Old-Fashioned Creamy Lettuce Salad

A Crisp and Creamy Salad With a Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Onion Topper

Old-Fashioned Creamy Lettuce Salad is one of those simple recipes that proves you do not need a dozen fancy ingredients to make a really good salad. Crisp iceberg lettuce is topped with a sweet and tangy homemade creamy dressing, then finished with a chilled cucumber and red onion mixture that has been marinating in rice vinegar, sugar, dill, and celery salt.

The contrast is what makes this so good. You get cold, crunchy lettuce, rich creamy dressing, tangy pickled vegetables and plenty of black pepper in every bite.

This is an easy side dish for everything from grilled meat and burgers to a simple sandwich. It also happens to be the kind of old-fashioned salad that you can easily make your own.

An Old-Fashioned Salad With A Little Something Extra

Creamed lettuce has been around forever in one form or another. There are versions made with cream, sour cream, mayonnaise, and even warm dressings.

I didn’t have heavy cream when I decided to make mine, so I made a simple creamy dressing using mayonnaise and milk. It ended up being exactly what I wanted.

But I also wanted something acidic and crunchy to cut through that creamy dressing.

That is where the cucumber and red onion topper came in.

I thinly shaved cucumber, added very thinly sliced red onion, and let everything sit in a mixture of rice vinegar, a little sugar, dill, celery salt and black pepper. After a few hours in the refrigerator, the vegetables soften slightly while still retaining some crunch and develop this wonderful sweet, tangy, dilly flavor.

I spooned that over the creamy lettuce and added plenty of black pepper.

So simple and SO good.

The Cucumber and Red Onion Topper

This might be my favorite part of the whole recipe.

You will need about 1 to 2 cups of very thinly sliced cucumber. I used a regular potato peeler to shave my cucumber into very thin pieces.

You don’t need a fancy tool.

Hold the cucumber securely on a cutting board and run the vegetable peeler lengthwise down the cucumber, just as you would if you were peeling it. Instead of throwing away those strips, keep shaving them into thin ribbons. Rotate the cucumber as needed.

You can also use a mandoline set very thin. Just please use the hand guard that comes with it.

If you don’t have either, use your sharpest knife and slice the cucumber as thinly as you comfortably can. The slices don’t have to be perfect. In fact, I like having some different shapes and sizes in there.

The thin cucumber absorbs the vinegar mixture much better than thick cucumber slices.

What Kind Of Cucumber Should I Use?

You can use just about any cucumber for this salad. The type you choose will change the texture slightly, but there really isn’t a wrong choice.

English cucumbers are a great option because they have thin skin, very small seeds, and aren’t quite as watery. You can usually leave the peel completely on.

Persian or mini cucumbers also work really well. They have tender skin, small seeds, and a nice crunch, so there is usually no need to peel them either.

If you’re using a regular garden or slicing cucumber, the skin can sometimes be thicker or a little waxy. You can peel it completely, leave it on, or partially peel it.

I like the partially peeled method. Simply remove strips of skin with your vegetable peeler while leaving some behind. You get the pretty green color and a little extra texture without too much tough peel.

Homegrown cucumbers can vary quite a bit. If the skin is tender, leave it. If it’s thick or bitter, peel it.

If your cucumber has very large, mature seeds, cut it lengthwise and scoop some of the seeds out before slicing or shaving it.

No matter which cucumber you choose, slicing it very thin is the important part. Those thin pieces soften slightly and soak up that sweet and tangy dill mixture while they hang out in the refrigerator.

Tipsy Tip

If your cucumber is especially watery, lay the slices on a paper towel for a few minutes before adding them to the vinegar mixture. You don’t need to dry them completely. You’re just getting rid of some excess moisture so it doesn’t dilute all that good flavor.

Let The Cucumbers Hang Out

This is one part of the recipe that gets better if you make it ahead.

Once the cucumber and onion are mixed with the rice vinegar, sugar, dill, celery salt, and black pepper, cover the container and let it hang out in the refrigerator for at least one hour and preferably a few hours.

The vegetables will release some of their own liquid as they sit. That’s okay. You want that.

Give everything a stir once or twice while it marinates so all those thin slices get a chance to soak in the seasoned vinegar.

When you’re ready to make your salad, use a slotted spoon or fork to scoop some of the cucumber and onion mixture onto the lettuce. You can add a little of the liquid too if you like your salad extra tangy.

The Creamy Dressing

The dressing could not be much easier.

It starts with mayonnaise, which gives you that old-fashioned creamy texture. A little milk loosens it up so that you can spoon or drizzle it over the lettuce rather than ending up with something thick like a sandwich spread.

Apple cider vinegar gives it tang, sugar balances the vinegar, and salt and black pepper season everything.

Make Extra Dressing

If you’re already making this, you might want to double the dressing.

Keep the extra in a covered container in the refrigerator and use it on salads throughout the week. It would also be great drizzled over sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, used as a creamy dressing for a simple cabbage slaw, or spooned over a cold vegetable salad.

Give it a stir before serving because it may separate slightly as it sits.

Why Iceberg Lettuce Works So Well

You could certainly use another lettuce, but I really like iceberg here.

Iceberg gets a bad rap sometimes because it isn’t fancy, but that is exactly why it works in this recipe. It’s cold, crisp, inexpensive, and sturdy enough to stand up to the creamy dressing and juicy cucumber mixture.

Cut or tear it into fairly large pieces rather than shredding it.

And make sure your lettuce is very dry after washing it. Water left on the lettuce will thin out the dressing and keep it from clinging to those crunchy leaves.

For really crisp lettuce, wash it ahead of time, dry it well, and refrigerate it until you are ready to eat.

Build Each Salad When You’re Ready To Eat

I wouldn’t toss an entire bowl of this salad together unless everyone is sitting down and ready to eat.

Instead, I like keeping the three components separate:

Crisp iceberg lettuce + creamy dressing + cucumber onion topper.

Put the iceberg on the plate, spoon the creamy dressing over the top, add some of the cucumber and red onion mixture, and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.

That way the lettuce stays crisp and everyone can add as much dressing and cucumber mixture as they like.

What Else Can I Add To Creamy Lettuce Salad?

This is one of those recipes where the basic salad is really just the beginning.

Crumbled bacon would be fantastic. Cook it until crisp, crumble it, and sprinkle it over the finished salad. You get that smoky, salty bite without having to add bacon grease to the dressing.

You could also add:

• Thinly sliced radishes
• Chopped fresh tomatoes
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Green onions
• Fresh chives
• Fresh parsley
• Shredded cheese
• Sunflower seeds
• Croutons
• Grilled chicken
• Sliced steak
• Chopped ham

If you want to turn this from a side salad into lunch, adding a protein is an easy way to do it.

More Old-Fashioned Salads To Try

Some of my favorite salads are the ones that aren’t trying too hard.

They’re the simple salads that showed up at family parties, summer cookouts, church gatherings, and on our dinner tables growing up.

A lot of these recipes use inexpensive ingredients and things you probably already have in your refrigerator or pantry.

They’re also the kinds of recipes that everyone seems to remember a little differently. One family added onion. Another added hard-boiled eggs. Someone’s grandma always added a little extra sugar.

That’s part of what I love about old-fashioned recipes.

If you like this Old-Fashioned Creamy Lettuce Salad, I have several other simple and nostalgic salads that you might remember from your own family table. You can click each image for the recipe.

There is something about these simple salads that makes them especially good alongside burgers, grilled chicken, sandwiches, or a basic weeknight dinner.

You don’t need a giant list of ingredients to make a really good side dish. Sometimes cold, crunchy vegetables and a good homemade dressing are all you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make creamy lettuce salad ahead of time?

You can make the components ahead, but don’t assemble the salad until you’re ready to eat. Make the cucumber mixture several hours ahead and keep it refrigerated. The creamy dressing can also be made ahead. Keep your iceberg lettuce clean, dry and cold, then assemble each serving at the last minute.

Can I use another kind of lettuce?

Yes. Romaine would be my second choice because it has plenty of crunch. Green leaf or butter lettuce will also work, although they’re softer and will wilt more quickly once dressed.

Do I have to peel the cucumber?

No. If the cucumber has a thin, tender skin, leave it on. If you’re using a cucumber with a thicker or waxed skin, you may prefer to peel all or part of it.

Can I use fresh dill?

Absolutely. If you have fresh dill, chop it finely and add it to taste. You’ll generally want more fresh dill than dried.

Can I add bacon?

Yes, and it would be delicious. Crisp crumbled bacon adds saltiness and smoky flavor. Sprinkle it over the finished salad rather than mixing it into the dressing.

What if I don’t have rice vinegar?

For the cucumber topper, you can substitute another mild vinegar. Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar would be good choices. Because vinegars vary in acidity and flavor, start with a little less and adjust to taste.

How long will the dressing keep?

Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, I would use the homemade dressing within about 3 to 4 days.

Before You Make This Recipe

This Old-Fashioned Creamy Lettuce Salad is all about keeping the components separate until serving. Make the sweet and tangy cucumber onion topper ahead so it has time to marinate, keep the iceberg cold and crisp, and spoon on the homemade creamy dressing right before eating. The dressing can easily be doubled, and crispy bacon, tomatoes, radishes or hard-boiled eggs are all delicious additions.