Healthy Cucumber Side Dish Recipes

Don't skip salting the cucumbers in this quick cucumber salad recipe--just 10 minutes pulls out some of their excess moisture, concentrating the flavor and keeping the salad from being watered down. Serve as a healthy side dish at a summer cookout alongside burgers and hot dogs.

This salad was inspired by one served during the peak of summer at Claire's Restaurant & Bar in Hardwick. Chef Steven Obranovich of Claire's likes the soft crumbly sheep's-milk feta for this recipe. He cautions that the subtle briny notes of feta can sometimes be overpowered by too much lemon or an olive oil that's too fruity. Saltiness varies from feta to feta too. Add the ingredients a little at a time and taste as you go.

For this old-fashioned Southern cucumber and onion salad, thin slices of cucumber and onion marinate just long enough to develop a touch of tanginess without any sharp bite. Serve with sweet dishes like barbecue to lend a refreshing balance.

This refreshing summer salsa combines cooling watermelon and cucumber with the kick from jalapeño. The heat from jalapeños can vary widely. For those that like the heat, use a whole jalapeño. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.

Sliced cucumbers tossed with rice-wine vinegar make for a refreshing and simple summer salad.

When you need a refreshing low-calorie snack, nibble on these Lemon-Pepper cucumbers for just 8 calories and 2 grams of carb. Plus the lemon juice and black pepper count as free foods!

You may not typically serve your cucumbers bruised, but intentionally smashing them releases their flavorful juices. Taking the time to soak the walnuts for this dish gives them a special soft texture and plumpness. Serve this vegetable dish with pita as part of a mezze platter or as a side salad.

Quinoa is a whole grain and contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. With its high fiber and antioxidant content it's easy to see why everyone is talking about quinoa these days! Try it with garden vegetables in this delicious, quick-and-easy dish.

Allowing the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving means the raw vegetables get a chance to soak up the tangy-sweet dressing in this healthy side dish recipe. Serve with grilled chicken, steak, mushrooms or tofu.

In this healthy Lebanese-inspired fattoush salad recipe, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are tossed with a yogurt dressing and topped with pita chips and feta cheese. Serve with Mediterranean grilled lamb chops or chicken.

Toasting the pita adds crunch to this bright-tasting salad, and a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of ground sumac--the berry of a bush that grows wild all over Lebanon--add depth. Letting the salad sit for a bit before eating allows the pita to soak up the lemony dressing.

Silken tofu thickens this cold cucumber soup while letting the flavor of fresh cucumber shine. The herbs and olive oil add an extra layer of flavor to this refreshing soup which will continue to thicken as it chills. But perhaps the best thing about the soup is that it comes together in 10 minutes in your blender!

Looks like tomato--surprise, it's watermelon.

This simple salad of chopped summer vegetables and herbs is typical of country salads served throughout the Mediterranean. It is best served right after mixing, but if you wish to make the salad ahead, add the tomatoes just before serving. Serve with warm pita bread.

Fresh spring greens are set off by a dressing that takes its cue from the classic bouillabaisse flavoring, a nutty, creamy, garlicky mélange that's stirred into the soup just before it's served.

In this beautiful riff on the traditional tomato, mozzarella and basil salad, sweet melon slices are layered with tomato and cucumber and topped with crumbled goat cheese, crisp onion and fresh basil. Any variety of pale green- or orange-fleshed melon will work well in this melon, tomato and onion salad. Compose the salad on a large platter for a crowd or make it more elegant by assembling it on individual plates. Either way it'll look gorgeous.

Quick-pickling adds bright flavor to this cucumber and lentil salad recipe, perfect for a simple lunch or as part of a larger meal. We like French green lentils for this salad because they hold their shape well when cooked. Look for them in natural-foods stores and well-stocked supermarkets.

This salad combines cucumber and jicama with a sweet-sour, slightly spicy vinaigrette and makes a great start to any Mexican-inspired meal.

Sweet peaches or nectarines, lemon and a kiss of ginger and chile sparkle against chewy red rice in this rice salad recipe. Bhutanese red rice has a delicate flavor and cooks in 20 minutes. Look for it near other whole-grain rice in natural-foods stores. Can't find Bhutanese rice? Use another red rice or brown rice and adjust the cooking time.

This tasty snack is ready in ten minutes.

Spicy and tangy, this cucumber and onion mixture is a refreshing accompaniment to grilled meats.

In this twist on a classic Middle Eastern tabbouleh recipe, we add juicy citrus, peppery watercress and cool, crunchy cucumber. Serve with grilled chicken or lamb kebabs, pita and tzatziki.

A summer staple, this flavorful salad--shown here with grilled tofu--is also good with grilled fish or chicken. Like all fresh tomato salads, it provides some fiber and a healthy dose of vitamin C.

Serve this Scandinavian-inspired salad for lunch on the patio, accompanied by some good rye bread or rye crisps.