Few things are better in life than fresh produce from the garden. Whether it’s handed to you by a friend or you’re the person handing it out, it’s a wonderful experience. Some fruits and veggies don’t yield a massive crop. But some, like cucumbers, will leave you drowning in your harvest unless you give them away!
Whether you are trying to use yours up or you’re just enjoying them while they are still in season, cucumbers are a delightfully versatile vegetable. They can be enjoyed raw or in a stir-fry. They are delicious when pickled. And a cucumber salad is a star side dish at any potluck. Today we are focusing on cucumber salads. For so many of us, we just throw cumbers into other salads and move on. But they deserve the starring role. They are worth it, and they are in season all summer!
All of these recipes recommend using English cucumbers. They are sweeter, have a thinner skin and don’t have seeds. But it really doesn’t matter. Use what you have on hand. All cucumbers are tasty, packed full of water and will be delightfully refreshing in these recipes!
We love the title of this salad. It’s named in honor of that one neighbor who swears they can’t cook and then brings a delicious salad to the cookout. Even if you think you can’t cook, you can combine! With three fresh herbs and a ton of wonderful flavors, you can mix tomatoes, cucumbers and onions into a side dish everyone will want a second serving of. The recipe includes a minimal amount of brown sugar. If you want to cut out more carbs, you can use an alternative. But it’s already low in carbs, so it’s up to you. A serving has 192 calories, seven grams of carbs, two grams of fiber and 18 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
To us, this is the quintessential summer side salad. It couldn’t be any simpler. It’s just cucumbers, onions and a very easy dressing. But once you put it together, you have the perfect dish for any hot day! You may be surprised to see honey on the ingredient list. It does contain sugar. But, there are only two teaspoons in the whole recipe, which makes four servings. You can sub it out if you prefer. A serving has 37 calories, eight grams of carbs, one gram of fiber and 0.3 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
One person on our team saw this recipe and excitedly responded, “Church Salad!” While that isn’t a universal experience, there is something about salads with creamy dressings that does make them perfect for potlucks and picnics. This is another recipe that uses a little sugar. But it’s optional, and it’s just a teaspoon. The recipe also uses full-fat sour cream, so it has a little more fat than you might expect. A serving has 89 calories, nine grams of carbs, one gram of fiber and six grams of fat. Get the recipe.
This salad has all the flavors of rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, scallions, sesame and soy packed into one dish. You will need a small zester to grate garlic and ginger into the bowl to enjoy the bright, fresh flavors at their best. This recipe calls for a whole tablespoon of maple syrup. While the recipe isn’t high in carbs, you can cut them a bit by using a noncaloric sweetener. Maple syrup doesn’t add much to the flavor other than sweetness. A serving, as written, has 89 calories, 11.5 grams of carbs, 1.4 grams of fiber and 4.8 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
With these recipes, you’ll enjoy side salads with all your meals this summer. They’re an excellent way to eat your veggies and boost hydration. Cucumbers can help keep you cool and full. So enjoy these dishes soon!
