How to Make Cucumbers Taste Good? [6 Effortless Ideas]
Cucumbers sure are a refreshing and crunchy food and the most delicious type of grass I can think of, but sometimes they can be dull and tasteless. On the other hand, they are good for you and eating them daily is a great idea. Still, eating something too often can make you not want to eat it for a long time, so you’ll need to make some changes to make the food fun again.
Making your cucumbers taste better is very easy and quick, but it takes some creativity and patience to figure it out. The possibilities are endless, but it is always good to have a starting point. So, in this article, I will share some ideas on how to improve the flavor of your cucumbers and enjoy them daily in different ways.
Salt and Vinegar
Salt and vinegar are a powerful combination that can turn the dullest food into a zingy and edgy experience. If your cucumbers taste bland and you want to make them more inviting, flavorful, and aromatic, cut them into circles or cubes and sprinkle some salt on them.
Mix the cucumber pieces and the salt making sure that each circle/cube is equally salty, and then add the vinegar. Try the cucumber pieces slowly to see if they are flavorful enough. Don’t pour too much vinegar because the flavor will be too intense.
Herb-Infused Oil
Herb-infused oil is a seasoning in itself, so mixing your cucumbers with it means seasoning them perfectly in only one move. It’s effortless and quick, and anyone can make it.
Simply cut or slice your cucumber any way you like, but in my experience, the thinner, the better. Drizzle some of the oil and use your hands to mix.
Let the cucumbers and oil sit for 15 minutes before having them so that the herbal flavor and aroma penetrate the cucumbers. The result will be a smooth-textured snack, crispy, oily, and flavorful.
Basil Pesto
Basil pesto and cucumber might not be everyone’s cup of tea, as this combination is either loved or hated. I love the edge, flavor, and aroma the pesto brings into this story, but some find it too intense. If you decide that you don’t like it, you can add a few drops of lemon and see how it feels.
The procedure is very simple, and it involves smearing pesto on your cucumber. I don’t recommend dipping your cucumber in pesto unless you like it that much.
Make a Dip for Cucumbers
Dipping your cucumbers is probably the most effective way to make them taste better. They go virtually with any dipping sauce you have lying around or can make quickly and easily. Avoid heavy cream dipping sauces because cucumbers don’t work well with such a heavy dip.
I would recommend you dip your cucumbers in hummus, mayo, or sour cream. The hummus will add some tang and make your cucumbers taste even fresher, rich, and absolutely delicious.
If you opt for mayo, expect a creamy, savory, and slightly tangy snack you can further combine with spices such as curry or turmeric. And lastly, if you go for sour cream, you may as well make a dressing out of it, chop up some radish, add spices, mix, and voila — you’ve got yourself a delicious fresh salad!
Marinate
If you aren’t in a rush and don’t mind going the extra mile for a good-tasting cucumber, then you should try and marinate your cucumbers. This doesn’t take much effort, but it takes some time for the marinating to be successful.
Cucumbers are known as very receptive to flavor, so getting the marinate right is very important because they will soak up every ounce of flavor from it. If you are new to marinating, go simple and marinate your cucumbers in a simple sugar, vinegar, and onions mixture. Slice them into thin strips before placing them into the marinade.
Let the cucumbers marinate for at least an hour before you have them. If you want to add a kick to your cucumbers, you can chop some chili pepper into the marinade. I usually sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top, and that’s it!
Remove the Seeds
Sometimes the problem can be of mechanical nature, and the only thing you should do is remove the seeds. The cucumber seeds are often disregarded as not having anything to do with the flavor, while they are, in fact, significant contributors to the cucumber taste.
The easiest way to do this is to cut the cucumber in half and remove the seeds in one move from the entire half. So, before you do anything else, remove the seeds from the cucumber and see if you like it better this way. You can fill the emptied cucumber with crème Fraiche or sour cream and turn an ordinary snack into a dining experience.
The Best Cucumber Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 Cucumber (medium-sized)
- 1 clove Garlic (chopped)
- 1 tbsp Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 Chili Pepper
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber along the middle to get two halves, and chop them up in 1-inch wide pieces.
- Mix all the other ingredients to make a marinade, and taste it. If it's not salty enough for you, add some salt.
- Find an appropriate container for marinating the cucumbers, and put them in alongside the marinade.
- Let marinate for 1 hour, at least.
- Serve sprinkled over with some sesame seeds and enjoy!
