I grew up loving creamy cucumber salads. They were always made with sour cream and were amazing. However, in my never-ending search to lighten up recipes, I swapped out that heavy sour cream for a lighter, protein rich, fat-free Greek yogurt and love the results. For additional flavor and my own special twist, I added in some thinly sliced, tart Granny Smith apples. The result is this Creamy Cucumber and Apple Salad that is healthy and delish. I’ve got to say, I’m not missing the sour cream at all and I’m loving the flavor.
You’ll need a mandoline for this dish and if you don’t own one, you should. It makes easy work of slicing fruits and vegetables really thin. Once you have one, you’ll be making your own potato chips and this salad on repeat. You can buy a good sturdy mandoline that will last a lifetime for under $75 or a less expensive hand-held version. You could also use the thin slicing blade on your food processor if you have one. They won’t be the full size and shape of the vegetable slice, but it gets the job done.
Alternatively, use a very sharp knife and slice the cucumber, apple and red onion as thin as possible. When there is a will, there is a way. Hey, back in the day before we had all these amazing tools, someone was using a knife!
To get started, thinly slice the cucumber, apple and red onion. Note that I use an English cucumber and leave the skin on. The skin is thinner and not treated like regular cucumbers and work much better here.
I also leave the skin on the apples. There are a ton of nutrients in the skin and I like the added fiber and color it adds to the salad. If you don’t want it, just peel the apple first. I like to use a tart Granny Smith apple which adds the right touch of sweet and tart which works with the yogurt. I often use Granny Smith apples mixed with veggies, I like the combo. Be sure to try my Healthy Coleslaw where I do just that.
Substitutions for apple in my cucumber salad
If you don’t like the apple combination or if you don’t have apples on hand, there are several different vegetables you can substitute with great, tasty results.
1. CARROTS Carrot and cucumber salad is another great combination and goes great with this salad’s dressing. Carrots are naturally sweet and are a great substitution for the apples in the salad. I’d use shredded carrots (you can buy them already shredded in the produce department of your supermarket).
2. BELL PEPPERS Cucumber and pepper salad is a great combination. I’d use red, yellow or orange bell peppers since they are much sweeter than the green variety. To make the cucumber bell pepper salad version, I’d slice the bell peppers into very thin strips and mix that in with the cucumbers and onion.
So whether you have an apple and cucumber salad, a carrot and cucumber salad or a bell pepper cucumber salad, you’ll have a nice mix of clean, crisp flavors and a touch of sweetness no matter which you chose.
Mix all the fruit and vegetables in the bowl, separating the thin layers and combining everything so there is some in every bite. Chop your chives and add that to the mix too. Put the bowl to the side and proceed with making your dressing.
To make the dressing is easy. Gather your ingredients. I use Fage fat-free Greek yogurt almost exclusively. However, you can use the brand of your choice and/or substitute low-fat sour cream, 2% or 5% Greek yogurt or a combination. And yes, of course you can use full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream. This is your salad, make it the way you chose. You’ll just want to have a total of 1/2 cup of this base.
Be sure you finely mince the garlic (no one wants to bite into a big piece) and chop your dill. Squeeze your lemon juice (No bottled lemon juice, please. It has an awful aftertaste.) Add everything together in a bowl. You are now ready to dress the salad.
Add the dressing to the bowl of fruit and veggies. Gently toss to coat everything. Take the time to gently separate clumped together, thinly sliced cucumbers and apples. It will make for a much better bite of food. Once everything is completely coated and mixed together, cover and refrigerate for 1/2 hour and up to 4 hours.
When you are ready to serve, add it to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh sprigs of dill. A couple of notes about this salad:
- It will hold well in the refrigerator for hours and tastes just as great the next day.
- Liquid will accumulate at the bottom of the bowl. It is a mixture of the yogurt’s whey, cucumber water and lemon juice. When I put this in the final serving dish, I leave that excess liquid behind. If I’m storing this overnight, I let it sit in the liquid to keep everything moist.
If you like this salad, please rate it and leave a comment below. If you are looking for other healthy salad options, try some of these:
All Green Fruit & Veggie Salad
Belgian Endive Salad Cups with Corn, Avocado and Feta
Compressed Watermelon, Feta & Arugula Salad with Jalapeno Dressing
Healthy Creamy Chicken Caesar Salad for Two
Jicama, Apple, Carrot, and Shrimp Salad
Creamy Cucumber and Apple Salad
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced on mandoline
- ½ Granny smith apple, thinly sliced on mandoline
- ½ Cup red onion, thinly sliced on mandoline
- 2 Tbsp. Chives
The Dressing
- ½ Cup Fat-free Greek yogurt (Fage is a favorite)
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp. Fresh dill, chopped + sprigs for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a mandoline or very sharp chef’s knife, slice the cucumber, onion and apple very thin. Add to a large bowl. Chop the chives and put them to the side.
- In a bowl, add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill, and a large pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Using a rasp for fine grater, grate the garlic into the bowl. Mix very well to be sure everything is incorporated. Add the dressing to the bowl with the cucumber, apple and onion. Gently toss to coat everything evenly. Sprinkle the chives over the top. Chill until ready to serve. Serve topped with dill springs and enjoy.
