8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (2024)

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1

Cucumbers 101

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (1)

Season: Although you can buy cucumbers year-round, summer is the time to take advantage of the selection at your local farmer's market.
How to buy: Choose firm cucumbers with vibrant green color, and avoid any with soft spots or wrinkled skin.
How to store: Keep them at the front of the fridge, where it's warmer; these water-laden veggies can start to freeze in the colder temps of the crisper.
Prep tip: Garden-variety cukes sold in supermarkets are typically buffed with food-grade wax to preserve freshness (note the shiny exterior) and should be peeled for the best taste.
Nutritional benefits: If the skin is dull, eat it (wash it well first!): You'll get fiber, vitamin A, and silica, a mineral that's good for your complexion.

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2

Cucumber Salad With Grilled Steak Skewers

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (2)

SERVINGS: 4

4 oz skirt steak

2 Tbsp sweet Asian chili sauce

 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided

1 tsp minced garlic

1 seedless cucumber

1½ lb watermelon

4 lime wedges

1. CUTskirt steak crosswise into 12 thin slices. Toss with chili sauce, 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, and minced garlic. Thread onto soaked wooden skewers (8").
2. SHAVEcucumber into ribbons and toss with 1 Tbsp lime juice. Cut watermelon into 8 slices. Grill beef over medium-high heat about 1 min per side for medium.
3. SERVEwatermelon, cucumber, and skewers with lime wedges and more chili sauce.

NUTRITION(per serving)115 cal, 7 g pro, 14 g carb, 1 g fiber, 4 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 81 mg sodium

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3

Pickled Cucumber and Shrimp

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (3)

SERVINGS: 4

1¼ cups rice vinegar

½ cup agave nectar

¼ tsp red-pepper flakes
½ lb peeled shrimp

1 cup red onion, sliced

½ lb Kirby cucumber, halved and sliced
¼ cup cilantro sprigs

1. BRINGrice vinegar, agave nectar, and red-pepper flakes to a boil. Add peeled shrimp and simmer until cooked through, 3 minutes.
2. STIRin red onion and cucumber.
3. SERVEchilled with cilantro sprigs.

NUTRITION(per serving)158 cal, 13 g pro, 24 g carb, 2 g fiber, 2 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 92 mg sodium

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4

Cucumber Honey Mint Ice

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (4)

SERVINGS: 4

1 lb seedless cucumber, chopped
½ cup lemon-lime seltzer
⅓ cup fresh mint, chopped
3 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Mint sprigs (for garnish)

1. COMBINEcucumber with seltzer, fresh mint, honey, and lemon juice in blender. Puree until smooth.
2. TRANSFERto shallow glass dish and freeze, stirring occasionally, until crystals form, 20 to 30 min.
3. SCOOPinto 4 small bowls and garnish with mint sprigs.

NUTRITION(per serving)67 cal, 1 g pro, 18 g carb, 1 g fiber, 0 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 4 mg sodium

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5

Cool Cucumber Wasabi Soup

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (5)

SERVINGS: 4

1 lb seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
¼ cup low-fat plain yogurt
¾ tsp wasabi paste
2 chopped scallion greens
¾ cup ice water

Combine all ingredients and puree until smooth. Ladle into 4 bowls. Dollop with yogurt.

NUTRITION(per serving)28 cal, 2 g pro, 5 g carb, 1 g fiber, 0.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 34 mg sodium

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6

Cucumber Agua Fresca

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (6)

SERVINGS: 4

1 lb cucumber, peeled and chopped
¾ cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup ice
12 oz agave-sweetened grapefruit soda

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree and serve over ice.

NUTRITION(per serving)40 cal, 1 g pro, 9 g carb, 1 g fiber, 0 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 3 mg sodium

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7

Grilled Chicken With Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Sauce

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (7)

SERVINGS: 4

8 oz cucumber chunks
¾ cup 2% plain Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill,
1 tsp minced garlic
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 whole wheat pitas

1. MIXcucumber, yogurt, dill, andgarlic.
2. GRILL4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts over medium heat, turning once, 15 to 18 min.
3. GRILL4 whole wheat pitas until golden, about 3 minutes.
4. SLICEchicken. Serve with halved pitas and top with yogurt sauce.

NUTRITION(per serving)402 cal, 46 g pro, 39 g carb, 5 g fiber, 7 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 553 mg sodium

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8

Cucumber and Crab Seviche

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (8)

SERVINGS: 4

6 oz cubed Persian cucumber
1 mango, sliced
1 avocado, cubed
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
4 oz lump crabmeat, divided

Toss cucumber, mango, avocado, and fresh lime juice. Serve in 4 glasses topped with 1 oz lump crabmeat each.

NUTRITION(per serving) 127 cal, 7 g pro, 14 g carb, 3 g fiber, 5.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 99 mg sodium

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9

Lemony Poached Halibut With Creamy Cucumbers

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (9)

SERVINGS:4

4 cups water
2 lemons, thinly sliced
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
4 (6-ounce) pieces halibut fillet, skin removed
2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt

1. BRINGwater, lemons, and shallots to a simmerin a medium saucepanover medium-high heat. Add halibut, nestling fish pieces under lemons and shallots. Return water to a simmer and simmer gently until fish is opaque and tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. COMBINEcucumbers, dill, sour cream, and salt in a medium bowl while fish is cooking.
3. TRANSFER(carefully!) the fish to 4 plates using a large large slotted spoon when fish is done. Drain lemon and shallot slices and place on top of fish. Serve warm with cucumbers on the side.

NUTRITION(per serving)230 calories, 6 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 37 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 250 mg sodium

8 Tasty Cucumber Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can you put on cucumbers to make them taste good? ›

Salt – It draws moisture out of the cucumbers, giving them a crisp, pickle-like texture. It also makes the flavors in this salad pop! Fresh dill and chives – Dill is a classic ingredient in a cucumber onion salad, as its sour flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet and tangy vinegar dressing.

Why soak cucumbers in salt water before making cucumber salad? ›

It's just extra-good. I definitely don't always have it together enough to actually do this step, and the salad is delicious either way. The soaking will help the cucumbers to lose less water (so they won't make the dressing watery – IF you drain them well, that is) and they're super cold and crunchy.

How to use a lot of cucumbers? ›

7 Different Ways to Eat Up Extra Cucumbers
  1. Find our Pickled Cucumbers recipe here. ...
  2. Tropical Cucumber Smoothie with Kale.
  3. Hydrating Cucumber Smoothie with Mango.
  4. Cucumber Mojito Mocktail.
  5. Mixed Berry & Cucumber Bellini Mocktail.
  6. Cucumber Melon Sangria Mocktail.
  7. Lemon Cucumber Virgin Cooler.
Sep 14, 2020

What flavor compliments cucumber? ›

Spices: Cucumbers pair well with spices such as black pepper, cumin, and coriander. Fruits: Cucumbers pair well with fruits such as tomatoes, watermelon, and berries. Meats: Cucumbers pair well with meats such as chicken, salmon, and tuna. Seafood: Cucumbers pair well with seafood such as shrimp, crab, and oysters.

What not to mix cucumbers with? ›

Cucumber and tomato are both eaten together in salads. But this is not the right food combination in terms of health. Actually, the way these two are digested is completely different, so eating them together should be avoided.

How can I make my cucumbers taste better? ›

Another traditional way of dealing with this bitterness is by salting cucumber slices or chunks and letting them sit for about 10-15 minutes, this helps in absorbing the bitter compounds. Then rinse the cucumbers thoroughly under cold running water to remove the salt and enjoy.

How to jazz up cucumbers? ›

If you want to jazz up your cucumber salad, here are some ideas!
  1. Stir in halved grape or cherry tomatoes.
  2. Add crumbled feta cheese.
  3. Add a little green pepper or red pepper.
  4. If you want to add a little heat, add crushed red pepper flakes.
Jun 27, 2023

Should I rinse cucumbers after salting? ›

' When we salt vegetables we're actually weakening the cell walls and therefore changing the integrity of the cucumber. Simply rinsing well with water will not add moisture back into the vegetable – so it's ok, rinse away!

Do cucumbers last longer in the fridge or on the counter? ›

Even though cucumbers are prone to chilling injury, the fridge is still the best place to store them. At room temperature, cucumbers will only last for about two days. So, what's the solution? Store cucumbers in the warmest part of the fridge — towards the front, furthest from the cooling elements.

Can I freeze cucumbers? ›

Yes, you can freeze cucumbers, but there's a catch. Frozen cucumbers will never have the same crisp snap as fresh cucumbers. Here's why. Cucumbers are about 95% water, so freezing and thawing will affect their cell structure, resulting in a mushy texture.

Can dogs eat cucumber? ›

Cucumbers are perfectly safe for dogs to eat, and offer a low-calorie, crunchy snack that many dogs love. Cucumbers only contain about 8 calories per one-half cup of slices, compared to the 40 calories in a single medium dog biscuit. Cucumbers are also very low in sodium and fat-free.

How to make tastier cucumbers? ›

These vegetables are usually cooked before eating, and salting helps prevent them from getting mushy and bland. According to America's Test Kitchen, "Salting these watery vegetables draws out extra water and flavor molecules.

What is the best tasty cucumber? ›

The best-tasting cucumbers are those that are slicing cucumbers. English cucumbers don't have the bitter chemical cucurbitacin that some cucumbers have. They also have higher natural sugar content, making them sweeter. ​The lack of seeds and thinner skin also English cucumbers more enjoyable to eat.

What is the best thing to eat with cucumber? ›

Cucumber recipes
  • Grilled salmon teriyaki with cucumber salad. ...
  • Cucumber salad with pickled red onions. ...
  • Crunchy watercress, cucumber & radish salad. ...
  • Greek salad. ...
  • Salmon, samphire & charred cucumber salad. ...
  • Courgette fritters with dill & cucumber sauce. ...
  • Thai salad. ...
  • Cod with cucumber, avocado & mango salsa salad.

How do you perk up cucumbers? ›

The method is simple: Simply slice them lengthwise into wedges and place them in a jar or tall glass standing upwards. Fill the jar with water all the way to the top of the cucumbers and stick the jar in the fridge. After about a day or so, you should notice the cucumber slices have become crisper than before.

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