My Easy Retro Tip for Better Cucumber Salad

For centuries, cucumbers have been the vegetable MVP for parents. Even the pickiest of eaters I know will gladly munch on a refreshing cucumber slice.

I wouldn’t consider myself picky, but as a kid, my appreciation for fresh vegetables was a bit… lacking. My green veggie of choice? Sliced cucumbers drizzled with Ken’s Italian Dressing, which also happens to be the very best cucumber salad you can make with two ingredients.

When I was little, I vividly remember my mom making this for me as an after-school snack. Back then, fancy Persian or English cucumbers weren’t available to us; instead, it was just the basic slicing cucumber. My mom always made them special by using a fork to score the skin, which made them look a little like flowers.

Not Just for Show

As a kid, I thought this was just a fun and visually appealing way to serve cucumbers. Today, as a recipe developer, I’ve learned it also makes for a superior cucumber salad. By using a fork to cut grooves all over the cucumber’s surface, you’re helping the dressing get into the flesh and creating a textured surface where all the goodness can collect.

I particularly love this tip when I’m making an Asian-style cucumber salad with chili crisp. The grooves act like little magnets for bits of crispy garlic and red pepper flakes, ensuring every bite is full of flavor and texture.

My Tips for Making Cucumber Flowers

While this is one decorative cut that does not require chef-level knife skills, there are some tricks to make sure you get the best possible outcome.

First, use an English cucumber: Its skin is a bit thinner, making it easier to form the ridges, and they’re truly the perfect size for this hack. English cucumbers are substantial enough that they won’t get soggy as they sit in the dressing, yet thin enough that the flavors can permeate the produce.

I like to use a large fork and start by making a single pass, gently scoring the tines into the flesh. After the first pass, I make another in the already formed grooves; this ensures the ridges are deep enough to make an impact. I repeat this process all the way around the cucumber, then thinly slice it to reveal adorable, dainty flower-shaped cucumber slices.

My mom’s cucumber trick is an extra step, but it only takes about a minute. And, if you want to take your standard cucumber salad one step further, soak the slices in ice water for about 30 minutes for extra crispness. (Learn all about that trick, which I learned from my grandmother, here.)