The 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Better Tasting Cucumbers (Works Every Time)
This one smart ingredient takes cucumbers to the next level, regardless of what recipe you use them in.
Crisp, cool, and refreshing, cucumbers are one of my favorite foods to enjoy in the summer. Whether I’m dipping them in ranch or drizzling them with chili crisp, they stay on my table all summer long.
A member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with melons and pumpkins, cucumbers are actually 96% water. That’s great for keeping them light and juicy, but it can pose a problem when adding cucumbers to recipes because all that water can make a dish soggy.
Fortunately, there’s one easy trick that keeps cucumbers crisp and greatly reduces the sog factor—salting them ahead of time.
Why You Should Salt Cucumbers
Since cucumbers are made of mostly water, it’s important to draw some of that moisture out before adding cucumbers to salads or other dishes where you don’t need the additional liquid. Salting pulls out moisture using a process called osmosis. The salt absorbs the water, leaving a firmer, more flavorful cucumber.
How To Salt Cucumbers
Salting cucumbers takes just about 20 minutes and works with any type of cucumber:
Wash and peel cucumbers if desired before cutting them however you need for your recipe. Place cucumbers in a colander and sprinkle with a big pinch of kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon per pound).
Allow the cucumbers to drain for 20 minutes. You may squeeze a bit more water out of the cucumbers if you want, but otherwise, they’re good to go. There’s no need to rinse the cucumbers before using; the salt will simply add a little seasoning to the cucumbers and your final dish.
You can use the cucumbers in whatever recipe you'd like. They'll be more flavorful and crisper than using them raw. Try it once and you'll never go back.
