Cucumber Yogurt Salad (Creamy + Refreshing)

Name: Cucumber Yogurt Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 English cucumbers; 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt); 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill; 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced (approx. 1 tablespoon lemon juice); 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste (I use pink Himalayan or sea salt); freshly ground pepper, to taste

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This refreshing Cucumber Yogurt Salad recipe features all the flavors of tzatziki in salad form. It’s loaded with crunchy cucumbers, creamy Greek yogurt, fresh dill, garlic and lemon. A quick and easy side dish that is SO GOOD!

Reasons To Love This Salad

It’s so incredibly delicious! If you love tzatziki, then you will love this cucumber yogurt salad! It has all the same flavors.
Creamy + Refreshing: This cucumber salad is made with yogurt so not only is it creamy but it is also tangy and refreshing.
Quick and easy side dish: Whip it up in 10 minutes! It’s a great summer salad option that pairs well with grilled foods. Also delicious any time of year as a refreshing side dish served alongside rich or spicy foods or as part of a Greek or Mediterranean feast!

Close up of cucumber salad with greek yogurt dressing.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Just a few simple ingredients are needed to make this delicious salad…

Labelled image showing ingredients needed to make cucumber yogurt salad.

Cucumbers: I like to use English cucumbers since they are seedless and do not need to be peeled.
Greek Yogurt: Or any type of plain yogurt. I prefer to use a full-fat variety for the creaminess, taste and texture.
Dill: Freshly chopped dill adds so much fresh flavor.
Lemon: Zest and juice of half a lemon for added brightness and acidity.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A little bit adds to the creaminess and brings the dressing together.
Garlic: I like to use one clove of minced garlic but feel free to use more if you like it extra garlicky.
Salt + Pepper: Some salt and freshly ground pepper to season it up!

Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.

Tip: It’s much easier to zest the lemon before juicing it. I like to use a fine microplane grater when zesting. Make sure that you only grate off the yellow part of the peel. Avoid grating the white part since it is bitter.

How To Make Cucumber Yogurt Salad

This creamy yogurt dill cucumber salad is super easy to make. Simply…

Slice: Thinly slice the cucumbers. You can use a mandoline, slicing side of a box grater, food processor with a thin slice attachment or a sharp knife. If using a mandoline, I also recommend some cut resistant gloves for safety.
Make Dressing: In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients.
Mix Together: Add the cucumber slices and dressing to a mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
Serve or Chill: Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Tip: If you have some time, you can make the dressing ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or more to let the flavors combine.

Spiralize it

Do you have a spiralizer? For a fun presentation idea, you can also spiralize the cucumbers into flat ribbon shapes. Use scissors to cut the spiralized cucumbers into pieces that are more manageable to eat.

Bowl of spiralized cucumber salad with wood tongs.

Possible Variations

Salads are so easy to customize. Here are a few ideas…

Use different type of cucumber: Instead of English cucumbers, you could also use Persian, Lebanese or field cucumbers instead. You will need to use more cucumbers if using a smaller variety. If using field cucumbers, make sure to peel them, slice in half vertically and scoop out the seeds before slicing since this variety has seeds and a tougher skin.
Add extra veggies: Onions, sliced radishes, etc.
Use different herbs: Parsley, chives or mint would all be delicious.

White bowl of cucumber yogurt salad with gold serving spoons.

What To Serve It With

This cucumber yogurt salad recipe is a simple, refreshing side dish that is delicious served alongside…

Grilled foods: This is a great summer salad since it pairs well with grilled foods like steak, chicken kebabs, sausages, grilled salmon, shrimp skewers and more.
Spicy or rich foods: A refreshing and cooling side dish for any spicy or rich dish.
Meat + Seafood: Delicious side dish for roasts like this Herb Crusted Roast Beef, chicken, pork, fish, etc.
Greek + Mediterranean food: Excellent side dish for all your Greek or Mediterranean favorites.

Serving spoon lifting some cucumber salad out of bowl.

A Few Questions Answered

Can it be made ahead of time?

Once mixed, this salad is best served immediately or within 30 minutes of tossing together. To prep ahead, mix the dressing and store it in a separate container from the sliced cucumbers. Then just toss everything together right before serving.

How long does this salad last in the fridge?

I don’t find that this salad stores well once it has been mixed together. It’s better to store the dressing separately and then just toss together the quantity of salad that will be eaten.

Do you peel cucumbers for salad?

I don’t tend to peel the English cucumbers in this salad since they are thin skinned. One less thing to do! However, you can peel them if you prefer. I do peel them first when I make Creamy German Cucumber Salad. It all comes down to personal preference! However, if you use field cucumbers, it is a good idea to peel the skin as it tends to be tough,

White bowl of greek yogurt cucumber salad with gold serving spoons.

More Salad Recipes

Love salads? I’ve got lots more salad recipes for you to make. Here’s a few that you might like…

Let me know if you try this Cucumber Yogurt Salad! Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram.