Cucumber Salad with Radishes
Updated May 23, 2024
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This cucumber radish salad takes minutes to make with refreshing, crunchy veggies tossed in a creamy, garlicky yogurt dressing. It’s satisfying and light, the perfect summer side dish for steaks and burgers.
For more delicious salads, make this La Scala chopped salad for a hearty meal, my chef salad for a classic favorite, or this grape salad for a touch of sweetness.
Creamy Cucumber and Radish Salad
I’ve been making variations of my creamy cucumber salad since my husband and I got married. Back then, he was always slicing radishes into my cabbage cucumber salad and cucumber onion salad. I’ve never met anyone who enjoys radishes as much as he does! BUT, I have to admit, the bright pop of red color and extra crunch were hard to resist.
Soon enough, cucumber radish salad became one of our favorite summer side dishes. This recipe is delicious and (most importantly) easy to make, with a generous dose of garlic yogurt dressing. Because everything is better with garlic.
The combination of cool cucumbers, peppery radishes, and creamy garlic dressing makes this radish cucumber salad a certified crowd-pleaser at our neighborhood barbecues. Plus, the salad is super easy to prepare and pairs well with everything from turkey burgers to fish, chicken breasts, and pork roasts. Let’s make it!
Cucumber Radish Salad Ingredients
The ingredients are simple, and you really don’t need many of them to make a crisp, cool cucumber salad. Find the complete list with exact recipe amounts in the printable recipe card below.
- English Cucumber – If you don’t have seedless English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers or regular cucumbers work just as well.
- Radishes – If radishes aren’t your thing, feel free to leave them out or substitute them with thinly sliced red onions.
- Green Onions – I love the mild and zesty flavor a green onion adds to cucumbers and radishes. Chives can be used as a substitute for a subtler taste. Fresh herbs, like basil and dill, also go nicely here.
- Plain Yogurt – Used as the creamy base of the dressing. Greek yogurt can be used for a thicker consistency.
- Lite Sour Cream – Adds creaminess and a slight tang. Regular sour cream or additional yogurt can be used instead.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Helps to blend the dressing. Olive oil or avocado oil is a good alternative.
- Garlic – Garlic powder can be used if fresh garlic is not available. Substitute ¼ teaspoon of powder per fresh clove.
Tips for the Best Cucumber Salad
- Uniform slices. For an even texture, use a mandoline or a sharp knife to slice the cucumbers and radishes into thin, same-sized pieces.
- Salt the cucumbers. If you have extra time, sprinkle a little salt over the cucumber slices and let them sit for about 10 minutes. This will draw out excess moisture, making the salad less watery. Rinse and pat them dry before mixing with the other ingredients.
- Chill before serving. Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors meld together and enhances the refreshing taste.
- Boost the dressing. If you find your dressing is lacking something, try adding an acid, like wine vinegar or lemon juice. It’s an easy way to brighten the flavors and give it more zing. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.
Salad Variations
- Add tomatoes. For a burst of juicy sweetness, take direction from my tomato cucumber salad (and this one that also has radishes) and add halved cherry tomatoes.
- Fresh herbs. Chopped fresh herbs like basil, dill, parsley, or cilantro are a great way to add more flavor.
- Switch up the dressing. If you want to change the dressing, try a light vinaigrette like my homemade Italian dressing or something creamy, like this ranch dressing.
- Include feta cheese. Crumbled feta adds a creamy and salty flavor to the salad. You could also grate Parmesan or crumble in some goat cheese.
What to Serve With Cucumber Radish Salad
This cucumber and radish salad is perfect as a refreshing side dish for any meal, especially during the warmer months.
- Serve with a protein: Pair it with grilled chicken thighs or grilled swordfish for a light and healthy dinner.
- Cookout favorites: It’s also a great addition to a picnic or barbecue, adding a crisp contrast to dishes like California burgers and Chinese boneless spare ribs.
- For a vegetarian option: Serve it alongside a hearty Mediterranean bowl or quinoa stuffed peppers. You can even enjoy it on its own as a quick and easy lunch.
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Cucumber Radish Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 to 2 long English cucumbers, washed and cut into thin rounds
- 10 radishes, washed and thinly sliced
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, or olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Assemble. In a salad bowl, combine the sliced cucumber, radishes, and chopped green onions; set aside.
- Make the dressing. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing; taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. If the consistency is too thick for your liking, add a little more olive oil; if it's too thin, add more sour cream.
- Combine and chill the salad. Add the dressing to the salad, toss until combined, and place in the fridge for 20 minutes. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Radish Cucumber Salad
This cucumber radish salad takes minutes to prepare, and there’s just a bit of chilling time before it’s ready to serve. I love using my mandoline for recipes like this as it makes slicing so much quicker! Otherwise, use a sharp knife to slice the cucumbers and radishes.
- Prepare the salad. Slice the cucumber into thin rounds and the radishes into thin slices. Chop the green onions and combine all these ingredients in a large salad bowl.
- Make the dressing. Whisk together the plain yogurt, sour cream, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Combine and chill: Pour the creamy yogurt dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss everything until well combined. Refrigerate the salad for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld. Once chilled, give the cucumber salad a final toss and serve.
Success Tip: Chilling the Salad
You can serve this cucumber radish salad right away, but I always tell folks to chill it in the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes if they can. Chilling lets it cool right down and gives the garlic dressing a chance to mellow out and absorb into the veggies.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerate. This creamy cucumber radish salad lasts in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keep it covered in an airtight container. Note that the veggies become soggier with time, so enjoy those leftovers sooner rather than later.
- Make-ahead. You can also store the sliced cucumbers, radishes, and chopped green onions separately from the dressing. Combine and toss the salad ingredients with the dressing just before serving.
Very good and easy to put together. I did not have sour cream, so I used salad dressing, and I used red onions instead of green onions. It looked pretty in the salad.
I added some lemon zest, juice and apple cider vinegar. It was yummy
That sounds like a fantastic addition! Lemon zest and apple cider vinegar must have really brightened up the flavors. I’m glad you found it yummy! Thank YOU! 🙂
how long does this salad last ?
Creamy Cucumber Salad can last 3 to 4 days as long as it is kept covered and in the fridge.
Make this cucumber and radish salad . I also cut up jickama for a sweet crunch.
I loved the idea of this recipe and all the ingredients, but it was just bland in the end. I added more garlic, dill, parmesan, but it’s still really missing something and I can’t put my finger on it.
I added finely sliced carrots to mine and the sweetness of the carrot was a nice compliment…
Yum this sounds like the perfect summer side,cool and refreshing.
how many calories in a serving? How much is a serving?
Reading over the recipe and looks delicious, but I’m only assuming that you mean 1 garlic clove, not 1 garlic!
Yes! LOL! 1 garlic clove is right. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. 😀
sounds very delicious. but for me a sweet component is missing. I will add some honey to the dressing!
I made this salad yesterday. Loved it! I’ve been married for a year and I’m trying to add new side dishes to our rotation. This is definitely a keeper. The only thing is that the recipe calls for too much salt – the dressing was too salty so I added more yogurt to fix it. I definitely suggest adding the salt and pepper to taste. Also, I prepared the salad and put it in the fridge for about an hour. By the time we ate it, the dressing had become very runny (maybe because of the cucumber’s juices?). Thanks for the recipe!
I forgot to mention that I added lime juice to the dressing (in my effort to fix the saltiness). It was a great addition!
Hi Gabriela!! So happy to hear you enjoyed the salad!! That should be 1/4-teaspoon salt… my mistake! Thanks so much for pointing it out!! “To taste” may be the better way to go. 🙂
Yes, the cucumber juices will definitely make it runny. I always take it out of the fridge after 10 to 15 minutes.
I always salt my cucumber slices in a strainer for about a half hour then pat dry pulls alot of moisture out good for any cucumber salad crunchy and yummy
Removing the cucumber seeds will also help with the water issue – as well as soaking in salt water as mentioned below.
I added some dill to mine as well. I’ll try a bit of lime next time.