Open Umay
Greek
Greek Yogurt Cucumber Salad
This Greek yogurt cucumber salad borrows from tzatziki: salted cucumbers that stay crunchy, a thick lemon, dill, and garlic dressing, and mellowed red onion. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for salting the cucumbers on top of the prep time.
4 servings20 min prep0 min cook
4 servings
Ingredients
cucumbers (2 medium English cucumbers, about 1 1/2 lb)700 g (1.5 lb)base
whole milk Greek yogurt (1 cup)250 g (8.8 oz)base
red onion0.5 piecespairing
garlic clove1 clovepairing
lemon1 piecepairing
fresh dill (about 1/2 cup chopped)15 g (0.5 oz)garnish
extra-virgin olive oil2 tbsppantry
fine salt1 tsppantry
ground black pepper1/4 tsppantry
Steps
- Wash the cucumbers and peel them in alternating stripes with a vegetable peeler to keep some color and crunch. Halve them lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a small spoon, since that is the wettest part.
- Slice the halves into 1/8 inch (3 to 4 mm) half moons with a knife or mandoline. Put them in a colander set over a bowl, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon of salt, toss, and let drain for 20 to 30 minutes: a good puddle of water should collect in the bowl.
- Meanwhile, slice the red onion paper thin and soak it in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- Zest the lemon, then squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice. Finely grate the garlic into the juice and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften its bite.
- In a bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, the garlicky lemon juice, the zest, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, two thirds of the chopped dill, and the black pepper until smooth and thick.
- Squeeze the cucumbers firmly by the handful to press out the remaining water, then blot them in a clean towel. They should feel dry to the touch.
- Add the cucumbers and red onion to the dressing and fold gently. Taste before adding salt, since the cucumbers are already seasoned. Adjust with a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon if needed.
- Spoon into a shallow serving bowl, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and scatter the rest of the dill and a little black pepper on top. Serve well chilled, within the hour.
Why it works
Chef notes
More recipes like this





