This Polish Cucumber Salad recipe or Mizeria salad, is a quick and easy refreshing side dish made with fresh cucumbers, sour cream and fresh dill. When warmer months arrive and cucumber season is upon us this recipe makes a light summer lunch.

Bowl of cucumber salad with dill and lemon on table.

A versatile and that can be made with sour cream, yogurt, or a vegan sour cream. The recipe is great served as a side dish or also as a great accompaniment to broiled fish!

Ingredients Notes

Sliced cucumbers, sour cream, fresh dill, salt, pepper, and lemon juice on baking sheet. — Left to Right: Cucumbers, Sour Cream. Lemon, Salt, Pepper, Fresh Dill

Cucumbers: My go-to for this salad is English cucumbers, however, you can use small cucumbers or a standard cucumber. If using a standard cucumber cut it lengthwise and remove some of the seed before slicing. The cucumber should be mostly peeled, leaving just a few slivers of the skin on.
Sour Cream: Feel free to substitute a low-fat version or use plain yogurt. Both work very well with just slight flavor differences. You can use less sour cream if you prefer a less creamy salad.
Lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon balances the flavors and complements the dill.
Fresh Dill: Using a fresh bunch of dill is best and I don’t recommend using dried dill.
Salt & Pepper: Salt is used to intensify the flavor of the cucumbers and the black pepper is for flavor.
Optional Ingredients: Adding a few simple ingredients like red onion slices to balance this creamy cucumber salad. Add sweetness by sprinkling in some white sugar, or for a nice summer flavor add in a few cherry tomatoes.

Step by Step Recipe Directions

(Note: please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the complete written instructions.)

Bowl of thinly sliced cucumbers sprinkled with salt.

Wash and peel the cucumber and slice thin. Add the cucumber slices to a bowl and sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Sliced cucumbers in bowl with sour cream and fresh dill on top.

Drain any excess water from the bowl and stir in the sour cream and fresh dill.

Bowl of cucumbers mixed with sour cream and dill.

Add in fresh-squeezed lemon and pepper.

Covered bowl of cucumber and sour cream with dill.

Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Cooking Tips

If you are doubling or tripling the recipe, a Mandolin makes this go much faster.
Chill the cucumber salad for at least an hour to give the flavors time to meld together.

How to Store Leftovers

Store any leftover salad covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Stir before serving.

Can I make this with a non-dairy alternative?

Yes, use your favorite non-dairy or vegan sour cream substitute. The flavor will be just a bit lighter.

What type of cucumber should I use for Mizeria?

A small Persian cucumber or an English cucumber works great.

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Polish Cucumber Salad

A light and refreshing cucumber salad with a dill and sour cream dressing.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Polish

Prep Time: 15

Additional Time: 1

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: /2 cup

Calories: 88kcal

Author:Sydney Dawes

Ingredients

▢ ¼ English cucumber or about a 4-inch section
▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt
▢ 3 tablespoons sour cream
▢ 2 teaspoons fresh dill
▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
▢ ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Wash and peel the cucumber and slice thin. Add the cucumber slices to a bowl and sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Drain any excess water from the bowl and stir in the sour cream and fresh dill.
Add in fresh-squeezed lemon and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

Select fresh, crisp cucumbers for the best flavor and texture. English or Persian cucumbers are good choices as they have fewer seeds and are less watery.

The cucumbers should be thinly sliced to allow them to absorb the dressing. A mandoline slicer can help achieve consistent, thin slices.

Toss the sliced cucumbers with a little bit of salt and let them sit for a few minutes. The salt draws out moisture from the cucumbers, which can then be drained to avoid a watery salad. Be sure to rinse off the excess salt and pat the cucumbers dry before adding the dressing.

Traditional Mizeria (Polish cucumber salad) uses sour cream, but you can also use Greek yogurt for a lighter version. If using Greek yogurt, consider adding a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for extra tang.

Dill is a classic herb used in Mizeria and adds a fresh, bright flavor. Chop the dill finely so it’s distributed evenly throughout the salad.

In addition to salt, add freshly cracked black pepper to taste. You could also add a dash of sugar to balance out the tang of the sour cream.

Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together.

Cucumber salad is best served fresh on the day it’s made. If left too long, the cucumbers can become soggy.