Side · salad

Cucumber-Yogurt Salad

Name: Cucumber-Yogurt Salad
Total time: 8 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 whole cucumbers; 0.5 cup plain whole-milk yogurt; 0.5 whole lemon; 1 clove garlic; 0.25 bunch dill or mint; kosher salt

Cool, creamy, and ready in the time it takes the entree to rest. Uses the same yogurt tub.

Active8 min

Total8 min

Dishes1

Per serving$0.80

salad
no-cook
vegetarian
gluten-free

Ingredients · 4 servings

2 whole	cucumbers grow it ↗
0.5 cup	plain whole-milk yogurt
0.5 whole	lemon
1 clove	garlic grow it ↗
0.25 bunch	dill or mint grow it ↗
	kosher salt · pantry

Method

The chef moveSalt the cucumbers and drain them first so the dressing stays thick instead of watery.

Slice cucumbers, salt, drain 10 min, pat dry.
Fold with yogurt, grated garlic, lemon, herbs, and salt.

The Why · No Anecdotes

The science, not a story about my childhood.

Why salt and drain the cucumbers first?

Cucumbers are about 95% water held in their cells. Salt pulls that water out by osmosis before it can leak into your bowl, so the dressing stays thick and clings instead of turning into a puddle ten minutes later.