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
- Slice cucumbers thin – this makes for a perfectly crunchy texture and makes the cucumbers easier to eat.
- Salt-soak cucumbers – a quick 30-minute salt soak pulls extra moisture from the cucumbers so this doesn’t end up in the salad.
- 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.
- 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!
Creamy Basil Cucumber Salad
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Ingredients
- 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
Instructions
- Toss cucumber and red onion slices together in a colander with kosher salt. Set colander over a bowl and allow to sit 30 minutes to drain the extra water from the cucumbers.
- Once cucumbers have drained, use paper towels to gently blot any remaining moisture from cucumbers. Place cucumbers and onion in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk sour cream, vinegar, garlic powder, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour sour cream dressing over cucumbers and add basil. Fold salad until evenly coated and season with salt and pepper to taste if needed. Refrigerate salad until ready to serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 8/24/23.
Karen @ Lushious Eats says
Awww I hope your thumb is ok 🙁 I’m jealous of your cucumbers! I have 3 cucumber plants but the biggest one so far is like 2 inches…!! lolz! I have to keep waiting I guess! Love this salad, I also grow basil so I’m totally trying this when my cucmbers are ready! 🙂
Sarah says
Haha! Your cukes sound like they’re on their way to growing, slowly but surely, Karen! 😉 And yes, you TOTALLY must try this salad once you’ve got cucumbers!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
Wow – what a beautiful salad! And a great way to use up cucumbers. I didn’t get to plant a garden this year (so sad!) and I wished I would have, because I would be making this! 🙂
Mary Frances @ The Sweet {Tooth} Life says
Yes, it is totally crazy. I am in denial. Like, June, come baaaack!
Oh girl, I am so sorry. A mandolin slicer is no joke … especially when hands are involved. Heal up fast!
This salad rocks. What a perfect way to use up all our cucumbers! Pinned!
Sarah says
Totally! We need June all over again. 😉 And yes, mandolins mean business and I’ve gotten my fair share of nasty cuts from ’em! (probably due to the fact that I’m kinda impatient to get it done!) LOL. Thanks for the pin, Mary Frances!
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says
So sad tomorrow is already August. I love summer and I already miss it.
But we still have one more month to enjoy it with this summery salad, Sarah!! This is very refreshing!
Sarah says
Summery food is one of the main reasons I love summer, but like you said, we still have another month of it left! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
What a beautiful salad, Sarah! I think I would make this several times a week too! Definitely perfect for the summer, and maybe it will even trick us into thinking summer will last a while longer…maybe! 🙂 I love how you sliced the cucumbers, too. I definitely need to invest in a mandolin slicer!
Sarah says
Thanks Gayle! And yes, I would TOTALLY recommend getting a mandolin slicer! Makes my life SO much easier in the chopping-up-food department (when I’m not too busy cutting myself!) LOL.
Rachael | Spache the Spatula says
Oh man this look so refreshing! It makes me want to go on a picnic and pack this with! Also, totally jealous of your Summer garden bounty. My garden is…well…still not even built, haha. I have a ridiculous amount of lemon balm and thats about it. Who even uses lemon balm?!
Sarah says
That’s so funny that you have an overload of lemon balm! LOL. But with your creativity Rachael, I’ll bet you could find a good use for it! 🙂
Arpita@ TheGastronomicBong says
I can’t believe June is over.. 🙁 Summer almost over.. this is a great cucumber salad sounds delicious and can be whipped up within 10 minutes.. wow!! 😀
I m so sorry about you thumb.. heal up fast !!
Sarah says
Thanks, Arpita! You definitely need to try this cuke salad before summer is over! 🙂
Allison says
If you need a hand with any of those cucumbers, send them my way!!! I LOVE summer cuc salads. This one looks especially delectable with the pop of fresh basil. Can’t wait for MORE cucumber recipes from you, Sarah 😉
Sarah says
I knew you’d take me up on that offer, Allison! You can totally have all my cucumbers if you want ’em! LOL. 🙂
Ashley says
Our neighbors keep bringing us cucumbers from their garden and I’ve been looking for different ways to use them! This salad sounds awesome – perfect for this time of the year!
Sarah says
Ashley, if you lived nextdoor to me you would probably be given about half of all our garden produce. That’s how much we have right now. Haha! But that’s awesome that you already have cukes on hand for this salad! 🙂
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says
This looks delish! I love how papery thin you sliced them…so much better than the traditional cuke salad! Sigh…one day I will have more than a concrete balcony on which to grow things (and technically you aren’t supposed to have anything growing out there! oops!)
Sarah says
Hahaha! Hey, a garden is a garden no matter how small it is! 😉 Someday you’ll have your dream veggie garden, Lindsey!
Danielle says
I’d totally take some basil off your hands if I could! I love quick and easy dishes, this one looks gorgeous and delicious. Pinning this one!
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Danielle!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
wow this looks delicious (never thought i would say that about a salad before..), definitely recreating this salad in my kitchen.. yum!
Sarah says
You’ll have to let me know how your version of this salad turns out, Thaila! Thanks, friend! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
Send some of those cucumbers on my way, because I just love garden fresh cucumbers! I’m sad we didn’t get to plant a garden this year. But moving during planting season will do that to you. This salad sounds amazing! And hurray for a recipe that doesn’t require me to turn on the oven!
Sarah says
Totally sad that you didn’t get to plant a garden this summer, Natalie! But yeah, with your move and all I’ll bet it would have just been too much. NEXT year though, we should both totally be veggie garden buddies! 🙂
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
I would so love to have some cucumbers growing in my yard. I love this salad. It looks so light and I’m sure that basil is fantastic.
Sarah says
Thanks, Cindy! The basil really does add an amazing touch to this salad. 🙂
Emma says
Fab! I love the simplicity of a cucumber salad, what a great addition to a Summer gathering 🙂
Isadora says
That’s so awesome that you have so many cucumbers!! I tried planting a few pickling cucumbers but some cat kept pooping near them, so I didn’t think they were appropriate to eat! My basil is doing pretty well though! I love cucumbers so much, they are the perfect cool vegetable to eat in the summertime! If you have too many, feel free to send some my way! 🙂
Sarah says
Awww that’s too bad about your cucumbers, Izzy! I would TOTALLY send you some of my cukes since I have ’em coming outta my ears at the moment. LOL. But I’m happy to hear that your basil is flourishing! Mine is getting HUGE and I’m frantically trying to use it all up. 😉