Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 600 g english cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 5 g kosher salt
Yogurt Dressing
- 150 g greek yogurt, plain, full fat
- 1 garlic, finely minced or grated
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 5 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 96 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 503 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 309 mg
- Calcium
- 73 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 27 mg
- Phosphorus
- 91 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 21 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 27 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 181 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash the cucumbers and slice them thinly. You can leave the skin on for English cucumbers, as it provides a beautiful color and crisp texture.
Place the sliced cucumbers in a colander set over a bowl or the sink. Toss evenly with the kosher salt and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out the excess moisture.
Using your hands, gently squeeze the cucumbers to release the pulled water. Transfer them to a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and thoroughly pat them dry.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the full-fat Greek yogurt, minced garlic, chopped dill, chopped mint, lemon juice, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is completely smooth and emulsified.
Add the dried cucumber slices to the yogurt dressing. Gently fold everything together using a spatula or spoon until all the cucumber pieces are evenly coated.
Transfer the salad to a serving dish. Chill in the refrigerator at 4°C/40°F until ready to serve. This brief resting period allows the raw garlic to mellow and the herb oils to infuse the yogurt.
Chef's Notes
- Salting the cucumbers, a technique known as sweating, is absolutely non-negotiable for a creamy salad. It concentrates the cucumber flavor and guarantees your yogurt dressing won't turn into a watery soup after ten minutes.
- Using full-fat Greek yogurt is essential. The higher fat content provides a rich, clingy texture that coats the vegetables perfectly, whereas low-fat or regular yogurt will immediately split and become runny.
- To temper the harsh, pungent bite of raw garlic, you can let the minced garlic sit in the measured lemon juice for five minutes before mixing it into the yogurt. The acid gently cooks the allicin compounds.
- English or Continental cucumbers are highly preferred here because of their thin skins and imperceptible seeds, requiring no peeling or seeding. If using standard field cucumbers, you must peel them and scoop out the watery seed channels before slicing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — May release water over time; drain excess liquid and stir before serving.
Troubleshooting
Dressing becomes excessively watery and pools at the bottom
Cause: Cucumbers were not sweated long enough or weren't squeezed dry before mixing
Fix: Carefully drain the excess liquid from the bowl and stir in one to two tablespoons of thick Greek yogurt to re-bind the dressing
Prevention: Ensure you wait the full 15 minutes after salting, and aggressively pat the cucumbers dry
Garlic flavor is overpowering or sharply spicy
Cause: Garlic clove was too large or too old, containing a bitter green germ
Fix: Add a splash of additional olive oil and a pinch of sugar to help round out and mask the harshness
Prevention: Remove any green germ from the center of the garlic clove before mincing
Cultural Context
Yogurt and cucumber preparations represent an ancient culinary pairing that spans the Mediterranean, Middle East, and South Asia. Dishes like Greek tzatziki, Turkish cacik, Persian mast-o khiar, and Indian raita all harness the natural cooling properties of dairy and high-water-content vegetables. This particular salad iteration transforms the classic condiment profile into a robust standalone side dish, historically designed to refresh the palate during the intense heat of summer and to perfectly balance the rich smokiness of charcoal-grilled meats.
