This traditional Hungarian dill cucumber salad is light, refreshing, slightly tangy and simply delicious! This beautiful and elegant salad is served with a dollop of sour cream.
This Hungarian salad has a tangy taste with a hint of sweetness that pairs nicely with any of the paprika meat dishes and grilled meats. When cucumbers were in season we often had it with our meals since it was often replaced for a green salad. If you are familiar with Hungarian cooking, sour cream is often added to mix into the salad. The dill is always added and gives it that summertime fresh minty flavour.
The goal here is the slice the cucumbers very thin to create a delicate salad. Slicing the cucumber this thin further brings out the flavour of the cucumber and it absorbs the dressing nicely.
Did you know? Cucumbers are high in vitamins and minerals, and high in antioxidants. Since it has a high water content, it great for hydration, and excellent source of fiber.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Cucumbers: I used English cucumbers for this salad although slicing cucumbers can be used is what they refer to is the slicer, they tend to have larger seeds, and they should be peeled
Onion: a sweet or white onion is the best for this salad
Dill: is the star of this salad, it adds so much flavour and a wonderful fresh citrus taste
Sour cream: is a traditional Hungarian garnish for this salad
Dressing: A simple, straight-forward dressing that this salad only requires is a tangy, fresh flavour, and the ingredients are: white vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper and Hungarian paprika
HOW TO MAKE THIS DELICIOUS SALAD
Slicing the cucumbers: This salad requires the cucumbers to be thinly sliced. Recommend to use a mandoline slicer and it worked out perfectly. If you don’t have one, a food processor with the slice attachment would work too. I tried using a grater with slice option but I found the slices weren’t as thin.
I sliced these English cucumbers without peeling them. It adds colour and texture to this salad, however, if you use the large slicing cucumbers, they need to be peeled since the skin isn’t edible. It is optional to remove the seeds. Slice the cucumbers into a large bowl.
Rest for 45 minutes: Once the cucumbers are sliced, then add salt and set aside for 45 minutes to an hour to allow the water to release. Then remove the liquid from the cucumbers by gently squeezing. Then add onion and dill, and pour the vinaigrette dressing over the cucumbers, and gently toss. Refrigerator form about an hour or two before serving and give it a gently toss. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with Hungarian paprika and fresh dill.
SERVING THIS DELICIOUS SALAD
Cucumber salad is normally sliced or quartered into larger pieces or thicker slices. If you have made a cucumber salad like this before I highly recommend. It will pleasantly surprise you how delicious and elegant this salad could be served at a dinner party.
What to serve this elegant salad with?
Hungarian Cucumber Dill Salad (Tejfeles Uborkasalata)
Equipment
- mandoline slicer
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 white or sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped plus extra for garnishing
- 1/4 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika, garnishing
- sour cream for garnishing
Dressing:
- 4 tbsp vinegar
- 4 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Using a mandolin slicer or food processor attachment, thinly slice the cucumbers in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the water to release from the sliced cucumbers.
- Remove the liquid from the cucumbers by gently squeezing the cucumbers by hand and discard the liquid and place the cucumbers back in the bowl.
- To make the dressing, in a medium bowl, mix with a wire whisk vinegar, water, pepper, and sugar, then add onions and dill. Add the cucumbers into the vinaigrette and gently combine.
- Chill in the refrigerator for about one hour.
- Place salad on serving plates, and add a dollop of sour crème and sprinkle paprika lightly on each plate. Garnish with dill and enjoy!
Nutrition
Dill and cucumber pair beautifully in this salad. I love what the fresh dill adds to this salad. The fresh citrus flavour it gives, and fresh is the only way to go for this salad to get the full flavour that we have grown to love. Finish off with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with paprika. Enjoy!
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