This cucumber dill dip combines grated cucumber, cream cheese, sour cream and fresh dill for a thick, cool vegetable dip. Garlic and onion powder add a savory background, while a little lemon brightens the creamy base. Serve it with carrot sticks, cucumber spears and bell pepper strips.
Quick answer: Salt the grated cucumber, let it rest for 10 minutes, then squeeze it thoroughly. Beat the softened cream cheese with sour cream before folding in the cucumber and dill. The recipe takes about 20 minutes of preparation plus 30 minutes of chilling and makes approximately 2 cups.
What You Need for Cucumber Dill Dip
Cream cheese gives the dip structure; sour cream softens it enough to scoop. Fresh dill provides the main herb flavor. Choose a cucumber with firm flesh and grate it rather than chopping it into large pieces, so it folds evenly through the base.
Soften the cream cheese enough to beat smoothly before mixing. Cold cream cheese can leave lumps that extra cucumber liquid will not fix. Start with the lemon and seasonings in the recipe, then taste with a vegetable before adding more salt.
How to Keep This Vegetable Dip with Dill Thick
Toss the grated cucumber with the first portion of salt and rest it for 10 minutes. Gather it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the accumulated liquid before adding it to the bowl. Skip the cucumber juice: it loosens the base and can collect around the dip after chilling.
If the dip still looks loose, chill it before judging the consistency again. If it remains watery, use our watery dip guide to choose a fix that suits the cream cheese base. Add liquid only after checking the chilled texture, a teaspoon at a time.
How to Make Cucumber Dill Dip
The full quantities and method are below. The 30-minute chill is included in the stated 50-minute total; plan for it when preparing a party tray.
Recipe card
Creamy Cucumber Dill Dip with Cream Cheese & Sour Cream
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 0 min · Total: 50 min · Optional chill: 30 min · Yield: About 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 medium English cucumber, about 8 oz / 225 g
- 8 oz / 225 g cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp fine salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber and toss with 1/4 tsp salt. Let stand 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the grated cucumber very well in a clean towel.
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and mix in sour cream.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, remaining salt and pepper.
- Fold in cucumber and dill.
- Cover and chill 30 minutes before serving.
Best Vegetables for Cucumber Dill Dip
Carrot sticks and celery are sturdy enough for this medium-thick dip. Use cucumber spears or thick rounds instead of very thin slices, which can bend against a firm cream cheese base. Bell pepper strips and small broccoli or cauliflower florets give a different crunch. See our carrot and cucumber dip guide for more texture pairings.
Dry washed vegetables before arranging them so they do not add water to the serving bowl. For a larger platter, compare the best vegetables for dipping and use the dip quantity guide to plan the total across all your bowls.
Fresh Dill, Dried Dill and Other Variations
Fresh dill gives this recipe a bright flavor. If using dried dill, begin with about 2 teaspoons in place of the 2 tablespoons fresh, then taste after chilling before adding more. A little chopped chive can add an onion note, but keep dill as the main herb.
For a cucumber-and-yogurt base, use our cucumber yogurt dip rather than replacing all the cream cheese and expecting the same texture. For a dip without grated cucumber, try cream cheese vegetable dip or Greek yogurt herb dip.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Prepare the dip ahead, cover it and refrigerate it; keep the vegetables in a separate container. Stir before serving and put out a smaller bowl while keeping the reserve chilled. Follow our dip storage and serving guide for refrigerated storage and party-serving guidance.
Cucumber Dill Dip Questions
Can I make it without sour cream? For this cream cheese recipe, sour cream softens the base. If you want a different base, choose one of the linked yogurt recipes and follow its quantities instead of treating the swap as identical.
Why is my dip lumpy? The cream cheese may have been too cold. Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth before adding sour cream, cucumber and herbs.
Is it dairy-free? No. Both cream cheese and sour cream contain milk ingredients. Check packaged seasonings when other dietary requirements matter.
For a contrasting bowl on the same tray, try roasted red pepper white bean dip or classic hummus.
