Hungarian Cucumber Salad is a refreshing, tangy side dish made with crisp cucumbers, garlic, paprika, sour cream, vinegar, and olive oil. Salting the cucumbers first draws out excess moisture, giving the finished salad a wonderful texture while allowing the creamy, slightly smoky dressing to cling to each slice.
This simple salad is easy to prepare and makes a refreshing accompaniment to grilled meats, hearty Hungarian dishes, or almost any summer meal. Letting it rest for about 30 minutes before serving gives the flavors time to blend, and it’s even better the next day.
Hungarian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 fresh garden cucumbers (small seeded varieties best)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (adjust to taste more or less)
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, to taste
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Peel the cucumbers. Cut each cucumber in half crosswise, then score the outside lengthwise with a fork to create ridges.
- Slice the cucumbers into thin, even slices and place them in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle the cucumbers with about 2 teaspoons of salt and toss with clean hands until evenly coated. Let stand for 15–20 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- While the cucumbers are resting, make the dressing. Finely mince the garlic, then whisk together the garlic, white wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon paprika, sour cream, and olive oil. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add more paprika if desired.
- Drain the cucumbers in a colander and rinse them briefly with cold water to remove the excess salt. Place a small plate over the cucumbers and gently press down to remove as much liquid as possible. Alternatively, place the cucumbers in a clean dish towel and gently squeeze out the excess moisture.
- Blot the cucumbers dry with paper towels, then return them to the dried bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Let the salad rest for about 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can blend.
- Serve with additional sour cream and paprika at the table, if desired.
- Cover and refrigerate leftovers. The salad will keep overnight and may be even better the next day.
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
