Hungarian Cucumber Salad with Paprika and Sour Cream

About This Recipe

Uborkasaláta is Hungary's classic cucumber salad, thinly sliced cucumbers salted and drained to keep them crisp, then dressed in a tangy mixture of vinegar and sour cream with a generous dusting of sweet paprika on top for both color and flavor. It's the cooling counterpart nearly always served alongside richer Hungarian mains like paprikás or schnitzel, its sharp acidity cutting directly through heavier, cream-based sauces. The technique that matters most is salting and pressing the cucumbers to remove excess water before dressing them, a step that keeps the salad crisp rather than watery and ensures the vinegar-sour cream dressing doesn't get diluted. Paprika is scattered generously over the top just before serving rather than mixed in, both for visual appeal and because its flavor and color are best appreciated fresh rather than sitting in the acidic dressing for an extended time. Served cold as a side to nearly any rich Hungarian main dish, uborkasaláta is one of the simplest and most consistently made salads across Hungarian households, prized for how effectively it balances heavier, paprika-forward main courses.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3cucumbers(thinly sliced)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 cupsour cream
• 2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 1 tspsugar
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1.5 tspsweet paprika(for garnish)
• 2 tbspfresh dill(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Salt the cucumbers

   Toss sliced cucumbers with salt and let sit in a colander for 15 minutes to draw out excess water.

2. 2

   Drain thoroughly

   Press the cucumbers gently to remove as much liquid as possible.

   Skipping this step leaves the salad watery and dilutes the sour cream dressing.

3. 3

   Make the dressing

   Whisk sour cream, vinegar, sugar and garlic together until smooth.

4. 4

   Combine

   Toss the drained cucumbers with the dressing until evenly coated.

5. 5

   Garnish and serve

   Arrange on a plate, dust generously with paprika, scatter with dill, and serve chilled.

Variations

• •

  Add thinly sliced red onion for extra bite.

• •

  Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a lighter, tangier version.

• •

  Add a pinch of cayenne alongside the sweet paprika for a bit of heat.

Storage

Best eaten the same day, as cucumbers continue to release water. If needed, keep dressing and cucumbers separate and combine just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions