15 Creative Cucumber Side Dishes

"Great salad to make when you have a ton of cucumbers coming out of the garden," says recipe creator Michelle Berger. "Let it sit for a few days in the fridge and it's even better! Great make-ahead dish for BBQs and parties."

Utilize summer produce like cucumber, honeydew melon, and avocado in this creamy soup. Since it's no-cook, you'll be able to keep your kitchen cool while whipping up this dish.

For this simple side, all you need to do is chop and mix the ingredients for a quick 30-minute marinating session. Serve this recipe during your next Taco Tuesday. 

A traditional Middle Eastern grain salad, tabbouleh starts with a base of bulgur and has a fresh, bright flavor thanks to lots of herbs, tomatoes, and cucumbers. 

"I love this recipe because it is delicious and refreshing," says Lisa Lou. "It is an added bonus that it is very quick and easy to make too."

Sumac, a lemony spice found in specialty or Middle Eastern grocery stores, is the secret ingredient to this tangy salad. The standard salad fare — lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber — is made heartier with the addition of toasted pitas.

Recipe creator Carmen says, "My husband isn't crazy about fried green tomatoes, but he loves these. This is a different and easy way to use up all the cucumbers in the garden! They can be dipped in ranch dressing, horseradish sauce, or salsa."

Get all your favorite flavors from guacamole, but in this refreshing salad form. Crisp cucumbers pair up with creamy avocado, tangy lime, and fresh garlic. 

Marinated in a super savory blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, these cool cucumbers get quite the fiery kick from red pepper flakes and chili oil. If you want less heat, reduce the amount of or eliminate the pepper flakes. 

Whether you serve it on the side, or top your next gyro with it, this creamy dish will soon become a family favorite. "Refreshing on a hot summer day," says reviewer LAFLRA. "My husband said it was just like the stuff they serve in Turkey."

Lime-marinated tilapia pairs up with cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions for this refreshing seafood salad. Put a scoop on your plate to enjoy as is, or serve with crackers for dipping.

Packed with veggies and herbs, this cold noodle salad is the perfect side dish for a Vietnamese dinner. If vegetarian fish sauce isn't available in your area, many reviewers successfully substituted with traditional fish sauce or soy sauce. 

If you're not a fan of mayo-based potato salad, then this is the recipe for you. In this lighter take, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions are all tossed together in a combination of tangy Italian dressing and crumbled feta cheese.

Reviewer Caroline Botti says, "This summer slaw is delicious! It has a sweet and sour taste, and is super easy to make!" If you like your slaw a little less on the sweet side, some reviewers suggest starting with a lower amount of sugar and adding to taste.

The key to this creamy salad is salting the cucumbers ahead of time. This draws out excess moisture and fixes the common complaint of cucumber salads being watery.