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creamy cucumber salad with onions and thyme in a white bowl with wooden spoon.
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4.93 from 14 votes

Aunt Joy's Creamy Cucumber Salad

This dreamy Creamy Cucumber Salad recipe is a famous one from Eric´s Aunt Joy! Thinly sliced English cucumbers soaked in a simple 4-ingredient dressing made with mayo and cream. Top with some fresh herbs and don’t forget the thinly sliced onions! It’s crisp, refreshing, and the perfect side dish to complement your summer BBQ.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 223kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream*
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar or more to taste
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
  • dash cayenne pepper optional, for flavor not heat
  • 1 large English cucumber** about 2-3 cups sliced
  • 1/4 large sweet Vidalia onion or any type of onion you like, and you can add up to 1/2 onion if you want
  • fresh herb to garnish (thyme or dill are my fav) to garnish

Instructions

  • Start by making the dressing. In a large glass measuring cup, or a medium size bowl, add 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 cup cream, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (more or less to taste). Add a small dash of cayenne pepper too, don't go crazy we don't want it spicy we just want the flavor. Refrigerate the dressing unless you're eating right this second.
  • Use a sharp chef's knife to slice the cucumber. (or use a mandoline if you are brave, or have a metal glove. Be careful!!) Slice into coins that are a little less than 1/8 inch thick. You want them pretty thin. See photos for reference.
  • Slice 1/4 or 1/2 and onion into very thin slices. Like, paaaaper thin slices. I just used a knife and did my best, but a mandolin will work too.
  • In a medium-small serving bowl, toss together the sliced cucumbers and sliced onions. Within a few minutes of serving, top with the dressing. It looks like too much dressing but it's not ;) (you can add more sliced cucumbers if you want) Serve with a slotted spoon.
  • Kris says this dish is best served right away because the cucumbers will start to release their liquid as they sit in the dressing, making them less-crunchy. Eric disagrees entirely and thinks the salad is even better on day two because the flavors have had time to marry. I just pulled it out of the fridge to try it on day two and ate half the tupperware, so I guess you know which camp I'm in. Store the cukes and dressing separately if you're worried about it!

Notes

*Cream is the part of milk that is thicker and rises to the top. It's sold in cartons or bottles near the milk. It's not coffee creamer. Sometimes it's labeled as whipping cream, heavy cream, or ultra heavy whipping cream. They are all the same product but with different fat content levels. Any type of cream is fine for this recipe!
**Or you can use regular cucumbers but be sure to peel them first. The skins are annoyingly thick. I like English cucumbers because the skins are so soft that you don't need to peel them. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.3mg