Get ready to meet the salad that will steal the show at every potluck, barbecue, and weeknight dinner. This isn’t your average, boring cucumber salad. By combining crisp cucumbers with savory, salty bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and a rich, creamy dill dressing, you get a side dish that is absolutely packed with flavor and texture. It’s a refreshing, satisfying, and incredibly easy-to-make dish that everyone will be asking the recipe for.
Table of Contents
Why This Salad is an Absolute Must-Try
This recipe is the perfect blend of indulgent and refreshing. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- A Flavor Explosion: The combination of cool cucumber, smoky bacon, sharp cheese, and a tangy, herby dressing is simply irresistible.
- Incredibly Easy to Make: With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, this salad comes together in about 15 minutes.
- Low-Carb & Keto-Friendly: It’s a fantastic, flavorful side dish that fits perfectly into a low-carb or keto lifestyle.
- The Perfect Potluck Dish: It’s unique, travels well, and is always a huge hit with a crowd.
Your Simple & Delicious Ingredient List
This recipe uses a handful of ingredients to create a truly memorable salad.
For the Salad:
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cooked bacon, crumbled or chopped
- 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
For the Creamy Dressing:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried dill)
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Step-by-Step Guide to Creamy Perfection
Making this incredible salad is as easy as it gets.
Part 1: Prepare the Core Ingredients
- Slice the Cucumbers: Wash your cucumbers well. You can peel them completely, peel them in stripes for a decorative look, or leave the skin on for extra crunch. Slice them into thin, uniform rounds.
- Cook the Bacon: Cook your bacon until it’s perfectly crispy. You can fry it in a pan, bake it in the oven, or even cook it in the microwave. Once cooked, crumble it or chop it into small pieces.
Part 2: Whisk Together the Dressing
- Combine Dressing Ingredients: In a large serving bowl, add the sour cream, fresh dill, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk Until Smooth: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together until you have a smooth and creamy consistency.
Part 3: Mix and Serve
- Combine Everything: Add the sliced cucumbers, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl with the creamy dressing.
- Toss to Coat: Gently stir everything together until the cucumbers, bacon, and cheese are evenly coated in the delicious dressing.
- Serve Immediately: This salad is best enjoyed immediately while the bacon and cucumbers are at their crispiest.
Tips for the Best Creamy Cucumber Salad
- For a Less Watery Salad: If you have extra time, you can “sweat” the cucumbers. After slicing, place them in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt, and let them sit for 20-30 minutes. The salt will draw out excess water. Be sure to pat them dry with a paper towel before adding them to the dressing.
- Fresh Dill is Best: While dried dill works in a pinch, fresh dill will give the dressing a much brighter, more vibrant flavor.
- Make it Ahead (Partially): You can whisk the dressing together and store it in the fridge for a day or two. For the best texture, wait to combine it with the cucumbers, bacon, and cheese until just before you’re ready to serve.
- Add Some Onion: For an extra layer of flavor, feel free to add about 1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onion to the salad.
Creamy Cucumber Salad with Bacon & Cheese
A rich and refreshing side dish made with crisp cucumbers, savory bacon, sharp cheddar, and a creamy dill dressing. Perfect for summer potlucks, BBQs, or low-carb meals.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 large cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cooked bacon crumbled or chopped
- 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese finely shredded
For the Creamy Dressing
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped, or 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Wash and slice cucumbers into thin, uniform rounds. Peel if desired, or peel in stripes for presentation.
- Cook the bacon using your preferred method until crispy. Crumble or chop into small pieces.
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together the sour cream, dill, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Add the sliced cucumbers, crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar to the bowl.
- Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly in the creamy dressing.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
To reduce wateriness, sweat cucumbers with a sprinkle of salt for 20–30 minutes, then pat dry. For a deeper flavor, add thinly sliced red onion. The dressing can be made ahead, but combine everything just before serving.