Gurkensalat - Traditional German Cucumber salad with vinegar and oil

This Gurkensalad is light and refreshing. Simply tossed in vinegar, oil and dill dressing, it combines simple flavours and is ready in no time. We serve it as a side to Wiener Schnitzel, Käsespätzle or Schwenkbraten. Children especially love this recipe, as it has a lovely sweet and sour taste.

What is Gurkensalat?

Gurkensalat is a salad made of English cucumber with a sweet and sour dressing. "Gurke" is the word for cucumber in English. It is important to remember that for this salad we mean the "English Cucumber". The term "gurke" can also refer to pickled gherkins (affiliate link) which are a smaller variety. In Germany, they are called "Essiggurke" (vinegar gherkin) or "Saure Gurke". (sour gherkin).

It is a popular dish in Germany and you will find it ready-made in supermarkets or it will be served as a side dish at restaurants.

There are two types of Gurkensalat recipes you will find in Germany. Firstly with a creamy dressing made from sour cream and yoghurt. This is the most popular variety in Germany. The second variation uses a simple "vinegar and oil" dressing (like this recipe). This recipe can be often found in the Bavarian region.

How to make German Cucumber Salad with Dill

Ingredients:

• English cucumber
• onion
• white vinegar (try cider vinegar, white vinegar or herb vinegar)
• sunflower oil or rapeseed oil (really any neutral tasting oil will do - olive oil is not recommended)
• sugar
• chopped dill (you can also use chopped frozen dill)
• salt
• pepper

Gurkensalat Recipe Steps

1. Peel the cucumber and then finely slice them into rounds. You can either do this by using a simple kitchen knife or a vegetable mandolin. With a mandolin, you can achieve especially thin and even slices.

2. Place the cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle with approximately 2 teaspoon salt. This will draw out the excess water so you can avoid your salad from becoming too soggy. Leave the cucumber to drain for around 30min to an hour.

2. In the meantime prepare the dressing: peel and chop the onion finely. (Using onion is optional, but I like the extra crunch it brings to the salad). In a jar mix together the vinegar, oil, onion and sugar. Pour over the cucumber.
3. Add in the dill and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve chilled.

Recipe Variations

• A wide array of herbs and spices can be used for the cucumber salad dressing. Try adding chives, parsley or spring onion to the salad.
• For other cucumber and salad variations try my German Cucumber Radish Salad or German Cucumber Potato Salad.

How to serve

The salad is best served chilled. You can add some nuts or seeds to the salad with you the extra crunch.

What dishes go with German cucumber salad?

We enjoy it as a light side to very meaty dishes such as schnitzel or frikadellen. However, it is also a staple in our evening meal alongside a slice of rye bread.

How long can you store German Cucumber Salat?

Gurkensalat tastes best fresh on the day it is made. However, you can keep it in the fridge for up to two days. The longer it is stored, the more watery it gets and will end up losing its flavour.

More German Salad Recipes

See more German salad recipes>

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