German Cucumber Salad, aka Gurkensalat

This was my absolute favourite salad growing up.

One of my mum’s signature salads for summer, along with her tomato salad was this easy but oh so flavourful cucumber salad, aka Gurkensalat.  It doesn’t get any easier than this salad.  And yes, there are two versions: one with a sweet creamy dressing using sour cream as the base; and the other a simple vinegar, oil and sugar dressing.  This is the one I am sharing today.  I think my mum made both equally.  Or else I am also thinking of her German Sweet Pea salad, which for sure used sour cream!

Simple Ingredients Rule!

This recipe couldn’t be any easier.  Cucumber, onion, dill, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper.  Back in the day we had no access to English cucumbers.  We always went out to the garden to pick a couple of field cucumbers.  These guys usually had a thicker skin, and were often very watery due to a lot of seeds inside.  This meant that we would first have to peel them, and then cut them in half lengthwise.  We would use a spoon to scrape out the middle of the cucumber, removing the seeds and the watery gel surrounding them.  Then we could slice them up.

These days, you will most likely find English, sometimes called seedless cucumbers at any market.  These won’t need peeling, and the seed section of the veggie is so minimal that you can keep it when slicing up the cucumber.  Back in the day we didn’t have a mandolin, nothing fancier than a sharp knife.  So our slices were thicker than what we can achieve these days.  But don’t worry if you don’t have a mandolin, a steady hand and a sharp knife will result is pretty thin slices.  Just call it rustic!  Here is a great review on mandolines though, they are quite affordable these days!  They really do make cooking so much more satisfying.

I use a sweet or Spanish onion, as it is already a bit milder than a yellow onion.  I also add black pepper. My mum might have used a smidge of white pepper, but it is a little harsher.  And if you like parsley, feel free to add finely chopped parsley at the end as well.  And if you just don’t have dill kicking around, feel free to use chives instead.

The Dressing

What could be easier than equal parts white wine or champagne vinegar and olive oil.  Back when my mum would make it for us, she most assuredly used plain white vinegar, there were no other options back then.  And yet even that harsher flavoured vinegar didn’t overshadow the flavour of the cucumbers.  Just add the vinegar and oil to a small bowl.  Add some white sugar,  salt and pepper and whisk it up.  Or else why not put it all in a small jar, put the lid on, and give it a vigorous shake?! 

You want to marinate the cucumber and dill in a bowl for a good hour, to allow the flavours to meld, and the sugar and salt to draw out the juices from the cucumber.

Creamy Dressing Option

If you want to make a creamy dressing, here is the one closest to my mum’s:

Blend in a bowl:

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 2 tsp sugar, or more to taste
• Salt and Pepper

Use this to marinate the cucumbers and onions in the fridge.  This isn’t a salad I would travel with though.  Sun and mayo, not the best of friends.

But Why is My Salad Watery?

This most often happens if you are using field cucumbers from the garden.  The seed section is usually larger, and as the slices sit in the creamy dressing, the salt pulls out more water from the cucumbers, this shows up as the creamy dressing starts to separate.  To avoid this from happening, here is what you will do:

Peel and slice up the cucumbers, place them all in a colander set over a bowl or in the sink, and cover them all with a generous amount of salt. Place a paper towel over the cucumbers and then a plate that will fit inside the colander to cover the cucumbers. Place a heavy mug on the plate.  Let the salt do its thing, and in an hour or so, you will see how much water is released.  Transfer the cucumber slices to a tea towel and give them a good final squeeze.  You can also just grab handfuls and squeeze them over the sink.  All the excess water is now gone and you can continue with the salad.

Or you can do what we did at home: peel the cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise.  Remove the centre seed section with a spoon.  Then slice into thin half moons.  You can dress this version right away, since the watery part of the cucumber is now removed.  Not all cucumbers are created equal.  If you find that this method still results in some water in your creamy dressing, then you will still have to go the salt and colander route.

Final Thoughts

A sprinkle of extra dill, some more black pepper and this salad is ready to be served!  Leftovers will keep just fine in the fridge overnight.  But don’t try to keep it any longer, as the cucumber may start to break down after that.  And if you are bringing the vinegar version to a picnic or bbq, dress it in advance.  It will be just fine, even in the sun!

This salad is wunderbar as part of my German picnic.  As a side to German Meatballs, aka Frikadellen, Schnittlauchbrot (Chive tartines) and radishes for dipping in melted butter and salt, this is how we roll when it is heiss out! Just add a cold beer!   And if you feel inclined, you could also add my Roasted German Potato Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette, for just an extra noshing option.  Sehr lecker!!  

Love Jen

5 from 2 votes

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German Cucumber Salad

Fresh, bright, and so easy to whip up. The perfect light side to any grilled meats, or part of a picnic spread. Simply cucumbers, dill, onion, and a quick dressing of oil, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper.

Course Salad

Cuisine German

Keyword cucumber, dill, white wine vinegar

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 large English cucumbers, or 3 medium
• 1/2 Spanish onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnishing

Dressing

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, thinly slice the cucumbers and place in a large bowl.
2. Thinly slice the onion into manageable slices for eating, and add to the cucumbers
3. Add the dill to the cucumbers and onion.

To Make The Dressing

1. Whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl. Alternatively place all the ingredients in a small mason jar with a lid. Close and shake till blended. Drizzle over the veggies.
2. Let the salad marinate for 30-60 minutes to allow the flavours to meld. This can be stored in the fridge till needed.

3. To serve finish with more fresh dill and a bit more pepper.

Recipe Notes

If you are using field cucumbers, you will most likely need to peel the skin and remove the seed section before slicing.

If you are concerned that your cucumbers will release too much water or if they will be sitting in the dressing for quite a while, then you may wish to salt them first.  After slicing, place them in a colander and sprinkle salt over them and toss.  Let them drain in the sink for 30 minutes and then give them a final squeeze before adding to a bowl and dressing them.  See the blog post for additional information.