If you love tzatziki, this cucumber dill sauce has a similar fresh, bright flavor but is made extra creamy with the addition of sour cream and mayo. Slather it over flaky grilled fish, drizzle over grain bowls, or pair with your favorite Mediterranean-inspired dinners.
This Sauce Is the Extra Creamy Cousin of Greek Tzatziki
This simple cucumber dill sauce delivers Greek tzatziki vibes, but instead of yogurt it uses a luscious mix of mayo and sour cream for maximum creaminess. Add in a generous handful of fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon, and you’ve got a sauce that feels like summer in a bowl.
This is a multi-purpose sauce that’s especially great on fish, but can also be used as a dip for crudité, drizzled over grain bowls, slathered on burgers, and so much more.
Consider this your new go-to “put it on everything” sauce. I know it’s mine!
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Real mayonnaise is key for an extra creamy sauce. I don’t recommend using Miracle Whip or lite mayo here, both of which would add sweetness and make the sauce less rich tasting.
Fresh dill is a must. I’ve tested this recipe with dried dill too, but it lacks the brightness that fresh dill has.
It tastes even better after it’s had time to chill. Even 30 minutes in the fridge gives the flavors time to meld and takes this sauce to the next level.
How to Make Cucumber Dill Sauce
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
Making this sauce is as simple as whisking together these four basic ingredients and refrigerating until ready to use. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Mayonnaise — A quality mayo like Duke’s is the secret ingredient that makes this sauce extra rich and creamy.
- Sour cream — Adds lots of tanginess that keeps the sauce tasting light and fresh rather than heavy. If you’ve got plain Greek yogurt on hand, you can use it in place of the sour cream.
- Fresh dill — You can add extra dill if desired, but I thought 2 tablespoons was the perfect amount.
- Lemon — You’ll be using both the juice and zest to add a citrusy zing to the sauce.
Ways to Use It
Use this cucumber sauce on fish (it’s especially good on salmon), chicken or turkey burgers, grain bowls, skewers, grilled vegetables, or anything you think could be improved with a bump of creaminess and fresh dill flavor.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Cucumber Dill Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ English cucumber, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- pinch of kosher salt
- pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients, then refrigerate. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1½ English cucumber, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, zest of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, a pinch of kosher salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
Nutrition
FAQs
If you’re trying to lighten up this cucumber sauce by omitting the mayo and using all yogurt, I suggest following my Greek tzatziki recipe instead. It’s made with plain Greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, and fresh dill, and it delivers a similar flavor profile and creaminess level as this mayo-laden version.
Nope, sorry! I’ll often swap out the mayo for Miracle Whip when making potato salad, but Miracle Whip’s sweet tanginess just doesn’t work well in this cucumber and dill sauce.
If stored airtight, it will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
More Summer Sauces and Spreads
- Chimichurri Sauce
- Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Cocktail Sauce
- Raspberry BBQ Sauce
- Fresh Basil Pesto
- North Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce
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