• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Search
  • The Casual Zine
  • Instagram
  • Component Cooking
  • Explore an Ingredient
  • Stock a Pantry

Naturally Ella logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Search
  • The Casual Zine
  • Instagram
  • Component Cooking
  • Explore an Ingredient
  • Stock a Pantry
×

Home > Explore an Ingredient

Cucumber

Seasonality

Summer/Early Fall

Quick Tips

How to cook cucumbers

Nearly every time I cook with cucumbers, I use them raw or pickled. However, cucumbers can be roasted, braised, or sautéed - just don’t overcook them.
Also, one of my favorite tips from Deborah Madison: if you have mature, bitter cucumbers, cut off the ends and rub with salt. This helps pull out some of the bitterness.

How to buy cucumbers

Look for cucumbers that are free of blemishes and soft spots. Cucumbers should have weight to them, and feel crisp/firm when pressed. Wrinkling at the ends is an indication of old age. Traditional cucumbers should be solid green color with no yellow spots.
If buying from the store, look for cucumbers that have not been waxed. If waxed cucumbers are all your can find, peel before using.

How to store cucumbers

Over the years, I’ve found I like to keep my cucumbers on the counter and use within a couple of days. Cucumbers hate cold and it’s easy to ruin a perfectly ripe cucumber in the refrigerator.

Varieties

Armenian
English (hothouse/telegraph)
Lemon
Persian
Pickling
Common/Garden

About

Cucumbers are a funny bunch. There are many varieties, each with different characteristics but all wonderful for beating the summer heat. Botanically, cucumbers are a fruit related to melons, but primarily used as a vegetable.

Cucumbers come in three classifications: slicing, burpless, and pickling. The burpless varieties are my favorite, primarily for their thin skin and slightly sweeter flavor. They’re named aptly for easier digestion (and less burps). These include the Armenian, English, and Persian. Cucumbers of all varieties can range in size from a few inches (pickling), upwards of a couple feet (English).

I rarely grab the traditional cucumber, but it’s great for salads even though the skin tends to be a bit tougher. Most frequently, I’m making pickles, which means I’m using the pickling cucumbers. They have a nice crunch that holds up to the pickling brine.

Cucumber Quinoa Salad

see full recipe >

 All Vegetarian Cucumber Recipes

  • Bread and Butter Pickles
    Bread and Butter Pickles
  • Bulgur Cucumber Salad with Basil and Chili Oil
    Bulgur Cucumber Salad with Basil and Chili Oil
  • Chilled Cucumber and California Avocado Soup
    Chilled Cucumber and California Avocado Soup
  • Cream Cheese Roll-ups with Crepes and Vegetables
    Cream Cheese Roll-ups with Crepes and Vegetables
  • Cucumber Avocado Spring Rolls with Herbs
    Cucumber Avocado Spring Rolls with Herbs
  • Cucumber Peanut Salad
    Cucumber Peanut Salad
  • Cucumber Quinoa Salad with Feta
    Cucumber Quinoa Salad with Feta
  • Cucumber Satay Crunch Salad- A Modern Way to Eat
    Cucumber Satay Crunch Salad- A Modern Way to Eat
  • Green Summer Salad with Herby Hemp Dressing
    Green Summer Salad with Herby Hemp Dressing
  • Herbed Cucumber Salad with Farro
    Herbed Cucumber Salad with Farro
  • Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
    Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
  • Mediterranean Kale Salad
    Mediterranean Kale Salad
  • Roasted Tomato Gazpacho
    Roasted Tomato Gazpacho
  • Sorghum Salad with Cucumber and Feta
    Sorghum Salad with Cucumber and Feta
  • Sorghum Tabouli
    Sorghum Tabouli
  • Spiced Chickpea Cucumber Salad
    Spiced Chickpea Cucumber Salad
  • Summer Farro Salad with Tomatoes
    Summer Farro Salad with Tomatoes
Cucumber

Recent Recipes

  • Bulgur Cucumber Salad with Basil and Chili Oil
    Bulgur Cucumber Salad with Basil and Chili Oil
  • Cream Cheese Roll-ups with Crepes and Vegetables
    Cream Cheese Roll-ups with Crepes and Vegetables
  • Cucumber Avocado Spring Rolls with Herbs
    Cucumber Avocado Spring Rolls with Herbs

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

I'm Erin and this is my space for all things vegetarian food inspired by California and my love of cooking.


Get the latest issue of Casual.

Winter recipes

  • Roasted Chipotle Sweet Potato and Sorghum Salad
  • Adobo Acorn Squash, Crispy Quinoa, and Chimichurri
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Rice Paper Rolls with Spinach
  • Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Einkorn and Soy-Mustard Dressing

Subscribe for biweekly newsletters, new recipe emails, or a weekly recap of all new content.

subscribe

Popular recipes

  • Baked Cabbage and White Beans
  • Pasta and Chickpeas (Pasta e Ceci)
  • Spicy White Bean Stew with Arugula
  • Kabocha Ricotta Pancakes

Footer

↑ back to top

Resources

  • All Recipes
  • Component Cooking
  • Stock a Pantry
  • Produce Guides

Contact

  • Contact
  • Media Kit
  • Privacy Policy