Cucumbers are the most used ingredient in the summertime due to their cooling effects on the body. Be it salad, juice, smoothies, cold soups, raita, sauce, or just raw form. You can enhance the flavor profile by pairing them with many other food groups.
In this post, I share which food flavors taste great when paired with cucumbers. What flavors go well with cucumber in terms of vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, spices, and protein.
What Do Cucumber Tastes Like
Do you know cucumber is both a vegetable as well as a fruit? Technically in botanical terms, it is a fruit, but in culinary it is used as a vegetable. It is lean, long, cylindrical, and dark green in color. Their skin has a bitter and earthy taste, it totally depends on others if they like to peel or consume with the skin.
Cucumbers are juicy, light, and mildly sweet due to their high water content. They are crunchy & crisp in texture with cool and refreshing flavors. You may also feel the floral aroma while cutting them.
Having 96% water content cucumber is low in calories with many helpful nutrients. They promote digestion, help in hydration, and promote weight loss.
What Do Cucumber Pairs Well With
This cool and refreshing vegetable is mostly used in salads. But anytime if you have loads of cucumbers make gazpacho, cold soup, salsa, tzatziki sauce, raita, refrigerator pickle, kimchi, add them in smoothies, or just eat them raw. In the summertime, we always make a salad with them for lunch/dinner.
Remember make yourself infused water in summer so that you can complete your water intake.
Here is the list of food pairing that goes well with them.
Fruits and Vegetables
Strawberry, watermelon, apple, cabbage, jalapeno, lemons, limes, orange, mango, papaya, tomato, coconut, corn, bell peppers, avocado, onion, shallot, pineapple, grapes, spinach, rocket, arugula, lettuce, ginger, garlic, scallions, melon, carrot, beetroot, capers, rhubarb, jicama, celery, pea shoots, green beans, potato, tomatillo, honeydew, kohlrabi, eggplant, endive, jackfruit, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, bottle gourd
Nuts
Almond, peanut, hazelnut, pecan, walnut, cashews, raisins, macadamia nuts, pistachio
Herbs and Spices
Kafir lime, cilantro, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, thyme, chives, mint, dill, Provence herb, ginger, black pepper, tarragon, fennel, chervil, oregano, aniseed, cumin, lemongrass, watercress, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, tajin, gochujang, cayenne, za’atar, sumac, chervil
Protein and Dairy
Chickpeas, feta cheese, cream cheese, goat cheese, yogurt, crème fraîche, gouda, ricotta, gruyère, fish, crab, sour cream, salmon, shrimp, prawn, chicken, tuna, scallops, pepperoni, beans, lentils, burrata, pork, lamb, buttermilk, duck
Others
Sesame, soy sauce, gin, vodka, vinegar (balsamic, cider, red wine, rice wine, sherry), sangria, olives, sugar, miso, wasabi, tamari, fish sauce, sriracha, olive oil, kombucha, sushi, chia seeds, mayo, fava beans, hearts of palm spears, farro, freekeh, kimchi
Frequently Asked Questions
Feta cheese, cream cheese, goat cheese, crème fraîche, gouda, ricotta, gruyère, burrata are some of the varieties of cheeses that pair well with this refreshing veggie.
What To Make With Cucumbers
Here are some recipes that show you how you can enjoy them when the cucumber is in season.
Healthy & nutrient-loaded cold soup that you can serve as an appetizer, side dish, or healthy main dish.
This fresh and vibrant homemade strawberry cucumber salsa is easy to make and prepared with just six ingredients. Serve it with grilled recipes like paneer, fish, salmon, chicken, or tacos or on the side.
This Panzanella salad is a healthy twist to traditional Panzanella salad with cucumber, tomatoes, and oil-free lemon dressing.
Persian cucumber & tomato salad is so easy and quick to make in just 15 minutes. It is filling, satisfying, and is low in calories. This Mediterranean salad is almost oil-free & macro-friendly.
Other Food Pairings
- What Goes Well With Watermelon
- What Goes Well With Blueberries
- Foods To Pair Up With Mango
- Flavors To Go With Raspberry
- What Goes Well With Strawberries
- Foods To Pair Up With Peaches
- What Goes Well With Mushrooms
- What Goes Well With Asparagus
Check these more food pairing posts.
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