How do you keep cucumber salad from getting soggy and the dressing getting watery?

It's natural for the dressing to get somewhat thinner and the cucumbers to soften as they marinate. However, in step number 2, adding the salt and letting them rest draws out some of the moisture from the cucumbers. This prevents as much sogginess and the dressing will not get as watery.

Do I have to wait hours to serve cucumber salad?

The flavors for any cucumber salad will meld and come together better after marinating but I also love the crunchy texture of the cucumbers when it's served immediately. So if that's your jam - go for it!

How to dry cucumbers for cucumber salad?

After salting them and letting them rest (as described in the instructions), simply pat them dry with a paper towel to remove the extra salt and water.

Creamy German Cucumber Salad Recipe (Gurkensalat)

Name: German Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 4 small to medium cucumbers (I like to use baby cucumbers because they have such a nice, tender crunch and very little seed area); ½ cup sour cream; 1 ½ teaspoons minced dill weed (use about ¾ teaspoon if using dried dill weed); 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 Tablespoon white vinegar; ½ teaspoon sugar; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper

German Cucumber Salad

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5 from 4 reviews

Recipe by Rose Atwater

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Yield4 1x
DietVegetarian

Description

German Cucumber Salad is a creamy, refreshing summer salad made with simple ingredients! It’s the perfect side dish for almost any main course – especially when you can use fresh cucumbers in the summertime! With only cucumbers plus a few staple ingredients for the German salad dressing, it’s easy, budget-friendly, low-carb, and delicious!

Ingredients

Scale

4 small to medium cucumbers (I like to use baby cucumbers because they have such a nice, tender crunch and very little seed area)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons minced dill weed (use about 3/4 teaspoon if using dried dill weed)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

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Instructions

Slice cucumbers to about ⅛ inch thick discs (or thinner*). See pro tips.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels or a thin cloth (like a flour sack kitchen towel) and spread out the cucumbers. Sprinkle salt over them and let them sit for 30 minutes to draw out some of the moisture. This prevents them from getting soggy!
Pat them dry then place them in a serving bowl.
Whisk the remaining ingredients together into a smooth, creamy dressing.
Pour the sour cream mixture over the cucumbers and mix well.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 2 hours. Stir again just before serving.

Equipment

Mandoline

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Mixing Bowls

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Sharp Knife

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Notes

The traditional recipe for German Cucumber Salad actually requires that you slice the cucumbers much thinner than I do. If you
want to do the more traditional version, I highly recommend using a mandoline to get paper-thin slices.
If you use cucumbers with thicker, waxier, or more bitter skin, I recommend peeling them first! However, if you’re using burpless cucumbers or English cucumbers, leave the skin on!
This is definitely a make-ahead recipe. The recipe needs to chill for at least 2 hours before serving (but not as long as overnight). It’s also best served on the same day. The thinner the cucumbers are sliced, the soggier they will get if they rest too long. If you prefer that they stay crunchier, slice them thicker like I do!
You can easily adjust the amount of dill, garlic, salt, and pepper to your personal taste. Tweak it until you have a salad you love!

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 81
Sugar: 3.3 g
Sodium: 163.4 mg
Fat: 5.1 g
Carbohydrates: 5.9 g
Fiber: 0.6 g
Protein: 1.8 g
Cholesterol: 20 mg

Find it online: https://rosebakes.com/german-cucumber-salad/