This creamy German Cucumber Salad is made with dill and a dairy-free sour cream base! So simple and refreshing, this 30 minute recipe is a summer staple!
Most of my family heritage is German, so I grew up eating a lot of German foods. One of my all time favorites (maybe even better than potato salad) is a cucumber dill salad! It is so delicious and refreshing!
Cucumber dill salad is traditionally made with thinly sliced cucumbers, sour cream, fresh dill, and vinegar. This recipe is made vegan and dairy-free by making a vegan sour cream at home!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Dairy and Gluten Free - Use a store bought vegan sour cream, or make your own!
- No cooking required - This German cucumber salad is perfect for hot days when you don't want to turn on the stove!
- Less than 30 minutes - Just a few minutes of prep for this recipe, though it will taste better as it sits!
What you need for this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- English Cucumber - I recommend the english cucumbers, which are longer and more firm. They are usually sold in plastic wrap, so the skin is more enjoyable to eat. A regular cucumber will work.
- Vegan Sour Cream - Make a vegan sour cream with vegan cream cheese, lemon juice, and water. If you can find a good quality vegan sour cream at the store, by all means, use it! However, I have had a hard time finding a good one. You can also make Tofu Sour Cream.
- Vegan Mayonnaise - There are a lot of good brands out there for this.
- Dill - Fresh dill only, do not substitute.
- Vinegar - Use white vinegar or, for a fun twist, use rice vinegar.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prep Cucumbers
Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to very thinly slice the cucumbers. The thinner the better.
Lay the sliced cucumbers on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt to draw out excess moisture.
Set aside for 5 or more minutes while making the sour cream, then pat dry.
Finely mince the fresh dill.
Step 2: Make the Vegan Sour Cream
In a small bowl, combine vegan cream cheese with vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and a splash of warm water.
Whisk until smooth.
Taste and adjust to your liking.
Step 3:
Add the minced dill, vinegar, salt, and sugar to the vegan sour cream and whisk to create the dressing.
In a larger bowl, add the sliced cucumbers and coat in the dill dressing.
Gently toss to combine, then set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Around 2-4 hours in the fridge is recommend for best flavor.
Take the cucumber dill salad out when ready, serve chilled, and enjoy!
Expert Tips and Tricks
- The longer the German cucumber salad sits, the better the flavors will become! Let it sit in the fridge for at least a few hours for best results.
- This recipe yields a slightly thicker and less watery texture. However, adding more salt and more water or lemon juice to the dressing will create a thinner texture if desired.
- Slice the cucumbers as thin as you possibly can, while still keeping them even in size. This will help the cucumbers absorb flavor better.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to prevent soggy cucumbers is to salt them before hand. Adding salt to the cucumbers draws out the water, then you can pat them dry with a paper towel.
The longer the cucumbers sit in the dressing, the better the flavors of the german cucumber salad! I recommend letting it sit for at least one hour, but longer if possible!
If stored in the fridge, covered, this cucumber dill salad should last about a week. However, as it sits the flavors will change and become more intense, and the dressing will likely become watery.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
German Cucumber Salad (Vegan)
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Mandolin optional
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumbers large
- 1 tablespoon White vinegar or ACV or Rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dill minced, fresh
- 2 teaspoon Salt more to taste
- 8 oz Vegan Cream Cheese see notes
- 2 tablespoon Vegan mayonnaise
- Lemon Juice of 1 lemon see notes
Instructions
- Use a mandolin or a sharp knife to very thinly slice the cucumbers. The thinner the better.
- Lay the sliced cucumbers on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt to draw out excess moisture.
- Set aside for 5 or more minutes while making the sour cream, then pat dry.
- Finely mince the fresh dill.
- In a small bowl, combine vegan cream cheese with vegan mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and a splash of warm water.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Taste and adjust to your liking.
- Add the minced dill, vinegar, salt, and sugar to the vegan sour cream and whisk to create the dressing.
- In a larger bowl, add the sliced cucumbers and coat in the dill dressing.
- Gently toss to combine, then set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Around 2-4 hours in the fridge is recommend for best flavor.
- Take the cucumber dill salad out when ready, serve chilled, and enjoy!
Notes
- **Vegan cream cheese (I used kite hill) is combined with vegan mayonnaise and lemon juice to create a "vegan sour cream".
- The longer this sits, the better the flavors will become! Let it sit in the fridge for at least a few hours for best results.
- This recipe yields a slightly thicker and less watery texture. However, adding more salt and more water or lemon juice to the dressing will create a thinner texture if desired.
- Slice the cucumbers as thin as you possibly can, while still keeping them even in size. This will help the cucumbers absorb flavor better.
Eva says
I just made this for a church function. We had to bring a family dish so I used this recipe instead of our traditional dairy recipe to show we can honor our ancestors and still be earth friendly. It’s delicious!!!
Emily says
I love that! Thank you so much for sharing, I'm so glad you enjoyed!