8 Must-Try Lemon Cucumber Recipes

by Sarah Harper MS, RD, LDN | Aug 22, 2023 | Beverage, Breakfast, Education, Lunch/Dinner, Recipe, Salad, Snack | 0 comments

In this article, I describe 8 cucumber recipes to use up those lemon cucumbers. Lemon cucumbers are versatile and delicious.
Hi, I'm Sarah Harper. I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to cook, eat, and talk about food! Here at The Addy Bean, you'll discover an array of flexitarian recipes. My mission is to inspire and encourage others to eat and explore the world of plant-based foods!

Lemon Cucumber Recipes to Brighten Your Table

Did you grow some epic lemon cucumbers this year and find you have an excess amount? Or perhaps you picked up some lemon cucumbers from the farmers market and are now scratching your head about what to do with them.

Lemon cucumbers make excellent additions to salads, salsas, or sliced over sandwiches. But before I dive into 8 ways to use up your excess lemon cucumbers this summer, let’s cover some frequently asked questions!

 

Top down view of lemon cucumbers in a brown bowl atop an off white linen napkin. Half a lemon is sitting cut side up in the bowl.

 

FAQ (Ask a Dietitian!)

What is lemon cucumber good for?

Lemon cucumbers are amazing in salads, sandwiches, as a dipper, or pickled.

 

A lemon cucumber sliced in half on a wooden cutting board. The knife is in the shot and some unsliced lemon cucumbers are off to the left.

 

Can you eat raw lemon cucumbers?

Yes, you can eat raw lemon cucumbers. I actually prefer to eat lemon cucumbers raw. That being said, you can also eat lemon cucumbers dehydrated, grilled, or roasted. 

 

Top down view of a lemon cucumber salad with a spoon. The off white bowl is sitting overtop a sage linen napkin.

 

Are lemon cucumbers burpless?

Lemon cucumbers are burpless, meaning they are non-bitter and contain very little cucurbitacin. Cucurbitacin is the compound that causes bitterness in cucumbers. 

 

Top down and close up view of lemon cucumbers on a blue plate

 

8 Easy Lemon Cucumber Recipe Ideas

Now, here are some cucumber recipe ideas that you can use with your next batch of lemon cucumbers.

Lemon Cucumber Salad

Maybe one of the easiest methods of using lemon cucumbers is in a simple salad. Just chop up your lemon cucumbers, add 1, 2, or 3 additional veggies, fruit, or herbs, then dress it up with an easy lemon vinaigrette made with lemon juice and olive oil. Champagne vinegar or any other wine vinegar also makes for an excellent vinaigrette. Check out how I use lemon cucumbers in this recipe, Easy Lemon Cucumber Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

 

A top down view of lemon cucumber salad with sliced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and green onion. A lemon wedge is to the left in the bowl.

 

Lemon Cucumber Salsa

Use lemon cucumbers like pepper or other cucumber varietal and add it to your salsa and pico de gallos. I love to take some sungold cherry tomatoes from my garden, chop them, and mix them into my lemon cucumber pico de gallo. The colors are like sunshine. 

Chopped Lemon Cucumbers in a Grain Bowl

When making a nutritious grain bowl, simply include some chopped lemon cucumbers. I might further spice it up with a little red chili flakes. Check out how you can use lemon cucumbers in this Greens and Ancient Grains Bowl. 

 

Easy-Bake-Tofu-Grain-Bowl

 

Sliced in a Sandwich

Lemon cucumbers are the perfect size to add to a sandwich. Slice the lemon cucumbers in thick rounds and add them to your sandwich. They add a wonderful cucumber crunch. Try a combination of flavors like seeded whole wheat bread, with a spread of pesto, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, and oven-roasted turkey breast or baked tofu.

Smoothies

Got an excellent cucumber smoothie recipe? Use lemon cucumbers. They taste fantastic in my Green Juice Smoothie: The Best Morning Juice recipe.

 

Green-Juice-Smoothie

 

A Side

Have a killer glaze or sauce when cool would taste fantastic drizzled over sliced cucumbers? Use that with some lemon cucumbers like this Garlic Sweet Soy Glaze Recipe. Further elevate this simple side with fresh herbs like mint, basil leaves, or cilantro. 

 

A bowl with dark and thick Garlic Sweet Soy glaze. A spoon hovering above the bowl with the glaze dripping down. Noted in the background a plate of vegetables with the glaze drizzled over top.

 

Pickles

Lemon cucumbers taste amazing in pickle recipes. I love to use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar with my cucumber slices when making pickles. You can easily make quick pickles with water, vinegar, and salt. 

Dehydrated into “chips”

Lemon cucumber chips are innovative, fun, and a healthier alternative to potato chips. However, I do enjoy a little of both, the refreshing cucumber chip alongside a salty and crunchy potato chip with a little cool ranch dip! 

I use a NESCO Gardenmaster Pro to dehydrate my fruits and veggies. 

 

A plate of dehydrate cucumbers (cucumber chips) surround with a linin napkin, a bowl of ranch, and some green edible prop to the side. The plate is sitting on top of a two toned board.

 

Featured and More Recipes

Lemon cucumber versatility and ability to enhance both taste and aesthetics of recipes make lemon cucumbers an exciting ingredient to explore across a wide range of culinary creations.

top down of cucumber and corn salad in a white bowl, on a blue checker napkin.

Sarah Harper in her kitchen with a cutting board, broccoli, carrots, and a fruit bowl.
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Hi, I'm Sarah Harper. I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves to cook, eat, and talk about food! Here at The Addy Bean, you'll discover an array of flexitarian recipes. My mission is to inspire and encourage others to eat and explore the world of plant-based foods!

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