Currently in season

Cucumbers in the Thermomix®

We have matched 12 English Thermomix® recipes with cucumbers. Here is the season window, buying advice and the best MixMyDay recipe links.

Seasonal calendar by month

When are cucumbers in season?

Grown under glass from June, outdoors from July to mid October across Europe..

Outdoor crop: fresh European harvest. Protected crop: greenhouse or covered cultivation. Stored: European harvest kept in storage.

Buying and storing cucumbers

There are three main types: the salad cucumber (long, smooth, mild skin), the pickling cucumber (Kirby or Nostrano types, shorter, warty skin, firmer flesh, for gherkins) and the ridge cucumber (thicker, more bitter). Fresh salad cucumbers feel firm and heavy, with taut, dark green skin. Soft spots, sunken ends or wrinkled skin point to old stock. Organic salad cucumbers without a wax coating keep for a shorter time but taste more aromatic.

Cucumbers do NOT belong in the fridge. Below 10°C they suffer cold damage: watery, soft patches and bitterness. Kept unchilled, wrapped in a damp cloth or kitchen paper, they last 3 to 5 days. Store an already cut cucumber in the fridge in cling film and use it within 2 days. Ferment pickling cucumbers in a brine (2% salt) or preserve them in vinegar.

Preparing cucumbers in the Thermomix®

For creamy Tzatziki we grate the cucumber for 4 seconds on speed 4, then squeeze the grated flesh out thoroughly in a cloth so the excess water does not leave you with a runny dip. We add garlic and herbs for 3 seconds on speed 5, then briefly stir in the yoghurt on speed 2. That gives a firm, aromatic dip.

For Cucumber Salad we slice the cucumber by hand or on a mandoline, because the Thermomix® is less suited to thin slices. We make the dressing (vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, dill) for 5 seconds on speed 4. For Chilled Cucumber Soup we blend raw cucumber, yoghurt, mint and garlic for 15 seconds on speed 10 into a fine, chilled starter.

The most common mistakes with cucumbers

Storing cucumbers in the fridge. Below 10°C cucumbers develop cold damage: the flesh turns glassy and watery and the skin gets sunken patches. Always store at room temperature, and only chill cut leftovers briefly.
Serving tzatziki straight away without draining. Grated cucumber releases a lot of water as it stands. If you do not squeeze this water out, in 30 minutes you will have tzatziki sitting in a puddle. Squeeze it in a cloth for at least 10 minutes, or salt it and let it drain for 20 minutes.
Using salad cucumber for pickling. Salad cucumbers hold too much water and turn mushy when pickled in vinegar. For gherkins use only firm pickling cucumbers (short, warty varieties), which keep their bite.

Complete list

All 12 Thermomix® recipes with cucumbers

Cucumbers as the main ingredient (1 recipes)

Cucumber Salad with the Thermomix®Rating 4.9 from 598 votes | 15 min

Cucumbers in more recipes (11 recipes)

Goes well with cucumbers

These seasonal ingredients are in season at the same time, ideal for combining:

Cucumbers in the monthly calendar:

FAQ

Good to know

Do you need to peel cucumbers?

Organic cucumbers without a wax coating can be eaten with the skin on, and the skin adds fibre. Conventional salad cucumbers are often waxed, so peel those. Pickling cucumbers have a thin skin and are not peeled.

Why does my tzatziki taste watery?

Because the grated cucumber was not drained enough. Salt the cucumber, let it stand for 20 minutes, then squeeze it out thoroughly in a tea towel. Alternatively, grate the cucumber, put it straight into a cloth, squeeze it hard, and only then add it to the yoghurt.

Can you freeze cucumbers?

Not worthwhile. Cucumbers are over 95% water and turn completely soft and watery after freezing, losing their structure entirely. Better to pickle them in a vinegar and salt brine or ferment them.

Which cucumbers are best for gherkins?

Only short, firm pickling cucumbers (Kirby type varieties), not salad cucumbers. The warty, thinner skin lets the brine soak in better. It is best to process them fresh from the field, because the older they get, the softer they become.

How many Thermomix® recipes with cucumbers are there?

There are currently 12 recipes in our collection. You will find them above, sorted by main ingredient and supporting ingredient.