14 Refreshing Cucumber Recipes

Photo by Annabelle Breakey; styling by Robyn Valarik; written by Elaine Johnson

Sweet and Sour Cucumber and Red Onion Pickles

We riffed off classic bread-and-butter pickles, adding the unexpected tastes of lemongrass and coriander.

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Cucumber and Red Onion Pickles

Photo by Jennifer Mariné; written by Amy Machnak

Chilled Cucumber, Avocado, and Yogurt Soup

Chilled cucumber soup gets revisited with this easy but highly flavorful twist to the classic. It can easily be made ahead, just chill until ready to serve.

Recipe: Chilled Cucumber, Avocado, and Yogurt Soup

Mango-Cucumber Salad

This salad has a fresh crunch and spicy kick. Try it on its own as a first course, or serve with grilled chicken or fish.

Recipe: Mango-Cucumber Salad

Photo by Leo Gong; written by Stephanie Dean

Grilled Yogurt Chicken with Cucumber Salad

Yogurt gives tang to the grilled chicken and adds creaminess to the refreshing salad without adding lots of calories.

Recipe: Grilled Yogurt Chicken with Cucumber Salad

Photo by James Carrier

Mediterranean Shrimp Salad in Cucumber Cups

Short on time? Whip up this crowd-pleasing appetizer in just 25 minutes. Shrimp with lemon, parsley, and garlic echoes classic shrimp scampi, but here it's a cooling salad.

Recipe: Mediterranean Shrimp Salad in Cucumber Cups

Photo by Leigh Beisch; styling by Dan Becker

Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Salad

Chef Maria Hines of Tilth suggests pairing hot with cool. Top fish just off the grill with a refreshing salad.

Recipe: Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Salad

Leo Gong

Market Salad with Corn, Beets, Fennel, and Cucumber

Roasted beets and a crisp medley of raw vegetables make a beautiful composed salad. Add rotisserie chicken or smoked trout and you can call it dinner.

Recipe: Market Salad with Corn, Beets, Fennel, and Cucumber

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Turkish Cucumber and Mint Soup

This yogurt-based soup — similar to cacik — is seasoned with Aleppo pepper, a chile grown in Syria and Turkey that has a smoky note.

Make it a meal: Add falafel or baked pita chips.

Recipe: Turkish Cucumber and Mint Soup

Photo by Lisa Romerein; written by Amy Machnak

Cucumber Potato Salad

The yogurt makes this salad creamy while the dill adds bursts of fresh summer flavor.

Recipe: Cucumber Potato Salad

Photo by Annabelle Breakey

Black Bean Soup with Avocado, Orange, and Cucumber

This Southwestern-inspired soup hits all the right notes: solid protein from the beans, crunchiness from the cucumber, creaminess from the avocado, a sweet hit of acidity from the citrus, and a hint of spice.

Recipe: Black Bean Soup with Avocado, Orange, and Cucumber

Photo by Iain Bagwell; written by Amy Machnak

Sesame Shrimp with Cucumber-Soy Salad

We put the shrimp on the skewer tail first so that you can easily cook them on the grill, then easily remove and eat the shrimp. The cucmber salad is cool and refreshing.

Recipe: Sesame Shrimp with Cucumber-Soy Salad

Emily Nathan

Grilled Lemon-Dill Salmon with Cucumber Salad

Western salmon meets Scandinavia in this light, refreshing recipe, bursting with lemony zing and fresh, green dill.

Recipe: Grilled Lemon-Dill Salmon with Cucumber Salad

Lisa Romerein

Tomato-Cucumber Gazpacho

This simplified version of Spanish gazpacho is a light, refreshing way to use the very ripest tomatoes.

Recipe: Tomato-Cucumber Gazpacho

Photo by Leo Gong

Icebox Salad

Believe it or not, this salad improves after a few hours in the refrigerator. The dressing works its way into the peas, cucumbers, and radishes, the flavors meld, and the vegetables become sweeter.

Recipe: Icebox Salad

14 refreshing dishes with cucumbers