How long it takes: 10 minutes Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife (or spiralizer), bowl, measuring utensils Servings: 4 If you love tzatziki, a cucumber yogurt sauce that’s often found in Middle Eastern dishes, you’ll love this salad. Cucumber ribbon salad is also very similar to German cucumber salad, which is made of sliced cucumbers with a sour cream dressing.
Refreshing Cucumber Ribbon Salad
Lots of herbal flavor! Cucumber salad is super refreshing thanks to the fresh, crunchy cucumbers and tons of fresh herbs. I use chives, parsley and dill but any combination of fresh herbs works well. Dill goes especially well with cucumbers. A simple dressing. The dressing is easy to make with yogurt, salt and pepper. Use fat-free, low-fat, or regular yogurt, it’s up to you. Always in season. Cucumbers are available in grocery stores year-round so this salad is perfect anytime. Whether you’re cooking burgers outside or pulled pork in your slow cooker on a cold winter day, cucumber salad will fit right in. It goes well with richer meals, providing freshness and lightness to an otherwise heavy meal.
Recipe Tips/Troubleshooting
Peeling/not peeling cucumbers: If you use thinner skinned varieties, like English, hot house, or Persian, there’s no need to peel the cucumber. Rinse them well and cut off the ends. Thicker skinned varieties should be peeled. Often they are coated with wax to extend the shelf-life. Watery salad: Cucumbers contain a lot of water. Using Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt helps this salad stay creamy. If your cucumbers have a lot of seeds, remove them before slicing the cucumber. Another method is to salt the cucumber first, allowing the salt to draw out the water. Let the salted cucumbers drain in a colander for a half hour, rinse, and pat dry. Continue with the recipe
Possible Recipe Variations
Try a different dressing. Blue cheese dressing, green goddess dressing, or lemon basil vinaigrette are really great choices. Add an extra layer of flavor. Stir in a teaspoon of grated garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with cheese. Sprinkle the salad with feta cheese, Parmesan curls, or blue cheese. Add more veggies. Thinly sliced onions, radishes, tomatoes, or carrots taste great in this salad. Not into creamy dressings? Try my cucumber salad with an easy vinegar dressing or refrigerator dill pickles. For a spicy kick, easy Korean pickles are a must try! All three recipes are also dairy-free.
Storage Tips
This salad is best eaten immediately. It can be stored in a tightly covered container in the fridge for up to two days. It may get a bit watery and lose some of the crispness. Stir well, or add a few more cucumbers to refresh it.
