From salads to sandwiches, sauces to dips, cucumbers brighten up a recipe. Storing them for any length of time is the tricky part, as cucumbers have a notoriously short shelf life. Here’s how to store cucumbers to ensure they’re as firm and crisp as the day you picked them.
If you’ve harvested a lot of cucumbers and don’t want them to go to waste, consider preserving them with a recipe for cucumber pickles.
How to Choose Cucumbers
There’s a variety of cucumbers from which to choose and the rules for selecting the best are the same for all of them. Whether your harvesting cucumbers from your home garden or buying some at the farmers market, you want firm, unwrinkled veg with brightly-colored medium to dark green skin. Take a hard pass on cukes with soft or mushy spots. The same goes for black or white spots, which indicate the cucumber is overly ripe. An unusually heavy or waterlogged cucumber tells you it’s already pretty far along in the decaying process. Keep looking!
How to Store Cucumbers
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Once home, rinse your cucumbers in cool water. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), soap or a produce wash isn’t necessary. A clean produce brush is great for removing any dirt and debris. Just be careful with thin-skinned varieties like English cucumbers. Their delicate skin makes them prone to damage and dehydration, which is why you’ll often find them wrapped in plastic at the grocery store. It’s best to leave them in the plastic wrap until ready to eat.
After rinsing, thoroughly dry the cucumbers with a clean towel. Any moisture left on the veg when storing can expedite the rotting process. Wrap each cucumber in a paper towel and store in a zip-top bag. The paper towel acts as a barrier and prevents condensation from affecting the cucumbers. The bag helps hold humidity to prevent dehydration.
Once wrapped, store them in the warmest part of your refrigerator. Temperatures are often too cold in the crisper, triggering the cells in the cucumber to rupture and result in a mushy blob. The warmest area of your fridge, like the door or top shelf, is best.
Check your cucumbers occasionally for any signs of mushiness or discoloration and remove them from the bag.
Do cucumbers need to be refrigerated?
If you’ll be eating your cucumbers right away, a few hours on the countertop shouldn’t be a problem. You might even get a way with a few days. When kept too long at room temperature, however, cucumbers may begin to rot due to fluctuations in humidity. Your best option is the refrigerator, but not in your crisper drawer.
How do you store sliced cucumbers?
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If you prefer to slice your cucumbers before storing them, here’s what you need to know. Cucumbers dehydrate quickly and slicing them speeds up that process. As they lose moisture, cucumbers become soft and mushy. To combat that, store your sliced cucumbers in an airtight container filled with water. The water will keep your cukes crispy. Just be sure to change the water every two to three days.
Our Best Cucumber Recipes
Taste of Home
Here's a fantastic way to use cucumbers. You'll love the creamy and crunchy texture and super fresh flavors. —Charlene Skjerven, Hoolpe, North Dakota
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how to store cucumbers the right way so that you'll never find a mushy cuke in the refrigerator again.
Cucumber Party SandwichesCucumber sandwiches are one of my favorite appetizers. We have lots of pig roasts here in Kentucky, and these small sandwiches are perfect to serve while the pig is roasting. —Rebecca Rose, Mount Washington, Kentucky
Kansas Cucumber SaladCucumbers are my very favorite garden vegetable, so I use this recipe often. I got it from a friend years ago. I've heard this refreshing dish keeps very well in the refrigerator, but it goes so fast around our house, I've never found out for myself. —Karen Ann Bland, Gove, Kansas
Mama's Warm German Potato SaladMy grandmother, Mama, made this potato salad for every family gathering at her home. The relatives would arrive with their specialties in hand. She never wrote the recipe down, so I had to re-create it from memory. Years later, it's just about right. —Charlene Chambers, Ormond Beach, Florida
Watermelon CupsThis lovely appetizer is almost too pretty to eat! Sweet watermelon cubes hold a refreshing topping that showcases cucumber, red onion and fresh herbs. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Fresh Veggie PocketsOne summer I worked at a health food store that sold sandwiches. We were close to a college campus, so I made lots of these fresh-filled pitas for the students. Crunchy with crisp vegetables and nutty sunflower kernels, they're a fast-to-fix lunch when you're on the go.
-Linda Reeves, Cloverdale, Indiana
Chicken with Mango-Cucumber SalsaI put this dish together after looking for something quick and easy without too much indoor cooking. My husband prefers this moist grilled chicken a tad spicy. —Linda Tringali, Monroe Township, New Jersey
Sesame-Ginger Cucumber SaladI love the marinated sides and salads that come with meals at Japanese restaurants and wanted to try them at home. After some research, I came up with this cool, crisp salad. —Kimberly Ludvick, Newburgh, New York
Greek Shrimp CanapesI grew up by the ocean and then moved to a landlocked state. I wanted to show people in my area how to easily cook seafood, and this is the recipe I came up with. I think it’s safe to say it has become a neighborhood favorite. —Amy Harris, Springville, Utah
Cheeseburger BowlThis recipe is a lighter way to enjoy an American summer staple. You can try a version of the dressing with 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard and 1 tablespoon of ketchup. —Laurie Rogerson, Ellington, Connecticut
Greek SaladThe heart of a Greek salad recipe is in the olives, feta, cucumbers and tomatoes. Dress it with olive oil and vinegar, then add more olives and cheese. —Arge Salvatori, Little Ferry, New Jersey
Fresh Cucumber SaladCrisp, garden-fresh cukes are always in season when we hold our family reunion, and they really shine in this simple salad. The recipe can easily be expanded to make large quantities, too. —Betsy Carlson, Rockford, Illinois
Turkey GyrosGreek seasoning, feta cheese and dill-cucumber sauce give this gyro an authentic taste. It was my family's introduction to how really good pita bread can be. Instead of feta cheese, we'll sprinkle on cheddar or Monterey Jack if we have it. —Donna Garvin, Glens Falls, New York
Kohlrabi, Cucumber and Tomato SaladThis chilled, refreshing salad is wonderful on hot days. It has a nice crunch and a delicious balance of sweet and spicy flavors. —Kristina Segarra, Yonkers, New York
Cucumber Salad with Sour CreamIt’s been a tradition at our house to serve this dish with the other Hungarian specialties my mom learned to make from the women at church. It’s especially good during the summer when the cucumbers are fresh-picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio
Cucumber-Stuffed Cherry TomatoesBesides being tasty, these little tomato poppers are extra awesome because you can make them ahead of time. At parties, I often triple the recipe because they disappear fast. —Christi Martin, Elko, Nevada
Favorite Cucumber SaladAdd a fresh-tasting touch to your menu with this favorite salad. The crunchy cucumbers are tossed with onion, green pepper and a sweet-tart dressing seasoned with celery seed.—Mary Lou Boyce,Wilmington, Delaware
Minty Watermelon-Cucumber SaladCapturing the fantastic flavors of summer, this refreshing, beautiful watermelon-cucumber salad will be the talk of any picnic or potluck. —Roblynn Hunnisett, Guelph, Ontario
Ginger Salmon with Cucumber Lime SauceLime with ginger is a favorite flavor combo for me, especially with grilled salmon. So good. Even with the cucumber sauce, this recipe is easy, too. —Noelle Myers, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Creamy Cucumber SaladThis creamy cucumber salad, a Norwegian favorite, was a staple at all of our family holidays. —Patty LaNoue Stearns, Traverse City, Michigan
Cucumber CanapesI always get requests for the recipe for these canapes whenever I serve them. They're delicate finger sandwiches with a creamy herb spread and festive red and green garnishes. —Nadine Whittaker, South Plymouth, Massachusetts
Crisp & Spicy Cucumber SaladRice vinegar, sesame oil and cayenne create a sweet-hot Asian flavor that will light up your taste buds! —Alivia Dockery, Jensen Beach, Florida
Garden Tomato SaladFor as long as I can remember, Mom made a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers. Now I make it whenever beautiful tomatoes are in reach. —Shannon Arthur, Upper Arlington, Ohio
Shrimp & Cucumber RoundsI always make these appetizers for our get-togethers. They're easy to prepare and a snappy addition to any party. —Kelly Alaniz, Eureka, California
Cucumber and Red Onion SaladThis cucumber and onion salad is one of the first recipes I came up with myself. It's a great salad for picnics or potlucks. I always come home with an empty bowl! —Brynn Steckman, Westerville, Ohio
Inside-Out Veggie DipCherry tomatoes and cucumber slices transform into these savory, bite-sized treats ideal for any gathering. —Judie Thurstenson, Colcord, Oklahoma
Balsamic Cucumber SaladCucumber salad recipes are my absolute favorite! This fast, fresh salad is a winner at every get together. It's an easygoing, healthy side dish for kabobs, chicken or anything hot off the grill. —Blair Lonergan, Rochelle, Virginia
Chicken with Peach-Cucumber SalsaTo keep our kitchen cool, we grill chicken outdoors and serve it with a minty peach salsa that can easily be made ahead. —Janie Colle, Hutchinson, Kansas
Strawberry, Cucumber & Honeydew SaladStrawberries and cucumbers together—I just love this combination! We used to eat a lot of cucumbers growing up in upstate New York. We'd get them, along with strawberries and melons, from fruit and veggie stands to make this sweet and tangy salad. —Melissa Mccabe, Long Beach, California
Mint-Cucumber Tomato SandwichesI jazzed up the quintessential teatime cucumber sandwich to suit my family's tastes. This was my absolute go-to sandwich last summer when I was pregnant. It hit all the right spots! —Namrata Telugu, Terre Haute, Indiana
Chopped Garden SaladThis recipe is always requested by my children for their birthday meal or any other get-together. The flavor combination is so yummy.—Anna Sutherland, Camp, Arkansas
Dill Garden SaladI love to cut up whatever fresh vegetables I have on hand and toss them with this delicious dressing and fresh dill. This salad shows up on our table regularly during the summer. —Bethany Martin, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Cucumber-Melon SmoothiesMy cool honeydew and cucumber smoothie has only five ingredients. I sometimes add a small avocado to make it extra creamy.—Crystal Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota
