Description
This Classic Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad is a refreshing, crunchy, and creamy side dish featuring crisp cucumbers, sharp cheddar cheese, smoky bacon, and a tangy ranch dressing. Perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or a quick snack, it combines simple ingredients for a flavorful and satisfying salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 cups cucumbers, sliced (English or Persian cucumbers preferred)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
- 1–2 tbsp chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)
Dairy
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
Meat
- ⅓ cup cooked bacon, crumbled (4–5 slices)
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp dry ranch seasoning mix (like Hidden Valley)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the bacon: Crisp the bacon in a pan or microwave, then crumble it into small pieces and let it cool completely to avoid wilting the salad.
- Slice cucumbers: Cut the cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds. There’s no need to peel if you are using English or mini cucumbers, keeping the skin for extra crunch and nutrients.
- Make ranch dressing: Stir together the sour cream and dry ranch seasoning mix in a bowl until smooth and creamy. This creates the flavorful dressing that ties the salad together.
- Combine main ingredients: In a large bowl, add the sliced cucumbers, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped red onion, and fresh dill.
- Add dressing and mix: Pour the ranch dressing over the mixture and gently toss everything until all the ingredients are well coated with the creamy dressing.
- Season and chill: Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately for a crisp experience or chill the salad for 10–15 minutes to deepen the flavors before serving.
Notes
- Using English or Persian cucumbers ensures a crisp texture and minimal peeling is needed.
- For a lighter version, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt.
- Make sure bacon is thoroughly cooled before adding to maintain salad crunchiness.
- Chilling the salad before serving allows flavors to meld and enhances taste.
- Can be served as a side dish or a topping for baked potatoes or sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook (except bacon crisping)
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 190 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
Keywords: cucumber salad, ranch salad, bacon salad, cucumber ranch recipe, easy side dish, picnic salad, quick salad recipe
