If you make the cucumber salad, please come back and give it a rating. Also, take a pic and tag @cottageatthecrossroads on Instagram! I'd love to hear what you think!

    Stay cool, friends!

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    1. Suzy Allen

      August 24, 2021 at 8:32 pm

      I just started a Keto diet. I made this with sugar free gelatin. It's a keeper. Glad I bumped into this recipe.

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        August 25, 2021 at 8:41 am

        Great! That's so good to know!

        Reply
    2. Karen

      August 05, 2021 at 2:54 pm

      My husband always has a great garden. Made this last summer and loved it making it again.

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        August 05, 2021 at 4:19 pm

        Thanks so much for coming back and giving me your feedback! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    3. Wilma Kerr

      December 26, 2020 at 8:14 am

      I have had this salad before but it was not 1% as good as your recipe! We called it the ‘green ghoop salad’ but your recipe wins hands down as the ‘green whoop salad!

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        August 05, 2021 at 4:20 pm

        Well, thanks so much, Wilma! That's a great nickname for the salad!

        Reply
    4. Marylin

      August 01, 2020 at 8:59 am

      Looks wonderful, another great recipe for using cucumbers. Thanks so much, Jane

      Reply
      • Jane Windham

        August 03, 2020 at 2:54 pm

        Thanks so much for leaving your rating, Marylin!

        Reply
    5. MaryAnn E

      July 22, 2020 at 12:43 pm

      Thank you so much for sharing this. Many years ago (~40) I was at a pot luck and had the most refreshing cucumber/jello salad. I asked for the recipe but she just waved her hand and said it was the "cucumber/jello salad that everybody made." I have looked for years for the recipe. Can't wait to make it again.

      Reply
    6. Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage

      July 08, 2018 at 11:15 am

      Oh my gosh Jane this looks pretty and sounds delish. What a great summer salad to have.
      Making this one. Thanks for sharing.
      Hugs,
      Kris

      Reply
    7. AnnMarie

      July 08, 2018 at 8:26 am

      This sounds and looks SO good! I have been looking for side dishes that are light and refreshing . This is perfect!

      Reply

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    Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads

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    Thanks for stopping by! We're renovating and preserving our family's 100 year old home place where we garden, complete a few DIY projects, and do some cooking. Please leave us a comment so that we'll know that you were here.

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