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Southern German Cucumber Salad (Süddeutscher Gurkensalat)
by: Gerhild Fulson / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.
Published: May 8, 2017, Updated: April 30, 2025
German cucumber salad (gurkensalat) is one of my go-to sides. Light, tangy, and always so refreshing with any meal.
Oma's traditional German Cucumber Salad is so easy to make, and SO delicious! This refreshing treat is great for summer picnics as well!This version (unlike my Mutti's) is without sour cream and without yogurt, so it's perfect for a buffet table or to take along for picnics.
This recipe is a great way to use up those cucumbers that have been sitting in your crisper. Put them to use in this lovely picnic salad!
Oma's Recipe Rundown
- Ease of Making: Very easy; quick to prepare
- Taste: Light, refreshing, and tangy
- Time: Ready in about 10 minutes
- Best Served With: Grilled meats, schnitzel, or as a side to hearty dishes
- Gluten-Free: Naturally gluten-free
- Vegan: Naturally vegan
Top Tips for Best Results
- Use Fresh Cucumbers: Firm, seedless cucumbers are best. The fresher, the better.
- Slice Thinly: Thin slices absorb the dressing better and provide a delicate crunch
- Salt and Drain: Lightly salting the cucumber slices and letting them sit helps draw out excess moisture, enhancing flavor and texture
- Chill Before Serving: Keep in fridge briefly before serving and serve chilled
- Add Fresh Herbs: Dill or parsley add a fresh flavor and scent.
North vs South: Salad Styles in Germany
This salad, like many from southern Germany, skips the cream and mayo and uses a simple vinaigrette instead. In the north, creamy versions are more common—though every region has its twist. Some southerners use cream, some northerners don’t. In the end, just make it the way you like it!
Seed or No Seed?
If the cucumber has big seeds in the center, I usually scoop them out with a spoon after slicing it lengthwise. It helps cut down on the water, and that means a crisper salad, just the way I like it.
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How Long It Keeps
If I make this salad with vinegar, I try to eat it within a few days. It softens the longer it sits, and while the flavor gets better, the texture can go from crisp to a bit too soggy if it’s left too long. A couple days in the fridge is perfect. It soaks up all that juicy, vinegary goodness.
Northern Style with Cream
Looking for creamy cucumber salad? This one with sour cream or yogurt is the kind I grew up with. Mutti was from northern Germany, where cream was in everything! So creamy, so good. Just click here for the recipe.
Cucumbers Do More Than You Think
My cucumber salad isn’t just delicious. It’s full of good-for-you stuff too. Cucumbers are packed with vitamins C and K, fiber, and loads of water to help keep you hydrated.
Soaking them in vinegar makes them even better for digestion by boosting healthy gut bacteria. No wonder they’re such a great post-workout snack!
And yes, those cucumber slices at the spa? They actually work. They help reduce puffiness and soothe irritated eyes. Pretty and practical!
Lydia Remembers
I’ve made this cucumber salad with Oma more times than I can count—it’s one of my absolute favorites! We’ve brought it to so many family gatherings, and the dill always gives it that fresh, summery kick.
As a lifelong pickle lover, this salad feels like a light, crunchy treat. (Pickles are just baby cucumbers, after all!)
I’ve learned to make it the Northern way and the Southern way. Both are delicious
Learn a little bit about me, Lydia, and my kitchen adventures with Oma!
Did you know ...
... that this simple side dish is one of the TOP 10 traditional side dishes to serve with Rouladen? Really.
Southern German Cucumber Salad (süddeutscher Gurkensalat)
German cucumber salad (gurkensalat) is one of my go-to sides. Light, tangy, and always so refreshing with any meal.
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
none
Total Time:
10 minutes
Servings:
makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) white vinegar
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) water
- 1 - 2 tablespoons (12-24 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon(3 g) salt
- 1 tablespoon (1 g) fresh dill or ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried dill
Instructions:
- Put thinly sliced cucumbers into serving bowl.
- In separate bowl, mix together vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Pour over cucumbers.
- Sprinkle with dill and stir. Season with additional salt and/or sugar if needed.
Notes/Hints:
- Try using different types of vinegar ... white wine vinegar, cider vinegar ... or try your favorite.
- Instead of vinegar, use lemon juice. YUM!
- If you have very tender English cucumbers, they do not have to be peeled.
- If you have time, lightly salt the cucumber slices and let them sit a while (even just 10 minutes) will draw out excess moisture, and enhances the flavor and texture. The drain and use for the salad.
- If you want this made with sour cream/yogurt, take a look at this northern German version of cucumber salad.
- Add some thinly sliced onions.
Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com
Recipe Updated: April 30, 2025
You might like these
Creamy German Cucumber Salad Recipe – Omas Norddeutscher Gurkensalat.
Savor the taste of northern Germany with our Traditional German Cucumber Salad recipe! Creamy, tart, sweet, and reminiscent of Oma's cooking - it's simply yummy!
Quick Recipe for Corn Salad – Oma's Maissalat Rezept.
This German recipe for corn salad is easy. Colourful and quick, a great addition to a summer buffet. Add fresh green peppers and bright red tomatoes, and this salad is a feast for the eyes as well.
German Tomato Salad Recipe – Oma's Tomatensalat Rezept.
Oma's Tomatensalat is an easy German tomato salad that's such a great way to use the bounty of your fresh garden tomatoes. It's summer in a bowl. So lecker!
Comments? Questions?
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Words to the Wise
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Proverbs 10:4 (NLT)
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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.
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