Cucumber Ranch Crack Salad (Print version)
Crisp cucumbers meet creamy ranch, savory bacon, and cheddar in this addictive cold salad.
# What goes in:
→ Vegetables
01 - 3 cups cucumber, diced (about 2 large cucumbers)
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Proteins and Dairy
04 - 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled (about 8 slices)
05 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
06 - ½ cup sour cream
07 - ½ cup mayonnaise
08 - ¼ cup ranch dressing
→ Crunchy Toppings
09 - 1 cup crushed kettle-cooked potato chips or gluten-free crackers (optional)
→ Seasonings
10 - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
11 - ¼ teaspoon onion powder
12 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - ¼ teaspoon salt
# Cooking steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and green onions.
02 - Add in the crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese to the vegetable mixture.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, ranch dressing, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly with the creamy dressing.
05 - Just before serving, top with the crushed potato chips or crackers for extra crunch, if desired. Serve immediately, or chill for 30 minutes for best flavor development.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- The cool crunch of cucumbers meets smoky bacon in a way that keeps everyone coming back for seconds
- It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent way more time on it
02 -
- This salad does not sit well with the chips on top, so add them right before serving or serve them separately
- The flavors actually get better after chilling for 30 minutes, so do not be afraid to make it ahead
03 -
- Pat your cucumbers dry after dicing if they seem especially watery, which prevents the dressing from getting thin
- The secret is crushing the chips into varying sizes, from dust to small shards, so every bite has different texture