cucumber recipes
Here's a collection of cucumber recipes from our weekly newsletters, and some lovely ones you've sent in. If you'd like more please have a look at our recipe index! To find out about our cucumber producer and order yours click here.
Cucumber in Mustard Dressing
Cucumber Salad
Tzatziki
Gazpacho
Thai Cucumber and Carrot Salad
Chillout Salsa
Lebanese Bread Salad
Cucumber Nest with Boiled Egg, Olives, Goat's Cheese and Tarragon
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- 1 large cucumber, peeled, cut lengthways and de-seeded
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Toast the sesame seeds under the grill. Crush them in a mortar and combine with the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and mustard, mixing well to a smooth paste. Stir in the oil slowly, making a thick dressing. Slice the cucumber halves very thinly and combine with the sauce. Chill for an hour before using. Toss again just before serving.
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- 250 g cucumber
- 10 ml wine vinegar
- 5 ml water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Salt and pepper
- Parsley
Dissolve the sugar in the water and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Slice the cucumber very finely. Chop the parsley. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and leave for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
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- 1/2 cucumber, grated finely
- 250 ml greek-style yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon mint sauce
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
Mix the ingredients together and chill for at least an hour before serving. Serve with warmed pita bread or water cracker.
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This ice-cold Spanish soup is incredibly easy and amazingly delicious.
- 550 g ripe tomatoes
- 4 inch piece of cucumber (10cm) peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 a large red or green pepper de-seeded and chopped
- 1 heaped teaspoon fresh chopped basil
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1&1/2 tablespoon wine vinegar
- About 275 ml cold water
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
Place your tomatoes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them; this will loosen the skins and after a minute or two you can simply slide them off. Cut the tomatoes in half scoop out the seeds and coarsely chop the flesh. Then combine all the ingredients in a processor with salt and pepper to taste, blend everything at top speed until completely smooth. Pour in some cold water to thin it slightly. Cover the bowl and chill completely. Serve chilled, with small croutons of bread fried till crisp in olive oil, well drained and cooled. (Great with a couple of ice cubes floating in it.)
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Best prepared within one hour of serving, or the cucumber leaches water into the salad. Add cooked Prawns and crushed peanuts to create a main meal. Serves 4.
- 1 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste
- Juice of 2 limes or lemons
- 1&1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (like naam pla)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 red chilli, seeded and minced (wear gloves!)
- 1 long cucumber, quartered lengthwise, thin sliced
- 4 medium carrots, shredded
- lettuce for serving (amounts are to taste)
Stir together the garlic paste, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chilli until the sugar dissolves. Toss the cucumbers and carrots with the garlic mixture, and serve over the lettuce leaves.
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For crisps, roast meats, fish - and you can add extras like onion, tomato or shredded carrot.
- 1 cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
- 1 handful chopped fresh parsley and coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
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A fresh and filling one-dish meal. Serve on a bed of
crisp salad greens, or make it a side dish at your next barbecue. Serves 4 as a
main, 6-8 as a side dish.
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed into a paste
- 2 teaspoons tahini (sesame paste)
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- A pinch of chilli powder
- 2 large, or 4 small white or wholewheat pitta breads
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped, or 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 small red or white onion, minced
- 2 handfuls cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 handful chopped fresh parsley, or to taste
- 1 handful chopped fresh mint, or to taste
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas4. Whisk together the
garlic, tahini, lemon juice, oil, salt and chilli powder until blended. Set
aside. Place the pitta’s on a baking tray and bake until lightly toasted,
turning once, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, cut or tear into bite-size
pieces, and place in a large bowl. Add the cucumber, tomato, pepper, onion,
chickpeas, herbs, and just enough dressing to coat the salad. Toss well to
combine, then let sit for 10 minutes to let the flavours mingle.
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This is a simple, stylish salad – a lovely one for a light lunch or a starter. Serves 4
- 4 eggs
- 1 whole cucumber
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp pitted Kalamata olives
- 1 spring onion, cut into very thin rounds
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves (or any other leafy green herb will do)
- 100g Abergavenny goat’s cheese
- A pinch of sea salt for each egg
First boil your eggs. Simply place them snuggly in a pan – you don’t want one too big as the eggs will rattle around and crack! Cover with water, place over a medium heat and set a time for 9 minutes – this will give you just-under-hard-boiled-eggs (i.e. the yolks will be cooked through but still a tad soft).
Use a vegetable peeler (a ‘y’ shaped one works best) to cut the cucumber into long, thin ribbons (these will form your nest!). Toss the ribbons with the oil, vinegar and black pepper. Then add the olives, spring onion and tarragon leaves. Arrange in nests, crumble a quarter of the goats cheese over each nest. Peel your boiled eggs and place an egg in each nest. Top each egg with a pinch of sea salt and a bit of crushed black peppercorns. Serve immediately.
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