Description
A fresh, creamy cucumber salad featuring crispy bacon and sharp cheddar cheese, perfect for summer meals and quick side dishes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium cucumbers (about 600g / 1.3 lbs), sliced into ¼-inch thick half-moons
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (110g / 3.9 oz)
- ½ cup mayonnaise (120ml / 4 fl oz)
- ½ cup sour cream (120ml / 4 fl oz)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30ml / 1 fl oz)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 2 stalks green onions, sliced
- Optional: ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Wash and slice cucumbers into ¼-inch thick half-moons. Optionally scoop out seeds for less watery salad.
- Place cucumber slices in a colander, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, toss gently, and let drain for 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon grease if desired.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, sugar, fresh dill, salt, black pepper, and optional garlic powder. Thin with milk or water if too thick.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine drained cucumbers, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, and sliced green onions if using.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat evenly without overmixing.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
- Before serving, stir gently and garnish with extra fresh dill or cracked black pepper if desired. Serve chilled.
Notes
Salting cucumbers and draining them well prevents watery salad. Use sharp cheddar for best flavor contrast. Cook bacon until very crisp for texture. Make ahead and chill for best flavor. Optional splash of reserved bacon grease adds smoky depth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup per serv
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Fiber: 1.5
- Protein: 10
Keywords: cucumber salad, creamy cucumber salad, bacon salad, summer salad, fresh salad, cheddar cheese salad, easy salad recipe