Creamy Basil Cucumber Salad

This basil cucumber salad features crisp cucumbers and red onion dressed in a flavorful sour cream dressing with lots of fresh basil.

We’re long overdue for a classic creamy cucumber salad on the website! Bonus points if we’re inviting basil to the party.

Bonus points x2 if we’re keeping things EXTRA easy with minimal prep and a short ingredients list which is how summer salads like this beaut were meant to be.

Y’all, I never thought it was even possible to fall in love with a humble cucumber salad but that’s what’s happening here.

Maybe it’s the combination of the slightly-sweet + tangy sour cream dressing and the fact they coat the crisp thinly-sliced cucumbers to utter PERFECTION, but this salad just ticks all the boxes.

And it’s almost scary easy to make so yeah, you’ll definitely be making this all summer.

This Cucumber Salad features…

• Crisp cucumbers and zingy red onion
• Herby fresh basil
• A cool and creamy sour cream dressing
• Minutes to make and the perfect use for an abundance of cucumbers

Making the Cucumber Salad

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Cucumbers
• Red onion
• Kosher salt
• Sour cream
• Apple cider vinegar
• Garlic powder
• Granulated sugar
• Basil

Choosing Your Cucumbers

We typically prefer to make this salad with seedless cucumbers, however, it will also work perfectly fine with regular seeded cucumbers if that’s what you have on hand.

When choosing your cucumbers, go for long and not overly huge-sized cucumbers – these will slice up easily and have a crisp, full-flavored texture.

Tips for Perfect Cucumber Salad

1. Slice cucumbers thin – this makes for a perfectly crunchy texture and makes the cucumbers easier to eat.
2. Salt-soak cucumbers – a quick 30-minute salt soak pulls extra moisture from the cucumbers so this doesn’t end up in the salad.
3. Use sour cream as dressing base – we found that sour cream was the perfect base because it lends a cool, creamy, and slightly sour flavor to the cucumbers.
4. Add basil just before serving – if you plan to store this salad before serving, add the basil at the last second. This will prevent it from turning brown.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this salad!

• Use Greek yogurt – if you don’t have sour cream on hand, try a whole milk Greek yogurt in its place.
• Skip the red onion – if you’re not a fan of the strong flavor of red onion, you can easily leave it out or replace with a sweet onion.
• Try a different herb – try fresh chives or dill in place of the basil.
• Add more veggies – add a handful of chopped sweet pepper or cherry tomatoes for an extra colorful kick.

Serving Suggestions

This salad goes great alongside a variety of dishes! Try serving it at your next cookout for a bit of a different salad that’s a welcome change from the usual mayo-laden salads.

We personally love serving this salad alongside grilled meats or with light pasta dishes. It also makes a fantastic lunch salad alongside a sandwich or wrap!

You sure wouldn’t think a salad this simple would be so crazy good, but it’s SO insanely good! The cucumbers are full of flavor, so crispy, and absolutely smothered in that cool, creamy sour cream dressing. And the little herby bits of basil just bring everything together!

If you make one salad with those summer-fresh cucumbers, let it be this one!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More cucumber salads to try next!

• Cucumber Ginger Salad
• Charred Sweet Corn Avocado Cucumber Salad
• Asian Cucumber Avocado Salad

This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 8/24/23.