Cucumber Sandwich Recipes
Cucumber is a fruit which is often extremely underrated as a food ingredient in the belief that it is tasteless, boring or both. While it is undeniably true that cucumber is not overly blessed in the flavour department, this should in no way detract from its value, particularly as a component ingredient in a sandwich. It is the very blandness of cucumber that makes it so versatile and allows it to complement and be complemented by a wide variety of other foodstuffs. Due to its extremely high level of water content, it is also very refreshing and perfectly suited to summer, when the popular phrase "cool as a cucumber" can be made to come to the fore in a number of tasty and satisfying ways.
Pickled Cucumber, Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Sub
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 sub roll
- 1 tbsp low fat cream cheese
- 2 slices cold smoked salmon
- 6 slices cucumber
- White wine vinegar as required
- 1/2 tsp dried dill leaves
- Salt and white pepper
- 3 or 4 lettuce leaves, roughly shredded
- 4 or 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-size- Lay the cucumber slices in a small bowl and scatter ove the dried dill. Pour in enough white wine vinegar to cover the cucumber, cover the bowl and leave for one hour. After this time, remove the cucumber slices to some kitchen paper and carefully pat dry.
- Wash and chop the lettuce and tomatoes. Season with salt and white pepper, mix together and lay on one half of a square serving plate.
- Cut the sub roll in half horizontally. Spread the cream cheese evenly over the cut sides of both halves.
- Lay the slices of smoked salmon on the bottom half of the sub roll and the cucumber slices on top. Season lightly with salt and white pepper.
- Put the top on the roll and slice diagonally in three. Plate alongside the salad to serve.
Cucumber, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich
Food items very often have a story attached to them and this very simple cucumber sandwich is one that played a big part in my early life. As a child, I was inclined to eat only meat, fish and dairy products, such as eggs and cheese. I was literally carnivorous as opposed to omnivorous. I point blank refused to eat "that green stuff", as I referred to any vegetable whether green or otherwise. It was only when I was introduced to this sandwich exactly as it is prepared below that I finally set out on the long road to enjoying the delights of fruits and vegetables. To this day, this sandwich for me remains the ultimate taste of summer freshness, so if you have a small child who refuses to eat their veg, why not give this idea a try? It worked for one of the most steadfastly anti-vegetable children who ever walked the planet, so who knows - it may work for your child!
Cook Time
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: n/a
Ready in: 5 min
Yields: One sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices of very fresh bread
- Little bit of butter
- 3 or 4 lettuce leaves
- 4 slices from medium tomato
- 6 slices of cucumber
- Malt vinegar
- Salt
Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-size- Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter.
- Lay the lettuce leaves in an even layer on one buttered side of bread. Season with salt and malt vinegar.
- Lay the tomato slices on top of the lettuce, followed by the cucumber slices. Season with more salt and vinegar.
- Put the second slice of bread on top, press down gently, slice in half diagonally and eat immediately.
Cucumber Salsa and Fresh Tuna Baguette
The baguettes used in this recipe and the one which follows were bought part cooked and vacuum packed. This is an excellent, quick and easy way of getting the freshness of bread without having to go to the bother of making it from scratch. Ready to eat baguettes could of course be used instead if you prefer.
Cook Time
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ready in: 55 min
Yields: One sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
- 3" piece of cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1 large garlic clove, inner stalk removed and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
- Juice of half a lime
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 part baked baguette
- 4oz tuna loin steak
- Sunflower oil for frying
Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-size- For tips on preparing the cucumber, tomato and garlic, see the photos above.
- Put the cucumber, tomato, garlic, chilli flakes, extra virgin olive oil and lime juice in to a glass or stone bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir very well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
- The instructions for cooking the baguettes should be on the packet. In this case, it required twelve minutes in the oven at 375F/190C. Calculate your cooking schedule to ensure the bread has ten minutes to rest when it comes out of the oven.
- While the bread is resting, put a little oil in to a small, non-stick frying pan and bring it up to a very high heat. Season the tuna fillet on both sides with salt and pepper. Fry for a minute to a minute and a half on each side until it can be seen from the side to have cooked about a third of the way up in each instance. Tuna should be pink in the middle to be enjoyed at its best.
- Put the cooked tuna on a chopping board and slice at an angle.
- Cut the baguette in half and lay the tuna slices on the bottom section. Carefully spoon on the cucumber salsa, add the top, slice and serve.
Cucumber Salsa, Avocado and Mexicana Cheese Baguette
This sandwich is in a way a vegetarian equivalent of the tuna sandwich featured immediately above. The salsa is the same as described previously. For a vegan version, simply omit the cheese.
Cook Time
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: n/a
Ready in: 45 min
Yields: One sandwich
Ingredients
- Cucumber salsa (see recipe above)
- 1/2 haas avocado, stoned and peeled
- 4 or 5 thin slices of Mexicana cheese (or other spicy cheese)
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-size- Put the avocado half in to a bowl, season with salt and pepper and mash with the back of a fork.
- Cut the baguette in half and spread the avocado evenly over the bottom part.
- Spoon the salsa on to the avocado and lay the cheese slices on top.
- Put the top on the baguette, slice and serve.
Cucumber, Mint and Mayo Toasted Sub Sandwich
Cook Time
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ready in: 10 min
Yields: One sandwich
Ingredients
- One sub roll
- 2 tbsp mayo
- 6 slices cucumber
- 3 or 4 mint leaves, roughly chopped
- Salt and white pepper
Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-size- Cut the sub roll in half horizontally and lightly toast on both sides.
- Spread both cut slices of the sub with mayo.
- Lay the cucumber slices on top of the mayo on the bottom half of the roll.
- Season with salt and white pepper.
- Scatter the mint evenly over the cucumber before laying the top in place and slicing to eat.
Cucumber, Honey Roast Ham and Cottage Cheese Sandwich
Cook Time
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: n/a
Ready in: 5 min
Yields: One sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices of fresh bread
- 1 tbsp onion and chive cottage cheese
- 2 thick slices honey roast ham
- 6 slices cucumber
- Malt vinegar
- Salt and white pepper
Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-size- Spread the cottage cheese evenly over one slice of bread and lay the honey roast ham slices on top.
- Arrange the cucumber slices on top of the ham and season with salt, white pepper and malt vinegar.
- Add the top slice of bread, cut diagonally in half and enjoy.
Cucumbers and Nutrition
Cucumbers are comprised almost entirely of water. What vitamins and minerals they do contain are found largely in or just under the skin. This means that peeling cucumbers rids them of virtually all their limited nutritional value but there are certain circumstances where cucumber will be peeled before it is added to a sandwich...
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Serving size: 50g | |
Calories | 8 |
Calories from Fat | 0 |
% Daily Value * | |
Carbohydrates 2 g | 1% |
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. |
Dainty Cucumber Sandwiches for Afternoon Tea
Rumour has it that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is a big fan of cucumber sandwiches. If this is indeed the case, it is still unlikely that any of the preparations featured thus far on this page would be likely to be served as part of afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace. It is more likely that the dainty, crustless creations pictured above would be on offer. Don't be fooled, however, in to thinking that these simple cucumber sandwiches are bland or less than enjoyable. Basic though they undoubtedly are, they are equally very refreshing.
Cook Time
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: n/a
Ready in: 5 min
Yields: Four dainty sandwiches
Ingredients
- Two slices of bread, crusts removed
- Butter
- 6 thin slices of peeled cucumber
- Salt
- Sprig of mint to garnish (optional)
Instructions
Click thumbnail to view full-size- Very lightly butter both slices of bread on one side only.
- Lay the cucumber slices on one of the slices of bread and season with a little salt.
- Place the second slice of bread on top and make two diagonal slices to quarter the sandwich.
- Serve garnished with a sprig of mint.