As the seasons change, so does the culinary landscape, and now is the perfect time to revel in the abundance of cucumbers. With their peak season upon us, cucumbers showcase their unparalleled freshness and flavor, enticing food enthusiasts to explore their culinary potential. From local farmers’ markets to bountiful gardens, cucumbers are plentiful, offering a true taste of nature’s bounty.
During this season, cucumbers are at their crispest and most vibrant, bursting with essential nutrients and a refreshing essence that revitalizes the senses. Their cool and hydrating nature makes them a popular choice during the warmer months, providing a much-needed respite from the heat. Incorporating cucumbers into your meals not only offers a delightful culinary experience but also promotes overall well-being.
Embracing cucumbers while they are in season allows you to savor their natural flavors and textures fully. Whether you enjoy them raw in salads, sliced for a refreshing snack, or incorporated into creative recipes, the quality and taste of in-season cucumbers are unparalleled. Their versatility shines through as they seamlessly blend with various ingredients, enhancing both simple and complex dishes.
Indulge your palate in the sophisticated realm of cucumber recipes, where culinary elegance meets the inherent freshness of this remarkable vegetable. Renowned for its crisp texture and subtle flavor, cucumbers have long been celebrated as a refined ingredient that elevates any dish it graces.
Check out our favorite cucumber recipes for a crisp twist on a classic vegetable.
Cucumber Sushi
Ingredients:
Cucumber Sushi
- 2 large cucumbers
- 1 cup sushi cooked rice
- 4 ounces smoked salmon optional
- Avocado sliced
- Red bell peppers sliced
- Carrots julienned
Spicy Mayo
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
Directions:
- Cook rice according to package instructions, but do not stir when it is cooked. This allows it to stay sticky.
- Cut each cucumber in half lengthwise, and hallow it out by removing the seeds with a knife or spoon.
- Place a small amount of rice inside one-half cucumber, then compress towards one side to make room for the other ingredients. Carefully add the smoked salmon, avocados, peppers and carrots, compressing as you add until the cucumber is packed full. Repeat for the remaining cucumbers.
- Using a sharp knife, slice cucumbers into ½ inch thick pieces.
- Serve immediately or cold with soy sauce or spicy mayo sauce, if desired.
Creamy Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumber (skin on // organic when possible)
- 1 heaping cup cubed pineapple (if frozen, omit ice)
- 1/2 large ripe, peeled, frozen banana
- 1/4 cup light coconut milk*
- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1 medium lime, zested + juiced (~1 tsp zest // 2 Tbsp (30 ml) juice per 1 lime)
- 1 large handful greens (spinach or kale // organic when possible)
- 2-4 ice cubes
Directions:
- Add cucumber, pineapple, frozen banana, light coconut milk, water, lime zest, lime juice, greens, and ice cubes to a blender and blend on high until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
- For a thicker smoothie, add more ice. For a thinner smoothie, add more liquid of choice. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lime juice or zest for acidity/brightness, banana or pineapple for sweetness, coconut milk for creaminess, and greens for more intense green color.
- Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours, though best when fresh.
Cucumber Margarita
Ingredients:
For a pitcher of drinks –
- Kosher salt for rimming glass
- Lime wedges for rimming glass and garnishing
- 2 medium-large cucumbers, peeled
- 2 1/2 ounces silver tequila (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
- 2 1/2 ounces triple sec (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
- 2 1/2 ounces lime juice, (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
- Ice cubes
- *Optional* 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced into coins
- *Optional* 1-2 tablespoons agave nectar
Directions:
- Prepare the glasses: Pour some coarse kosher salt onto a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of each 8-ounce glass and dip in salt.
- Make the cucumber juice: Add the peeled and cut cucumbers in a large blender and puree for about 45-60 seconds, until smooth and completely blended. Pour the blended cucumber juice through a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl or measuring cup to separate the pulp from the juice. Use a spoon to stir the pulp mixture around in the strainer to make sure you get as much juice as possible.
- Muddle the jalapeno (optional): Add 1 or 2 jalapeno slices into a pitcher (or glass). Using a muddler or the back of a spoon, gently press down onto the jalapeno slices a few times until very fragrant.
- Mix everything together: Add the cucumber juice (1 1/4 cup for a pitcher or 1/4 cup for a single drink), tequila, triple sec and lime juice. Stir to combine and taste. If you prefer your margaritas on the sweeter side, add in some of the optional agave nectar or simple syrup to your liking. Start with a small amount and then add more as necessary.
- Make it cold: Add in some ice cubes, garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy.
Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
- 8 Persian cucumbers (sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces)
- 1½ Tablespoons kosher salt
Dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Mirin
- 1 ½ Tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
To Serve:
- 1/2 Tablespoon chili oil (or more, to taste)
- ½ Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 fresno chile pepper (minced (optional))
Directions:
- Add sliced cucumber to a small bowl. Sprinkle with 1 ½ TBSP kosher salt and toss to combine. Let sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- After 30 minutes, rinse off the salt mixture and pat the cucumbers dry.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together the rice vinegar, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, garlic and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Toss the rinsed and dried cucumbers with the dressing and let marinate for a minimum of 4 hours, up to 2 days.
- To serve: Taste for seasoning, and add additional salt if needed. Drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with fresno chile and serve chilled.
Pickled Cucumbers
Ingredients:
- 1 medium-to-large cucumber or 2 small cucumbers (ideally 12 ounces total)*
- ½ cup water, at room temperature or cooler
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 leafy sprigs of fresh dill, roughly chopped (about ¼ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 bay leaf
Directions:
- For pickle rounds (“chips”), slice the cucumber(s) into thin rounds, about ⅛-inch thick. Or, for spears, slice them in half lengthwise, then slice the halves lengthwise into quarters, then slice the quarters lengthwise into eighths. If your spears are long like mine (from one long cucumber), slice them through the middle so they’re not too tall for your jar. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the water, vinegar, maple syrup, salt, red pepper flakes (if using) and black pepper. Stir until most of the salt has dissolved into the liquid, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside.
- Place the cucumbers into a wide-mouth jar about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, tall enough to offer at least 1 inch of extra space on top (for pickle spears, it’s important that all the pickles fit snugly, vertically—a wide-mouth pint-sized mason jar would work well).
- Top the cucumbers with the dill and garlic. Tuck the bay leaf into the side of the jar. Pour the all of the liquid over the cucumbers so they’re fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (for pickle rounds) or at least 3 hours (for pickle spears). The flavor will continue to develop over the next couple of days. These pickles will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Cucumber Martini
Ingredients:
- 3 thick slices cucumber, plus thin slices for garnish
- 2 1/2 ounces vodka, or gin
- 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
- 1 cup ice
Directions:
- Put the thick cucumber slices in a cocktail shaker. Use a muddler or a wooden spoon to muddle, or crush, the cucumber slices a bit to bring out more of their flavor.
- Pour in the vodka and the dry vermouth.
- Swirl just a bit to combine, then add the ice.
- Put the top on the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. (It’s important that you shake for this length of time.) This not only mixes the ingredients but also melts some of the ice into the cocktail to soften its edges and blend the flavors.
- Strain the mixture into a martini glass.
- Enjoy!