Cucumber
Cucumbers are cool, crisp, high-water-content vegetables eaten raw in salads and sandwiches or quick-pickled for tang and crunch across many cuisines.
How to buy
Choose firm cucumbers with smooth, unblemished skin and no soft spots or wrinkling; English (hothouse) and Persian varieties have thinner skins and fewer seeds than standard slicing cucumbers.
How to store
Store in the fridge crisper, ideally wrapped loosely in plastic to retain moisture; they keep for about a week, though cucumbers are sensitive to cold damage below roughly 50°F, so avoid the very coldest part of the fridge.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Mild, watery, and faintly sweet with a clean, vegetal freshness; the skin and area just beneath it can carry a slight bitterness, more pronounced in older or larger cucumbers.
- Texture
- Crisp and watery raw with a satisfying crunch; salting draws out water for a firmer texture in salads, while pickling firms and tangs the flesh further.
- Aroma
- A fresh, clean, slightly green smell -- the characteristic 'cucumber' aroma comes from specific aldehydes and is most noticeable right after cutting.
How to prepare
- Sliced — Used raw for salads, sandwiches, and garnishes.
- Salted and drained — Salted briefly to draw out water before dressing, keeping salads crisp.
- Pickled — Cured in vinegar brine, quick or fermented, for tang and crunch.
- Smashed or spiralized — Lightly crushed or cut into thin strands for salads and cold noodle dishes.
Classic dishes
American
- Classic dill pickles — Whole or sliced cucumbers brined with dill and garlic into tangy pickles.
- Cold cucumber soup — Pureed cucumber chilled and finished with yogurt or cream for a refreshing summer soup.
Italian
- Panzanella with cucumber — This Tuscan bread salad often includes diced cucumber alongside tomato.
Chinese
- Pai huang gua (smashed cucumber salad) — Cucumbers smashed and torn, then dressed with garlic, vinegar, and chile oil.
Japanese
- Sunomono — Thin-sliced cucumber dressed in a sweet, tangy rice vinegar dressing.
Indian
- Cucumber raita — Grated cucumber stirred into yogurt as a cooling counterpoint to spicy dishes.
Thai
- Ajad — A sweet-tart cucumber relish served alongside satay and other grilled dishes.
Greek
- Tzatziki — Grated cucumber folded into strained yogurt with garlic and dill.
- Greek salad — Cucumber chunks tossed with tomato, olives, and feta in olive oil.
Korean
- Oi muchim — A spicy, quick-pickled cucumber side dish seasoned with gochugaru and sesame.
Vietnamese
- Do chua-style pickled cucumber — Quick-pickled cucumber adds crunch and acidity to Vietnamese sandwiches and bowls.
Spanish
- Gazpacho — Cucumber is a key component of this chilled, pureed raw vegetable soup.
Middle Eastern
- Tabbouleh with cucumber — Diced cucumber adds freshness and crunch to this parsley and bulgur salad.
- Fattoush — A chopped salad where cucumber provides crisp bulk alongside tomato and toasted pita.
German
- German cucumber and onion salad — Thin-sliced cucumber and onion dressed in a vinegar and sour cream sauce.
British & Irish
- Cucumber sandwiches — Thin-sliced cucumber on buttered white bread, a classic British tea sandwich.