Quick Cucumber Salsa Recipe

(3 votes)
31 Comments
7 minutes
April 24, 2023
Andi GleesonJump to Recipe

This fresh-tasting Cucumber Salsa is quick and easy to make, and it goes perfectly with chips and fish tacos! It’s Mystery Dish time again! If this is new to you, once a month one blogger chooses a list of ingredients, and a group of us creates a recipe using a certain number of ingredients from the list.

This month’s host is The Pajama Chef, and she put together this super fun list: Coffee (grounds or brewed), sour cream, farro, almonds, cherries, watermelon, cantaloupe, jicama, cucumber, tomatoes, infused or flavored olive oil, fresh herbs (any kind), cornmeal, and hot peppers (any kind).

Cucumber Salsa - Just right with chips or fish tacos! - wearychef.com

Last month I had a hard time coming up with three ingredients to use together. This time around, I had too many ideas! With so many tasty fruits, vegetables, and versatile ingredients, the possibilities were endless. I decided on this tasty cucumber salsa, and I have a cocktail recipe coming up next week that I almost used in its place.

chips

Cucumber Salsa

This cucumber salsa recipe uses four ingredients from the Mystery Dish list: Cucumber, tomatoes, herbs (cilantro), and hot peppers (jalapeƱo). I have been wanting to bring you a food processor salsa recipe since I got my Ninja recently. It is so dang easy to make salsa in that thing! It seriously takes about five minutes, and it’s cheaper, fresher, and better than store-bought salsa. (It’s funny that my first Mystery Dish post was all about not having a food processor, and look at me now!)

I liked the idea of cucumber salsa, but I was a tad nervous to taste it for fear that it would taste like, well, cucumbers. Do you know what it tastes like? Good! You don’t exactly taste cucumber, but it just tastes very crisp and fresh. I usually think fresh cilantro brightens up salsa, and the cucumber enhanced that. We got busy gobbling this down with chips as soon as it was done, but we restrained ourselves to save some for fish tacos for dinner.

Cucumber Salsa Ingredients

The cucumber is a tasty and healthy vegetable that is crunchy, energizing, and simple to eat. Daily consumption of cucumbers can have significant positive effects on your health. The numerous vitamins and antioxidants found in cucumbers make them very nutritious food to include in your diet. This crisp, tart cucumber salsa goes well with grilled fish or can be served by itself as a simple side dish. Well-balanced and simple to prepare, the dish can be made a day or two in advance or eaten immediately, crisp & fresh. The taste mellows and the cucumber softens as it sets. The ideal healthy snack or appetizer, this simple salsa is packed with flavor.

Introduce diced, fresh cucumber to the salsa for a cool twist. Naturally, it tastes fantastic when paired with tortilla chips, but it also makes a superb topping for fish tacos or plain grilled salmon. A terrific keto-friendly, gluten-free option to add flavor and excitement to any dish is cucumber salsa. A little lime juice and zest add an acidic balance to all these flavors. Cucumber is the highlight of this recipe. The English cucumber base of the green salsa, which is rich in texture and taste, is chopped finely.

English Cucumber

English cucumbers have a thin, ridged skin and are perfectly straight. The flavor is sweeter than a typical cucumber and the seeds are relatively little. It doesn’t require peeling or seeding before eating because of the thin skin and tiny seeds! The brilliant green hue of the flesh makes it appealing to use in recipes. The grocery store sells it with a plastic covering since the thin skin is so fragile. Cucumbers used for standard slicing are shorter, have thick, dark green skin, and have very large seeds. Since the seeds and thick skin can be bitter, they are frequently removed during cooking. You must first peel and seed it before using it here. Although it doesn’t quite have the same flavor as English cucumber, it is still delicious.

chips or fish tacos

For these salmon tacos, I just sprinkled the salmon with Cajun seasoning and browned it on both sides until it was medium rare. Then I arranged the fish in tortillas (gluten-free corn tortillas in my case), topped it with fresh cucumber salsa, and crumbled queso fresco on top.

Print
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This fresh-tasting Cucumber Salsa is quick and easy to make, and it goes perfectly with chips and fish tacos!

Cucumber Salsa

This easy cucumber salsa tastes fresh and delicious!

  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 English cucumber cut in half lengthwise and seeded
  • 1 large tomato quartered and seeded (or substitute 2 roma tomatoes)
  • 1 jalapeƱo ribs and seeds removed
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients into a food processor, and pulse until evenly chopped. Add additional lime juice or salt to taste.
  2. Serve over tacos or with chips for dipping.

Notes

Using a food processor makes this recipe very fast, but of course you can dice all the ingredients by hand if you prefer.

  • Author: Andi Gleeson
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Category: Appetizers and Snacks, Mexican Food
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition Information

Per serving:

Calories46 kcalCarbohydrates3 g
Calcium7 mgFat3 g
Sugar1 gSodium2 mg
Vitamin A175IUVitamin C8.3 mg
Iron0.1 mgProtein1.2 g

How does this recipe work?

  • This salsa is delicious and simple.
  • The cucumbers bring freshness to a whole new level.
  • Mix the ingredients for a delightful and cool salsa.
  • It is excellent as a side dish, a topping for chicken or fish, or eaten with tortilla chips.

Health Benefits

Cucumbers contain a lot of water, which can help you stay hydrated. Moreover, the fiber boost they provide you with keeps you regular and prevents constipation. Vitamin K keeps your bones healthy and aids in blood clotting. Numerous functions of vitamin A include support for the immune system, eyesight, and reproductive health.

  1. Promote Hydration

Since they contain 95% water, cucumbers are a great method to stay hydrated on a hot day. Yes, 95%, which is why some people refer to it as natureā€™s most hydrating vegetable. Due to their high water content, they are also excellent additions to juices and smoothies.

  1. Improve Memory

Fisetin, an anti-inflammatory flavone found in cucumbers, is important for maintaining brain function. Additionally, while fisetin can be found in other plants, it is particularly abundant in cucumbers. As a result, cucumbers have been linked to memory enhancement and assistance in preventing memory loss.

  1. Aid in Weight Loss

Calories matter when it comes to losing weight. Cucumbers are a fantastic food to help with weight loss because each cup only has 16 calories. Without adding many calories to your day, they can help you feel full. As previously mentioned, they are also packed with nutritious vitamins that will provide your body with a balanced diet of nutrients, which is essential for healthily reducing weight.

  1. Maintain Healthy Digestion

By keeping you nourished, any vegetable with high water content can aid in healthy digestion. Cucumbers, especially their skin, contain dietary fiber, though, which helps to give your stools more volume and speed up the elimination process.

  1. Have Anti-Cancer Benefits

One of the best things you can do to keep fit and lower your risk of cancer is to take a lot of fruits and vegetables. A member of the Cucurbitaceous family, cucumbers in especially, contain significant levels of essential minerals that may help avoid cancer.

  1. Reduce Inflammation

Multiple problems might arise as a result of oxidative stress. Cucumbers are one of several foods, luckily, that can reduce inflammation. This is because lignans, a kind of polyphenol, are present. If cucumbers are applied directly to the skin, they can also relieve inflammation externally.

  1. Promote Healthy Skin

 Cucumbers are incredibly refreshing and can help you calm down, they also have wonderful skin benefits when applied topically. Cucumbers, which are most commonly utilized in the eyelids, cool the area and reduce facial swelling. Sunburn can be effectively soothed with the help of cucumbers.

Risks of Cucumber Salsa

  1. Consuming cucumbers provide relatively minimal dangers. The pesticide that producers use on them could be one issue. Peel the skin off or wash it under warm running water before eating. That will guarantee that eating your cucumber is safe.
  2. The skin of cucumbers is naturally waxed. Cucumbers lose their wax when they are washed after being picked, so before producers ship them to supermarkets, they slap a synthetic wax back on. While extending its shelf life, the wax also harbors bacteria. Although the wax itself is not dangerous, peeling the cucumber’s skin can reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination. The majority of the nutrients, however, are found in the skin. A better choice could be to buy organic produce and thoroughly wash your cucumbers before eating.

Storing Tips

Refrigerated homemade cucumber salsa for 4 days. Even though it tastes best when it’s fresh, it keeps well and gets tastier over time.

You’ll also love this grilled pork with lemon avocado salad!

What would you make using this ingredient list? Let me know in the comments!

Andi Gleeson

31 comments

Kathleen M Brooks
2 years ago

It looks so good. But I’m not sure of the canning part for long term storage. I’ve got too many cucumbers and we are definitely a salsa family! Having the salsa for awhile would be awesome. Can you advise me on how to can them? Can It just go in a water bath like the pickles? Thank you!

Rosie
1 year ago

Hi, Kathleen M Brooks! What did I do to my canned cucumber salsa since I am the only one in the house who loves it? Most of the canning instructions for cucumbers can be done with the water bath method, and you are right about the water bath; then it will last for six to nine months. But, always use a recipe that is formulated for home canning, and be sure to follow the instructions exactly. You are welcome!

Elisa carlin
6 years ago

This is fabulous! Is there a way to can this? How long will it last in frig.?

Connie Kreutzer
6 years ago

I canned it last year. Turned out great! Processed for 10 minutes. Heated ingredients to a boil ,then simmered for 10 minutes first.

Miranda
2 years ago

How long will it keep if processed and sealed do you think? I’m wanting to water bathe can some. Did you use any canning slat?

Melissa
6 years ago

I was in Mexico in April, and after an excursion, a woman was out making fresh salsa for everyone. I had a bite and fell in love. Something about this fresh Mexican salsa was different from any I’d ever had. I took a close look and realized there were cucumbers in it. I made a mental note of the ingredients and when I got home Googled “Mexican cucumber salsa” I looked through what I found and your recipe seemed to match exactly what I saw. I made it and this is spot on! It took me right back! Thank you so much for sharing this. The proportions are perfect. The only thing I add is some green and red onion!

Tracy
6 years ago

I am also wondering if you can can this salsa?

tonya
7 years ago

can you put it in a mason jar to preserve it or does it have to be eaten right away

Ozziemama
7 years ago

Super yum! Found this recipe on Pinterest while I was looking for more ways to use my steady crop of cucumbers. Absolutely delicious and so fast to,prepare in the food processor. Will be making a lot of this over the summer. Thanks for the recipe.

Ashley
8 years ago

Is there a particular way to get involved with this mystery dish club? I’m a small health/fitness blog but I’m trying really hard to grow! I have such a passion for cooking and creating my own healty recipes – this sounds like such a fun thing to do!

Andi - The Weary Chef
8 years ago

Hi, Ashley! I think this particular group has ended. I’m not sure because I only participated for a few months. I would suggest teaming up with some other bloggers in your niche and starting your own! Do you have connections with other bloggers through Facebook groups or anything like that?

Ashley
8 years ago

I do participate in some Facebook groups. I don’t really think I could start my own though because my readership is still low and i pro ably wouldn’t get a large response when it comes to making the ingredient list.

Andi - The Weary Chef
8 years ago

Don’t sell yourself short! You could pick five blogging friends and rotate making up the ingredient list. It’s a fun way to work together and promote each other to your own audiences. Email me if you want more details/advice on how to set it up. You can contact me directly through the link in my header. Take care!

Ashley
8 years ago

Thanks for the advice! I think I’ll give it a try! :)

Emily {Rainbow Delicious}
10 years ago

I have so many cucumbers from my garden and I am running out of creative ways to eat the, so this recipe is perfect timing for me!

Andi
10 years ago

Thank you, Emily! I think you will really like this one.

Sandie
7 years ago

Did you can them??

Shanice
10 years ago

Great recipe. I would love it if you joined and contribute your awesome posts at my link party at City of Creative Dreams, starts on Fridays :D Hope to see you there at City of Creative Dreams Link Party.

Andi
10 years ago

Thank you, Shanice! I’ll check it out.

elaine@cookinandcraftin.com
10 years ago

Wow!! I would have never thought to use cucumbers but sounds yummy!! Stopping by from Create, Link Inspire Tuesday….Now I have another idea for all of my garden cucumbers!!

Andi
10 years ago

Thank you so much for coming over, Elaine! You’d be surprised how well the cucumbers go with the salsa. I hope you get a chance to try it!

Annie @Maebells
10 years ago

Um, yum!! I love cucumbers! I have never seen it in a salsa before though, this sounds delicious!! We do “Taco Tuesdays” around here, this will be a great addition!

Andi
10 years ago

Thank you, Annie! We eat Mexican at least once a week too but don’t have anything as official as Taco Tuesdays. We should! We used to call Fridays “Nacho Night,” and then it turned into “Fiesta Night” when I started branching out instead of always making nachos. Now any night with Mexican food (and margaritas!) is called Fiesta Night :)

Meriem @ Culinary Couture
10 years ago

I looove cucumbers! I wanna put this on everything!

Andi
10 years ago

I think you should, Meriem! ;) Thank you!

Kathleen R.
10 years ago

I’ve never put cucumbers in salsa but it sounds so yummy! :)

Andi
10 years ago

Hi, Kathleen! I was half excited and half worried to try it, but it was really delicious. Thanks for stopping by :)

Karen @ The Food Charlatan
10 years ago

I set out some salmon to thaw for dinner and was going to do some lame gingery soy sauce thing. But now I’m TOTALLY making those tacos! All I’m missing are the peppers. nothing a little chipotle powder can’t fix (because I already did the grocery store today and will probably die if I have to go back. :) So excited!

Andi
10 years ago

I’m so happy you tried it, Karen! Maybe we’ll never go back to salsa without cucumber again ;)

Jennifer
10 years ago

This looks great. I love fish tacos but I’ve never thought of making cucumber salsa before and I have so many cucumbers this time of year. Thanks for posting.

Andi
10 years ago

Thanks, Jennifer! I would definitely give this recipe a try to use up some of your cucumbers. I’ll be making it again for sure.

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