17 Fresh Recipes + Preserving Ideas for All Those Cucumbers in Your Garden

Inside: All the cucumber salads and homemade pickles your heart desires, whether you love cucumber recipes or just have way too many cukes and need to do something with them.

Cucumbers are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, which is great, until you have 12 pounds of them harvested one morning and no desire to eat them all. But that’s okay. There’s plenty to do with these cool and crisp veggies.

If you don’t have your own garden, they can be purchased in season at farmers’ markets for a great price. They’re versatile, and most people (even non-vegetable people!) will eat them.

Cucumbers are almost always eaten fresh, so most of the ways to use them up involve some type of salad. You’ll want to find a few favorites that you rotate through all summer… if you make the same one over and over, you’ll be sick of it by fall! For bigger harvests, turn to the preserving ideas.

When it’s cucumber time, they tend to be ready to harvest at an overwhelming rate. So pick a few favorite preservation methods now, and you’ll be ready when the cukes are.

Other Cucumber Recipes

Cucumbers aren’t just for salads and pickles. They can be a crisp, hydrating addition to main dishes. To be fair… most of these are still salads and pickles.

• If you’re in the mood for something crispy and indulgent, deep-fried pickles will hit the spot with their irresistible crunch.
• Maryland Shrimp Salad combines the freshness of cucumbers with shrimp for an elegant lunchtime dish.
• Pickle Juice Marinated Chicken is a creative way to use leftover pickle juice while infusing your chicken with plenty of flavor.

Since they’re so light and don’t cook well, cucumbers will never really be the star of the show. But they’re still a great addition to so many things, adding that irresistible summery crunch.

Growing Cucumbers

Inspired by all these recipes and want to grow your own? It’s so easy if you have sunshine, space, and something for them to climb.

• A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Grow Cucumbers
• Learn about The Best Cucumber Varieties to Grow, whether you want them for pickling or eating fresh.
• All About Growing Cucumbers

They are truly one of the most productive and beginner friendly choices for your garden. But if you don’t have the space, just swing by a local farmer’s market. Because they’re so abundant, they’re very cheap in-season.

What’s the best way to store cucumbers to keep them fresh?

To keep cucumbers fresh longer, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

Heat is a cucumber’s enemy. They should go straight to the fridge after harvest.

Can cucumbers be used in cooked dishes, or are they just for salads?

The only time I can think of that you would heat up a cucumber is for pickling.

Can I preserve cucumbers without canning equipment?

Yes, you can make pickles without any special canning equipment by using the refrigerator pickling method. The refrigerator pickle recipes above are great examples of how you can create delicious pickles with just a few simple ingredients and a fridge.

More Resources

Of course, this is just one small part of farm-to-table living. Here’s more to learn on your journey.

Stainless Steel Kitchen Colander – A Pasta Strainer, Fruit & Vegetable Rinse Bowl, and Multipurpose Kitchen Essential in 3 Quart Size – Ideal for Everyday Cooking and Food Preparation Needs (Red)The Berkshires Farm Table Cookbook: 125 Homegrown Recipes from the Hills of New EnglandBlue and White Kitchen Towels Cotton, Blue Cotton Dish Towels Set of 6, Blue Striped Kitchen Towels, Flour Sack Tea Towels, Blue Stripe Dish Towels, Farmhouse Towel 18X28 Navy Blue

 

Container Gardening with Cucumbers: Savvy Gardening discusses how to grow cucumbers in containers, making it an excellent resource for readers with limited garden space.

My Canning and Preserving Hub shares everything you need to know about home food preservation.

You’ll love this collection of Homesteading Books that goes beyond the titles you’ve heard over and over.

Growing, cooking, preserving – it’s not just about the cucumbers. It’s also about creating something out of nothing… whether it’s hundreds of pounds of veggies from a seed packet, or a yummy side dish out of groceries. I hope you found something you liked.