Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad is one of those recipes where you put it on the table expecting it to be a side dish and then watch it disappear before anything else. Crisp cucumber slices, juicy cherry tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar, crumbled crispy bacon, thin red onion, and fresh dill, all tossed in a creamy ranch dressing that coats every single piece. It's cool, crunchy, a little indulgent, and I genuinely cannot stop eating it once the bowl is open.
This is our warm weather salad. From the first weekend in May until September I make this at least a couple of times a month, and it shows up at every single backyard cookout, family picnic, and potluck we go to. It pairs well alongside grilled burgers or anything off the grill, it takes under 15 minutes to pull together, and it's the recipe people always ask me about after they eat it. If you've never made a cucumber ranch crack salad before, you are going to wonder where this has been all your summers.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Ingredients for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- How to Make Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- My Top Tips for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Little Moments in the Kitchen
- Substitutions for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Variations on Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Equipment for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Storage Tips for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Olivia's Tip for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- FAQ About Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Conclusion
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- It takes less than 15 minutes with no cooking required. Slice, toss, dress, done. The only thing that needs heat is the bacon, and you can use pre-cooked bacon bits if you want to skip even that.
- It's the most requested salad I bring to gatherings. Ranch dressing, bacon, and cheddar together is a combination that pretty much nobody can walk past without wanting a second scoop. It's crowd food in the best way.
- It works as a side for everything. Grilled chicken, burgers, pork chops, even just with crackers on the side for a summer lunch. This salad fits next to almost anything you're already making.
Ingredients for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Everything in this recipe is easy to find and inexpensive. You probably have most of it in your fridge and pantry right now without even realizing it.
What You'll Need
For the salad:
- 2 large English cucumbers, thinly sliced (about ¼ inch thick)
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 strips bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, roughly chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- Salt for drawing out cucumber moisture
For the creamy ranch dressing:
- ¾ cup creamy ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Why These Ingredients Matter
- English cucumber over regular slicing cucumbers: English cucumbers have thinner skin, fewer seeds, and a cleaner flavor that holds up well against a creamy dressing. Regular garden cucumbers work too, but peel them and scoop out the seeds with a spoon before slicing or the texture gets chewy and the extra moisture makes the dressing watery fast. The salting step in the directions is especially important if you go the regular cucumber route.
- Sharp cheddar over mild: The whole flavor profile of this salad leans creamy and rich from the ranch. Mild cheddar doesn't have enough punch to hold its own. Sharp cheddar cuts through the dressing and adds a real contrast that makes each bite taste like something. Shred it fresh from a block rather than using pre-shredded bagged cheese, which has an anti-caking coating that prevents it from blending into the dressing the way you want.
- Ranch dressing brand and the sour cream trick: A classic bottled ranch like Hidden Valley works really well here and is what I use most often, but the real move is what you add to it. Stirring in sour cream and a spoonful of mayo thickens the dressing, adds tang, and makes it cling to every cucumber slice instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. That combination is what takes this cucumber ranch crack salad from ordinary to the version people ask you about.
If you love easy no-cook sides that are ready in minutes, our chickpea feta avocado salad is another one worth keeping on your summer rotation.
How to Make Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Step-by-Step Directions
- Salt the cucumbers first. Slice the cucumbers into rounds about ¼ inch thick and place them in a colander set over a bowl or the sink. Sprinkle generously with salt, toss to coat, and let them sit for 15 to 20 minutes. You will see liquid pooling below. That's the excess water coming out. This step is what keeps your salad from going watery and diluting the ranch dressing within the first ten minutes of being dressed. Don't skip it.
- Pat the cucumbers dry. After the cucumbers have sat, rinse them under cold water to wash off the excess salt, then spread them on a clean kitchen towel and pat firmly dry on both sides. They should feel noticeably less wet and more firm when you pick them up. Dry cucumbers hold the dressing and stay crispy.
- Cook and crumble the bacon. Cook the bacon strips in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy all the way through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let them cool completely before crumbling. Adding warm bacon to the salad will wilt the cucumbers and melt the cheese before it even makes it to the table.
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ranch dressing, sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Taste it on a cucumber slice. It should taste creamy, tangy, and well-seasoned. Adjust salt or add a tiny extra splash of vinegar if it needs a lift.
- Combine the salad. Add the dried cucumber slices, halved grape tomatoes, red onion, and half the shredded cheddar to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently until everything looks coated and the dressing is evenly distributed through the vegetables.
- Fold in the bacon and remaining cheese last. Add most of the crumbled bacon and the remaining cheddar and fold everything together. Save a small handful of each to scatter across the top of the serving bowl for presentation.
- Refrigerate before serving. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and scatter the reserved bacon and cheddar over the top. Finish with the fresh dill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the flavors settle and the cucumbers absorb some of the dressing. The salad should look glossy and lightly coated when it's ready, not swimming.
Hint: Add the bacon right before serving if you want it to stay crispy. Bacon that sits in creamy ranch dressing for more than 30 minutes starts to soften. If that crispy texture matters to you, hold it back and scatter it on top just before the bowl hits the table.
My Top Tips for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Here's the one thing I tell everyone who asks why their cucumber salad turns watery: you have to salt and drain the cucumbers before they ever touch the dressing. Cucumbers are mostly water, and once you add a creamy dressing that salt pulls all of that moisture right out and turns the whole bowl into soup. The 15-minute salting step feels like an extra thing you don't have time for, but it's what makes the difference between a salad that holds up for hours and one that's a puddle by the time you get to the second serving.
Gold Tip: Make the dressing a full hour before you plan to assemble the salad and leave it covered in the fridge. The garlic powder and herbs bloom and the flavors come together much more fully the longer it sits. A dressing made and used immediately tastes flat compared to one that's had an hour to develop. I started doing this after making a batch that tasted noticeably better the next day, and I haven't stopped since.
Little Moments in the Kitchen
I was making this for a neighborhood cookout last summer and Olivia was sitting at the kitchen counter watching me salt the cucumber slices and tilt them into the colander. She watched the water drip into the bowl below for a while and then said very seriously, "Mom. The cucumbers are crying." I told her they weren't crying, they were just releasing moisture so the salad wouldn't get soggy, and she stared at the dripping cucumbers and said, "They're crying, Mom."
She helped me crumble the bacon after that, which she was very enthusiastic about, and then helped herself to about a third of it before it made it into the salad. When we got to the cookout and I set the bowl down, she stood next to it like a security guard and told anyone who came near it that she had personally made the bacon and they should try some. She ate two full plates of it and told me on the way home that ranch dressing was "probably the best flavor ever invented." I don't completely disagree.
Substitutions for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Ranch dressing: Use a homemade ranch made with buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, garlic, and dried herbs if you prefer to skip bottled dressing.
Bacon: Swap for turkey bacon to lighten things up, or use pre-cooked bacon bits straight from the bag to save time.
Sharp cheddar: Use pepper jack for a slightly spicy version, or Colby Jack for a milder meltier texture.
Sour cream: Replace with plain full-fat Greek yogurt in the same amount for the same tang and thickness.
Apple cider vinegar: Use white wine vinegar or a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice in the same quantity.
Dairy-free: Use a dairy-free ranch dressing, dairy-free sour cream, and dairy-free mayo in the dressing. Skip the cheddar or use a dairy-free shredded cheese alternative.
Variations on Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Old Fashioned with Vinegar: Replace the apple cider vinegar in the dressing with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, reduce the sour cream to 1 tablespoon, and skip the grape tomatoes. Add an extra half cup of thinly sliced red onion. This version is tangier and lighter, closer to the old fashioned cucumber ranch crack salad style that leans more vinegar-forward. It pairs especially well alongside heavier grilled meats.
Crack Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream and Dill: Double the sour cream to 4 tablespoons, reduce the ranch to half a cup, add an extra tablespoon of fresh dill, and stir in a teaspoon of lemon zest. Leans more herb-forward and creamy than straight ranch and works well as a topping for grilled salmon or as part of a bigger spread alongside our citrus pomegranate kale salad.
Spicy Ranch: Add 1 teaspoon of hot sauce and a pinch of cayenne into the dressing. Replace the grape tomatoes with sliced pickled jalapeños. Top with pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar and scatter a few extra jalapeño slices on top before serving.
Equipment for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Colander: For salting and draining the cucumbers so excess water drips away freely. A flat plate won't work for this step.
Sharp mandoline or thin knife: Gets cucumber slices to a consistent ¼ inch so the salad looks uniform and every bite has the right texture.
Large mixing bowl: Gives you enough room to toss everything without spilling over the sides.
Cast iron or non-stick skillet: Renders bacon fat evenly for crispy results. Cast iron gives a deeper, more even crispness than a thin non-stick pan.
Storage Tips for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
- Dressed salad: Airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Stir before serving as the dressing loosens slightly overnight.
- Bacon: Store crumbled bacon separately and add fresh when serving to keep it crispy.
- Undressed components: Cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, and cheese keep separately for up to 3 days. Dress and add bacon right before serving.
- Do not freeze: Ranch dressing and sour cream separate completely after thawing. Make this salad fresh every time.
Olivia's Tip for Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Olivia says always put extra bacon on top of your own bowl before anyone else gets to the serving dish. "The bacon is the best part and you have to protect it, Mom."
FAQ About Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Why soak cucumbers in salt water before making cucumber salad?
Cucumbers are made up of mostly water and that moisture releases the moment they come into contact with dressing. Salting them first draws that water out before the dressing ever touches them, which means your salad stays creamy and thick instead of turning watery within the first hour. You can salt and drain in a colander as this recipe does, or soak the slices in a bowl of salted water for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse and pat dry. Either way works. Just don't skip it.
How do you keep cucumbers crispy in a cucumber salad?
Three things help: salt and drain the cucumbers before dressing them, dry them thoroughly after salting, and keep the dressed salad for no more than two days. After two days the cucumbers continue releasing moisture and start to lose their snap. If you want to make this ahead and keep things maximally crispy, store the sliced cucumbers separately from the dressing and combine within an hour of serving.
Do people eat cucumbers with ranch?
All the time, and it's one of the most popular casual snack combinations out there. Ranch dressing was practically made for cucumbers. The cool mild water flavor of the cucumber balances the creamy herby slightly tangy ranch in a way that works whether you're dipping slices into a bowl or tossing them into a full salad like this one. Bacon and cheddar take that combination into something much more substantial.
How healthy is cucumber salad for weight loss?
Cucumbers are very low in calories and high in water content, which makes them a filling food with very little caloric impact. This cucumber ranch crack salad with bacon, cheddar, and creamy ranch is on the more indulgent side of the cucumber salad spectrum, but the cucumbers still provide fiber and hydration. If you want a lighter version, the Substitutions section above has swaps that reduce the calorie count while keeping most of the flavor. For a completely different kind of comfort food night, our pioneer woman meatloaf pairs really well with this salad when you want something hearty on the table.
Conclusion
This cucumber ranch crack salad is the kind of recipe that earns its reputation one cookout at a time. It's cool, creamy, crispy where it counts, and it goes with everything you're already making for dinner from May through September. Once you bring it to one gathering you'll be making it on request for the rest of the summer.
If you want more easy sides to round out your summer table, our creamy shrimp linguine makes a great main alongside this salad for a casual dinner that feels a little more special. And for more creamy cucumber inspiration, AllRecipes has a classic creamy garden cucumber salad worth bookmarking as another go-to. Now go make this cucumber ranch crack salad. It will not last long on the table.
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad:
📖 Recipe
Easy Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Salt & Drain: First, let's treat those English cucumbers. Slice them into rounds and place them in a colander. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and let them sit for 15-20 minutes. Olivia calls this the cucumbers "crying," but it's actually the secret to making sure our salad doesn't turn into soup!
- Fry & Crumble: While the cucumbers rest, fry your bacon in a skillet until it's deeply golden and crispy. Let it cool on a paper towel, keep an eye on it, though! If your kitchen helper is anything like Olivia, half the bacon might "disappear" during the crumbling process.
- Mix: In a small bowl, whisk together the creamy ranch dressing, sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and garlic powder. Add a crack of black pepper. This blend is much richer than plain bottled ranch and sticks to the veggies perfectly.
- Rinse & Pat Dry: Rinse the English cucumbers under cold water to remove the salt, then pat them very dry with a clean kitchen towel. Toss them into your large bowl with the halved grape tomatoes and sliced red onion.
- Toss: Pour that beautiful dressing over the veggies. Gently fold in half of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and most of the crumbled bacon. Saving a little for the top makes it look so professional!
- Chill & Garnish: Sprinkle the remaining cheese, bacon, and that lovely fresh dill over the top. Let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. This gives the flavors time to "get to know each other" before you serve it to your favorite people.
Nutrition
Notes
- Bacon Tip: If you're in a rush, high-quality store-bought bacon bits work in a pinch, but nothing beats the smell of fresh bacon frying in the morning.
- Make it Ahead: You can prep the dressing and chop the veggies a day early, but don't combine them until about an hour before serving to keep that "crack" crunch!
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Give it a quick stir before eating.
- Olivia's Twist: Olivia likes to add a handful of croutons right before eating for even more crunch, but keep those out if you're staying low-carb!
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