Cucumbers

You'll come across several different types of cucumbers at the grocery store and farmers market. This guide explains the differences in flavors (like ones that are never bitter) and texture (some are crunchier than others).

Jump to:

• Varieties
• What to do with bitter cucumbers
• When are cucumbers in season?
• Buy and store them properly
• Recipes
• More resources

Varieties

Cucumbers fall into several different categories, which each have their own characteristics.

Persian cucumbers are my favorite for their low bitterness, crunchiness, and strong cucumber flavor - sadly they happen to be the most expensive. So let's take a look at the options you'll come across:

Slicing cucumbers

The most common variety in stores are slicing cucumbers. They are long, thick, typically a darker green, and usually sold without any packaging.

To preserve their moisture, they are coated in a food-grade wax. Organic cucumbers are usually coated in carnauba wax, while conventional cucumbers might use mineral oil or a petroleum based wax, according to Tasting Table.

The easiest way to remove it is by peeling the cucumbers, as scrubbing it off requires a bit of soaking and an acidic ingredient like vinegar.

Slicing cucumbers are sometimes bitter, have thicker skin, and have bigger seeds, but they are still undeniably amazing on sandwiches.

English cucumbers

English cucumbers are longer and slightly less thick than slicing cucumbers. These are the ones sold individually and wrapped in plastic to reduce moisture loss (instead of wax).

While I generally try to reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic I use, in this case, I prefer it to the waxy coatings.

English cucumbers are usually grown in greenhouses and are often called 'hothouse' cucumbers. They have almost no bitter flavor.

Persian cucumbers

Persian cucumbers are the mini-sized versions often sold in packs of 5 or 6, wrapped in plastic on one of those black (or white) Styrofoam produce trays.

These cucumbers have almost no detectable bitter flavors, even if the weather is uncooperative. They also have very few seeds, are less watery, and crunchier than other varieties.

To add to their attractive traits, they also have the strongest cucumber flavor. The only downside for Persian cucumbers is their cost, which is notably higher than the other varieties.

I think they are definitely worth buying if cucumbers are the main flavor, like a cucumber blueberry salad or tzatziki sauce.

Pickling cucumbers

If you're looking to make pickles, not all cucumbers are created equal. You want a cucumber with a thinner skin that also retains its crunchy texture after sitting in the brine.

Pickling cucumbers are rarely found in stores, but you should have luck at farmers markets. If you're interesting in growing you own, I have a guide to the best pickling cucumbers for your garden.

You want to look for varieties that have thin skin and small seed cavities (which help retain a crunchy texture). They should be labeled as 'pickling cucumbers' at the farmers market, or perhaps by variety name like Boston pickling or Kirby.

Lemon cucumbers

Lemon cucumbers are the size of a lemon with a yellow-tinted skin. They have a mild cucumber flavor that does not taste like a lemon. It's name for the appearance, not the flavor.

I find lemon cucumbers are often bitter and the slices are too large for my liking. They are absolutely adorable, but not as practical as I'd like.

What to do with bitter cucumbers

Sometimes you get a cucumber that's really bitter. It's most common with slicing cucumbers, especially during hot and dry stretches of weather.

The good news is a lot of ingredients counter the bitterness. Salt, fat, sugar, and acid all reduce the taste of bitterness. Think about adding cream or sugar to coffee - it's the same effect.

Bitter tasting cucumbers work best when coated in a creamy, fatty dressing in a salad, or quickly pickled, for example.

This guide on bitter cucumbers walks you through the different varieties in more detail along with all of the ways to fix them and recipes to make it happen.

When are cucumbers in season?

Cucumbers start showing up in farmers markets around May and last into late September, or into early November if you live in a mild climate. See what else is in season at the same time: May, June, July, August, September, and in some places: October and November.

Buy and store them properly

To find the best cucumbers, look for bright, shiny skin, and firmness. They shouldn't have any soft spots that show the start of deterioration.

Cucumbers are almost always stored in the fridge. However, advice is split on weather you should store them in the fridge or the counter. That's because their ideal temperature is around 55F, which is too warm for the fridge and too cold for the counter.

That's because cucumbers are sensitive to temperatures below 50F degrees (a fridge is around 38F), causing soft spots, pitted areas, and further decay. Tests show that leaving them on the counter is better, but those tests are in rooms at about 68F (colder than many homes). If your house is hot, you are better off putting them in the fridge.

Cucumbers will reliably last 2-4 days in the fridge and a few days longer on the counter.

Recipes

Use cucumbers for a cooling effect in summer

Try this watermelon and cucumber salad with mint from My Diary of Us on a hot summer day.

Chemical compounds in cucumbers simulate a cooling effect on your taste buds, according to a book meant for food geeks, Taste Buds & Molecules. The author continues, explaining how this cooling effect enhances acidity, bitterness and saltines, reduces the perception of sweetness, and calms hot spices.

You could also try a cucumber lemonade, like this recipe from Vintage Kitty.

Cucumber salads

When cucumbers are in season, it seems I add them to most of the summer salads. Buy Persian cucumbers if you're worried about bitterness and especially if you are using bitter greens (so you don't add too much bitter flavor).

I make this blueberry cucumber salad with a strawberry vinaigrette. It's easy to prep and transport (if needed) to a cookout too - I have instructions on the recipe page for that.

Here are a few other cucumber salad recipes to try:

• Asian cucumber salad with sesame oil, ginger, and (optional) chili paste from Feasting at Home
• A creamy cucumber salad with sour cream and dill (that would definitely mask a bitter cucumber flavor), from Budget Bytes
• A cucumber salad with an herb vinaigrette and red onions, from Recipe Tin Eats

Sauces and spreads

The classic cucumber spread is a Greek tzatziki sauce. You combine shredded cucumbers with Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and herbs (usually dill).

It's tangy and refreshing, perfect for gyros, as a vegetable dip, as a sandwich spread, or for dipping grilled meats, like these chicken skewers from Recipe Runner.

But don't stop there. Cucumbers can mix into other sauces:

• A creamy herb and cucumber salad dressing from Celebrating Sweets
• Cucumber cream cheese spread (with everything bagel chips) from Grilled Cheese Social
• A cucumber & onion dip to replace the onion vegetable dip you find in grocery stores, from Southern Living

Cucumbers are classic on sandwiches

Cucumbers add crunch to a sandwich and almost any type of cucumber works, even the more watery and seedy ones as long as you eat the sandwich right away.

Try this veggie hummus sandwich (pictured above) from Cooking Classy. Tomato and cucumber season conveniently overlap. All of the other ingredients are available year-round, so you can really make this anytime cucumbers and tomatoes are both in-season.

Of course, there's also the classic cucumber tea sandwiches, with a good recipe from Spend with Pennies.

Add crunch to pasta salads

When adding cucumbers to a pasta salad, be cautious with watery or seedy cucumbers, especially if the salad won't be eaten right away.

Try this recipe with cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives from Five Heart Home, pictured above. Or one of these other variations that I found (and look delicious).

• Creamy tomato, onion, and cucumber pasta salad from A southern Soul
• Cucumber pasta salad with feta, from The Healthy Epicurean
• A classic mayo-based macaroni salad, but with cucumbers and eggs, from Whisk It Real Gud

Cucumber rollups

To make rollups, you're going to want a large slicing or English cucumber, as the smaller ones won't give you enough space to roll.

Try the recipe pictured above by Nutrition Stripped, that rolls the cucumbers up with a cream cheese spread make with pine nuts, walnuts, lemon, and herbs.

Of course, I found a whole lot of other recipes that are also worth trying.

• Buffalo chicken cucumber rollups from Organized Island
• Hummus turkey rollups from Pamela Salzman

Sushi inspired

Cucumbers find their way into California sushi rolls, but those take a lot to make at home. So here are some recipes inspired by it instead.

• Sushi made with cucumbers instead of rice or seaweed, from Alpha Foodie
• A California roll sushi-inspired salad from Favorite Family Recipes
• Cucumber sushi boats from Belly Full

Cucumber & gin

Adding a slice of cucumber to a gin & tonic is a classic garnish. If you splurge on Persian cucumbers, that strong cucumber flavor will easily come through in the cocktail.

You can also muddle the cucumbers to extract more of the flavor. Use Hendricks Gin for a perfect pairing, as it's already infused with gin in the distilling process. Try this recipe from Yuzu Bakes.

You can also try making some cucumber gin & tonic popsicles with this recipe from Port and Fin.

More resources

See what else is in season right now.