This simple but delicious Polish Cucumber Salad combines fresh summer cucumbers with Eastern European flavors for a side dish your family is sure to love!
Blame it on my Slovak roots but I have been on an Eastern European kick for the past few weeks and this delicious Polish cucumber salad has quickly become one of my favorite summer side dishes.
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What is mizeria?
Mizeria literally translates to "misery" in Polish. But this salad as anything but miserable! So why is it called that? Well that answer is actually up for debate.
Some claim that the origins of this salad are linked to Queen Bona Sforza who brought several kinds of vegetables with her from Italy to Poland. The myth is that she was miserable in missing foods from home and thus... mizeria.
Others however think this story is a complete load of garbage. That neither cucumbers nor mizeria had anything to do with Queen Bona proposing the more likely scenario that mizeria gets its name because it was primarily poor peasants who invented it.
But whatever its true origins, Mizeria is a delicious and beloved dish combining cucumbers, sour cream, vinegar and herbs. And I hope you love it as much as we do!
More salad recipes you will love.
Equipment
- Cutting board and knife or mandolin
- Vegetable peeler: I love this OXO vegetable peeler but you could also just use a sharp knife.
- Plate and mixing bowl
Ingredients and substitutions
- Hothouse English cucumber: You can also substitute with a regular cucumber but you'll probably want to remove the seeds in to the center to prevent the salad from getting too soggy.
- Sour cream: I recommend using full fat. And while I prefer sour cream in this recipe you could also use Greek yogurt in a pinch.
- Vinegar: I recommend white vinegar but apple cider vinegar also tastes fine.
- White granulated sugar
- Fresh dill: Must be fresh for this recipe. Dried dill simply won't give you the same authentic results.
- Green onions: I personally love using green onions in this recipe but some versions leave them out. Feel free to add or omit according to your taste.
- Salt & pepper
There are many variations of this recipe so feel free to play around with it according to your personal taste. Such as switching vinegar for lemon juice, or adding chopped mint and parsley.
Serving Suggestions
This Polish Cucumber Salad makes a great fresh side dish to any hearty meal. I especially love serving it with my Beef Paprikash or Mushroom Stroganoff recipes.
Made this Polish Cucumber Salad? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Polish Cucumber Salad {Mizeria}
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- vegetable peeler optional
Ingredients
- 1 large English hothouse cucumber You can use a regular garden cucumber as well but you will want to remove some of the seeds in the middle.
- salt
- ⅓ cup sour cream I recommend full fat
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp green onions, minced
- 1 tsp white granulated sugar
- black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Wash the cucumber then use a peeler to remove the skin. Cut into very thin slices then arrange on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Allow the cucumbers to sit for around 5 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the excess moisture. Then use a paper towel to gently pat the cucumbers dry and set aside. *Don't skip this step as you will end up with a very watery salad.*
- While the cucumbers are sitting, make the dressing by combining sour cream, vinegar, sugar, green onions and dill. Whisk together and season with pepper to taste. *Don't add any salt at this time as the cucumbers will already have absorbed some.*
- Pour the dressing over the cucumbers and mix to combine. Taste and add any additional salt or pepper as you desire. Garnish with fresh dill and serve. Enjoy!
This was such a cool and refreshing salad that does not disappoint! Quick, easy and perfectly crisp; definitely, a new favorite recipe!
Loved this creamy cucumber salad! It was so delish without baked chicken last night!
It is absolutely delicious. I love the rich creaminess, and the flavors work so well together.
Outstanding recipe thanks so much! tasted so much good!