Healthy Cucumber Recipes

EatingWell

Vegetable Wise: Cool as a Cucumber

A cucumber, food historian Waverley Root once wrote, is "about as close to neutrality as a vegetable can get without ceasing to exist." He must not have tried the right ones. From crisp kirbys to nearly seedless greenhouse cukes, there are plenty of alternatives to the thick-skinned types that typically dominate supermarket bins.

While the cucumber isn't known as a nutrition powerhouse, it does provide a small amount of fiber, minerals and vitamins -- particularly vitamin C (about 6 percent of the Daily Value per cup). But perhaps its most important nutritional contribution is refreshment: at 95 percent water content, a cup of cucumber slices is nearly as thirst-quenching as a glass of water. Just thinking about cukes makes us feel cooler.

Picking Cucumbers

Cucumbers are available year-round in supermarkets. The English or European greenhouse cucumber, often sheathed in plastic wrap to protect its very thin skin, and the American slicing cucumber, which has a slightly thicker skin and more seeds, are the most common. Don't overlook other varieties like the pickling cucumber (a.k.a. kirby) and Middle Eastern slicer. There's even a "burpless" variety of cuke.

If your cucumber repertoire is limited to tossing slices into green salads, see the gallery for some simple inspirations that reach beyond.

More Recipes and Tips from KitchenDaily

See what cooking authority Mark Bittman says about cucumbers, and get his recipes for pickles and cucumber salad.
Get advice on buying and storing cucumbers.
Watch cooking instructor Allison Fishman make cold cucumber soup and honeydew-cucumber aqua fresca.
Get summer produce recipes, perfect for your farmers' market bounty.

Article by EatingWell Test Kitchen; gallery copy by Megan O. Steintrager

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Healthy Cucumber Recipes

Heart-healthy and protein-rich scallops are paired with a lemony cucumber and cashew salad in this quick recipe.
Get the Chile-Crusted Scallops recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

In this simple salad recipe by Chef Curtis Stone, cucumbers are perked up with fresh dill, lemon juice and olive oil. This dish would be lovely with poached or grilled salmon.
Get the Cucumber and Dill Salad recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

Cucumbers add crunch to a simple salad of canned black-eyed peas, red bell pepper, Feta, red onion and olives. Serve as a side for grilled chicken or steak or as a fiber-rich vegetarian main course.
Get the Cucumber and Black-Eyed Pea Salad recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

Blend cucumber, lime juice, water and a little sugar to create an attractive and hydrating summer drink.
Get the Cucumber Limeade recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

Spicy radishes and jalapeños are cooled by cucumbers in this quick and pretty salad. Radishes, by the way, are a good source of folate, potassium and fiber.
Get the Curly Cukes and Radish Salad recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

In this simple recipe, thinly sliced cucumbers are seasoned with rice vinegar, a touch of sugar, salt and sesame seeds -- the seeds add a pleasant texture, toasted flavor and a number of beneficial vitamins and minerals.
Get the Japanese Cucumber Salad recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

Take a break from salty store-bought pickles with these crisp homemade dills.
Get the Overnight Garden Dills recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

In this recipe by Top Chef judge Gail Simmons, a simple cucumber salad tops salmon -- the fish is a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which studies suggest can help protect your heart, brain and skin.
Get the Soy-Glazed Salmon with Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

Cucumber raita -- a traditional Indian yogurt sauce -- is a cooling counterpart to spicy dishes such as this lean tandoori-style chicken, which is flavored with paprika, chili powder, ground coriander and cumin.
Get the Tandoori Chicken with Tomato-Cucumber Raita recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes

Crunchy cukes are joined by creamy avocado and sweet mangoes in this recipe. Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and a cup of mango provides about 75 percent of the daily value for vitamin C.
Get the Tropical Cucumber Salad recipe.

Healthy Cucumber Recipes