This fresh and flavorful French cucumber salad made with yogurt makes a great addition to any meal on a hot day thanks to its cooling crunch.
There’s nothing like the refreshing crunch of a good cucumber salad on a hot day. Cucumber salads have existed in one form or another for ages. Fresh, cooling and easy to make they are a staple in many cuisines around the world.
There are of course a number of variations out there but they generally fall into one of two camps: cucumbers in a cream-based sauce or in a vinaigrette. The one I’m sharing with you today is in the first category; it’s a cucumber yogurt salad with its origins in French cuisine.
What’s in a French Cucumber Salad?
Cucumber salad is a staple in France where it’s served chilled in either a crème fraiche, fromage blanc or yogurt based sauce. Instead of the red onions and dill we often see in cucumber salads there’s finely chopped chives and chervil. The result is a salad with a more delicate fresh herb flavor.
I’ve use yogurt here since it’s by far the easiest to find and gives the salad a refreshing tartness. I’ve also swapped flat leaf parsley for the equally difficult to find chervil, but it you can find some or happen to grow your own its taste is more subtle and a nice complement to the chives.
The simple dressing consists of both fresh lemon juice and zest mixed with yogurt and a drizzle of oil. It’s creamy but light and ever so refreshing when tossed with the sliced cucumber.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Cucumbers – You’ll need 2 English cucumbers, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch pieces.
- Yogurt – Use a whole or full-fat yogurt for the creamiest results. I like sheep or goat milk yogurt but unsweetened dairy-free works as well.
- Lemon - You’ll need both the juice and zest.
- Olive Oil – Use your favorite extra virgin olive oil.
- Mustard – Use a good quality Dijon mustard.
- Herbs – You’ll need a mix of finely chopped chives and flat leaf parsley or substitute chervil for the parsley if you can find it.
What Kinds of Cucumbers are Best for Salads?
While there are a number of cucumber varieties to choose from English cucumbers (also known as hot house or seedless cucumbers) are best for salads like this because of their mild flavor, firm texture and few seeds.
Why Salt Cucumbers?
Salting cucumbers helps to draw out water which keeps the cucumber slices nice and crunchy after being dressed and prevents your sauce from getting watered down. Thankfully, salting cucumbers is easy and requires no effort; just place cucumber slices in a strainer, sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top, let them sit for about 30 minutes while the water drains underneath.
How to Make a Cucumber Yogurt Salad:
- You start by salting your cucumbers slices.
- Meanwhile whisk together the yogurt with the lemon juice, zest, oil and herbs.
- Toss the salted cucumber slices with the dressing, chill for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to mingle and you are ready to serve!
Light, crunchy and easy to make, this French cucumber salad is a refreshing addition to any summer meal and the perfect accompaniment to whatever you may have on the grill.
More Cucumber Salads:
Cucumber Yogurt Salad
This fresh and flavorful French cucumber salad made with yogurt makes a great addition to any meal on a hot day thanks to its cooling crunch.
Ingredients
For the cucumbers:
- 2 English cucumbers, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the dressing:
- ½ cup/113ml whole yogurt (I like sheep or goat milk yogurt but unsweetened dairy-free works as well)
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml lemon juice
- The zest of ½ a lemon
- 1 teaspoon/5ml extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛th teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped chives
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Place peeled cucumber slices in a colander set over a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
- Gently pat dry cucumber slices and add to dressing. Mix to combine then chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve chilled.
Notes
VARIATIONS:
For a dairy-free vegan version use a plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt instead. Substitute fresh chervil for the parsley.
STORAGE:
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
DIETARY INFO:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Nut-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 41Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 437mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
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