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German cucumber salad ready tp serve on a white plate, extra fresh dill sprinkled around the side

German Cucumber Salad (Gurkensalat)

Robyn
This refreshing German cucumber salad with a vinegar and dill dressing, is ready in minutes!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine German
Servings 4 people
Calories 42 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • pinch granulated sugar to taste
  • pinch sea salt to taste
  • 1 cucumber or 2 Lebanese cucumbers
  • 1 spring onion
  • ½ tablespoon dill finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and olive oil with a pinch of white sugar and salt. Check seasonings and place to one side.
  • Finely slice the cucumbers and the spring onions and finely chop the dill, and place on a plate or in a bowl.
  • Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and mix well.
  • Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. (If you intend to keep in the fridge overnight I recommend salting the cucumbers first to avoid a watery salad, see tip below.)

Notes

Cucumbers - Use English cucumbers (hothouse cucumbers) or Lebanese (Persian) cucumbers as they have thinner skins.
Dill - this fresh aniseedy herb is popular in Southern Germany, but you could use finely chopped parsley as is often used when making gurkensalat in Northern Germany.
Sugar - white granulated sugar. This is an important ingredient in authentic German salad recipes like this one, however if you are not wanting to add extra sugar to your diet simply leave it out.
Spring onion - aka green onions. You can substitute with a little finely diced onion. If you don't want the harsh onion taste then soak the onion in hot water for 2 minutes and drain before adding it to your cucumber salad.
Oil - I often use a mild olive oil, you could use another neutral tasting oil such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
Vinegar - white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
If your cucumbers are waxed, peel them with a vegetable peeler before slicing. If they are unaxed you don't need to bother with this step.
Slice the cucumbers really thinly. Either carefully with a sharp knife or a mandolin.
Let the salad rest in the fridge for 3 hours to chill down. It will become slightly watery, but don't worry.
If you want to make the salad ahead of time, or leave overnight: to avoid a watery salad, salt the cucumbers, leave for 15 minutes in a colander, then pat dry with kitchen paper towel before adding to the dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 42kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 88IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cucumber salad, no sour cream, summer salad

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