How to Cut a Cucumber

Crunchy, cool and packed with health benefits, cucumbers are a welcome addition in many recipes, from Grilled Chicken with Cucumber-Radish Salsa to Radish, Celery & Cucumber Salad.

There are four main types of cucumbers that you're likely to see in stores: slicing cucumbers, English cucumbers, Persian cucumbers (typically used for slicing) and Kirby cucumbers (typically used for pickling). This easy step-by-step guide will teach you how to cut a cucumber, whichever variety you have on hand.

Before you start slicing, you may want to peel the cucumber. Cucumber skin is edible, but some people prefer to remove it for textural or visual reasons. If the cucumber skin is waxy, you'll want to peel the cucumber. A vegetable peeler will quickly remove the skin with ease.

Whether you're slicing or dicing, start by cutting off the stem and root ends of the cucumber.

Step 1: Slice the cucumber widthwise into rounds, adjusting the thickness of the cut depending on the desired size.

Step 2 (optional): Cut the cucumber slices in half to make a half-moon shape. To speed this up, you can cut through a stack of three to four slices.

Step 1: Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise.

Step 2 (optional): Use the tip of a spoon to scrape out the seeds.

Step 3: Cut the halves in half lengthwise, so you have four total spears. You can cut the spears widthwise, depending on the desired length, to make smaller spears.

If you wish, you can cut the cucumber spears again in half lengthwise, depending on the desired size. Following these steps, you can also dice a cucumber.

Step 1: After following Steps 1 through 3 above, line up the cucumber spears on a cutting board. Chop into bite-size pieces, adjusting the thickness of the cut depending on the desired size.

Once you have your cucumber prepped, there are so many delicious recipes you can make. Cucumber slices are perfect for recipes like a Cucumber Sandwich or Salmon with Curried Yogurt & Cucumber Salad. Diced cucumber is tasty in salads like Cucumber, Tomato & Avocado Salad. If you don't plan to eat your cucumber right away, learn how to store cut cucumbers.