This Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad is a delightful and incredibly easy-to-make dish, perfect for a quick lunch, a light dinner, or a healthy side. Its creamy, cool texture and vibrant flavors make it incredibly satisfying and wonderfully good for you.
Key Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad
- 1 ½ cups full-fat cottage cheese
- 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How to Make Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad
Prepare to be amazed by how quickly and easily this Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad comes together, offering a burst of freshness and satisfying creaminess without any fuss. In just about 15 minutes of active preparation, you’ll have a beautifully balanced salad that’s both healthy and incredibly delicious. The tender crunch of the cucumber, mingled with the soft, tangy cottage cheese, creates a delightful textural contrast, while the fresh herbs add a bright, aromatic finish, making this a go-to for busy days.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Cucumbers: Begin by thoroughly washing your cucumbers. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from both cucumbers. For optimal texture and to avoid a watery salad, carefully slice each cucumber in half lengthwise. Then, using a small spoon, gently scrape out the seeds from the center of each cucumber half. Once seeded, dice the cucumbers into small, bite-sized pieces, aiming for approximately ½-inch cubes. Place the diced cucumbers into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Add the Aromatics and Herbs: To the bowl with the diced cucumbers, add the finely chopped red onion. The sharpness of the red onion will provide a lovely counterpoint to the creamy dressing. Next, generously sprinkle in the chopped fresh dill and chives. Fresh herbs are key to the vibrant flavor of this salad, so don’t be shy with them!
Introduce the Cottage Cheese: Spoon the 1.5 cups of full-fat cottage cheese directly into the same bowl with the cucumbers, onion, and herbs. Using a spatula or a large spoon, gently fold the cottage cheese into the other ingredients, ensuring everything is lightly combined without mashing the cottage cheese too much. We want to maintain some of that lovely creamy texture.
Dress the Salad: Drizzle the 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice over the salad. The bright acidity of the lemon juice will lift all the flavors and add a refreshing zing. Follow this with the 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, which will add a subtle richness and help bind the dressing.
Season to Perfection: Season the Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your personal taste. Start with a good pinch of each and then gently mix everything together. Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings as needed. You might find you prefer a bit more salt or a spicier kick from the pepper.
Chill and Serve: Once everything is well combined and seasoned to your liking, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the salad to an airtight container. Place the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together beautifully and the salad to become perfectly cool and refreshing. Serve chilled as a side dish or a light meal.
Why You’ll Love This Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad
You’ll absolutely adore this Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad for its unbelievably refreshing and creamy texture, a delightful departure from more traditional vinaigrette-based salads. The star of the show is undoubtedly the cottage cheese, which acts as a wonderfully light yet satisfying base, beautifully complemented by the crispness of the cucumber and the aromatic punch of fresh dill and chives. This salad is a fantastic budget-friendly option too; using pantry staples and affordable fresh produce means you can create a gourmet-tasting dish without breaking the bank, making it an ideal choice for healthy eating on a budget.
Unlike a heavier potato or pasta salad, this Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad offers a light and healthy alternative that won’t weigh you down, making it perfect for warm weather gatherings or a healthy lunch option. The simple addition of lemon juice and olive oil elevates the humble ingredients, creating a harmonious and delicious flavor profile that’s incredibly moreish. Give this easy, flavorful recipe a try – your taste buds and your wallet will thank you!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Proper storage is key to enjoying your Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad for days to come. Always store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will stay fresh for approximately 3 to 4 days. It’s best enjoyed cold, so reheating is generally not recommended as it can alter the texture of the cottage cheese and make the cucumbers mushy. If you wish to extend its life slightly though, you can freeze portions in freezer-safe containers. However, be aware that freezing can significantly change the texture upon thawing, making it more watery. For the best experience, it’s ideal to consume within the refrigerated timeframe without freezing.
Final Thoughts
With its bright flavors and creamy satisfaction, the Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad is a true winner for a quick, healthy, and delicious meal. We encourage you to whip up a batch at home and experience its refreshing simplicity for yourself! It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly special.
Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Begin by thoroughly washing your cucumbers. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the skin from both cucumbers. For optimal texture and to avoid a watery salad, carefully slice each cucumber in half lengthwise. Then, using a small spoon, gently scrape out the seeds from the center of each cucumber half. Once seeded, dice the cucumbers into small, bite-sized pieces, aiming for approximately ½-inch cubes. Place the diced cucumbers into a medium-sized mixing bowl.2 medium cucumbers
- To the bowl with the diced cucumbers, add the finely chopped red onion. The sharpness of the red onion will provide a lovely counterpoint to the creamy dressing. Next, generously sprinkle in the chopped fresh dill and chives. Fresh herbs are key to the vibrant flavor of this salad, so don’t be shy with them!0.5 cup red onion, 0.25 cup fresh dill, 2 tablespoons fresh chives
- Spoon the 1.5 cups of full-fat cottage cheese directly into the same bowl with the cucumbers, onion, and herbs. Using a spatula or a large spoon, gently fold the cottage cheese into the other ingredients, ensuring everything is lightly combined without mashing the cottage cheese too much. We want to maintain some of that lovely creamy texture.1.5 cups full-fat cottage cheese
- Drizzle the 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice over the salad. The bright acidity of the lemon juice will lift all the flavors and add a refreshing zing. Follow this with the 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, which will add a subtle richness and help bind the dressing.1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Season the Cottage Cheese Cucumber Salad generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your personal taste. Start with a good pinch of each and then gently mix everything together. Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings as needed. You might find you prefer a bit more salt or a spicier kick from the pepper.Salt, Freshly ground black pepper
- Once everything is well combined and seasoned to your liking, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the salad to an airtight container. Place the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together beautifully and the salad to become perfectly cool and refreshing. Serve chilled as a side dish or a light meal.