Cucumbers are the refreshing, crisp vegetal ingredient that gives your salads and side dishes a satisfying snap. But when it comes to choosing cucumbers, not all varieties are created equal. Here’s a way to know which cucumber to use for which recipe.
English Cucumbers
Also known as the European cucumber, the hothouse cucumber, or the seedless cucumber, they are the variety that is wrapped in plastic. They are long, thin, and have an even thinner skin that doesn’t need to be peeled. Even though one of its names is seedless, the seeds are there but are just super small. Since the skin doesn’t need to be peeled, it’s a great, mildly sweet cucumber to use for smashed cucumber salads or thinly sliced as is. Since it has a thinner, more watery flesh, it’s not a good cucumber to use as cucumber boats.
Persian Cucumbers
Persian cucumbers are bred for success. They are smaller, slimmer, firmer, and milder in flavor. While they can be confused with English cucumbers, their skin is the perfect balance of firmness and thinness. Persian cucumbers don’t damage as easily as English cucumbers but don’t require you to peel the skin, which is definitely a win-win. They also don’t need to be de-bittered like an American cucumber and have no seeds. Not only that, but they’re great to snack on straight from the fridge or to use for a salad or side dish.
American Cucumbers
Also known as slicing cucumbers, common cucumbers, or garden cucumbers, these are the ones we commonly see in our gardens or sold individually, unwrapped in the store. They have a thick skin that is often sealed with wax to further preserve their freshness. While you can eat the skin, it generally is peeled off. The initial flesh is firm, but then it becomes watery in the center. While these cucumbers don’t taste very crisp when sliced, they are great cucumbers to use for cucumber boats.
Kirby
With their bumpy exteriors and stocky, short frames, Kirby cucumbers are firm but crisp. With a natural crunch and a mild flavor, they are most commonly used for pickles, as they are a blank canvas for any type of pickling liquid you pair them with.