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Sweet, Spicy, Tangy Fresh Cucumber Pickle Salad …. Read on for the Recipe!
Looking for a tasty cucumber salad recipe?
You can never have too many cucumber salad recipes in summer. That’s because cucumbers eat best fresh. So, we’ve got a printable sweet and tangy recipe for you to try now.
But what about preserving them for later?
Unfortunately salad is your best bet. Usually anyway. That’s because they they don’t freeze or dry well. And, you can make pickles. But, many varieties aren’t really great for storage pickling.
So, what’s a gardener to do with a cucumber bumper crop?
We’ve made some delicious yogurt-buttermilk cucumber soups. And, served with grilled chicken on pita with strained yogurt with crushed garlic, they make a great sandwich. And, I love to muddle them with ginger in a gin & tonic.
But, one of my all-time favorites is a simple asian-influence pickle salad that keeps for several days in the fridge and goes great as a little salty, spicy, sweet-tart side dish or a snack anytime.
Oh, and bonus. I find that salting and then vinegaring the cukes this way reduces the burpi-ness. Not sure why, but if you suffer from cucumber gassiness, this may be a good way to go.
Removing the peel and seeds helps too!
Apparently, the peel (and the stem end) of the cucumber are high in a compound called “cucurbitacin”, which causes bitterness may have an impact on the burpiness too. Remember these guys are cucurbits from the cucurbitaceae family.
Need help picking the right one to grow in your garden?
Learn about some of our favorite cucumbers now.
But, let’s not forget the delicious cucumber salad recipe!
Here’s the recipe for a simple, tasty quick-pickle salad that makes great use of just about any type of cuke — just decide how much peel & seed you can tolerate when you make it!
Sweet-Spicy Tangy Cucumber Pickle Salad
Print
Ingredients:
- 2-3 Fresh Cucumbers
- 1 scallion or shallot, sliced thin
- 1 dried hot chili pepper split (or a pinch of dried red pepper flakes)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unseasoned rice wine or apple cider vinegar
- 1 t. honey (or to taste)
Directions:
Peel cucumber either entirely (if store bought and waxed) or in stripes, leaving some green intact. Cut in half longways and scoop out interior seeds (if more mature with seeds) or leave immature interior intact. Slice into thin 1/2 moons.
Place sliced cucumber in colander and toss with salt. Leave to drain about 30 minutes, at least.
While cucumber drains, mix together honey, vinegar, hot pepper and sliced onion in salad bowl. Set aside.
After salted cucumber has drained, place fistfuls in clean kitchen towel and squeeze to drain out moisture. This removes a lot of the bitterness in the cucumber juices.
Place squeezed cucumber into vinegar mixture. Stir. Let marinade at least 30 minutes. Longer is better!
I’m so delighted to have discovered your site today. I’m gardening in the Seattle area as well, and it’s wonderful to be able to read about someone else’s (a much more knowledgeable gardener’s) experiences. Sadly my cucumbers are lagging this year, though the tomatoes have been going gangbusters.
And if you’re looking to use them up, I like cucumbers tossed into smoothies. They give a nice fresh flavor.
PS. Yes, I’d love the cucumber gin and tonic recipe, please!
Do forget there is a local food pantry for the hungry that would love to give away your extra produce.
Great idea! I will have to try the salad. About the drink- I grew “green blast” cucumbers this year from Territorial, and they are the best thing i’ve ever tasted. They made a fantastic drink- essentially muddled cucumber, vodka, lime and sweetened tonic water.
Yum – that cocktail sounds delicious. I’ll have to give ‘Green Blast’ a look, too. Cheers!