Cucumbers, with their hydrating properties, low-carb content, and abundance of vitamins and minerals, are an ideal ingredient for keto-friendly snacks. Whether you're looking for a quick appetizer, a light lunch addition, or a fun way to enjoy your summer harvest, these keto cucumber snack recipes offer something for everyone.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
This quintessential summer salad is a guaranteed hit at any barbecue or gathering. It's creamy, fresh, tangy, and incredibly easy to prepare. Plus, it's low-carb, low-calorie, and easily customizable to fit various dietary needs.
Ingredients
- Cucumbers
- Sour cream
- White onions (or red onions/scallions)
- Optional additions: chopped pistachios, pecans, slivered almonds, pickled onions, chopped olives, red peppers, capers, parsley, chervil, chives, mint
Preparation
- Mix all ingredients except cucumbers and onions in a large bowl.
- Add cucumbers and onions and stir to coat.
- Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Variations
- Onion Alternatives: Use thinly sliced red onions or scallions for a milder flavor and a touch of color.
- Textural Elements: Add chopped pistachios, pecans, or slivered almonds for a satisfying crunch.
- Briny Accents: Incorporate pickled onions, chopped olives, red peppers (from a jar), or capers for a tangy contrast.
- Herbal Infusion: Enhance the flavor with fresh herbs like parsley, chervil, chives, or mint.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this refreshing cucumber salad alongside hearty dishes like Avocado Burgers or Black Bean Burgers.
Keto Cucumber Bites with Tuna
These easy keto cucumber bites with tuna make a perfect appetizer or fun snack. They're made with simple ingredients and require no plates, making cleanup a breeze.
Ingredients
- Cucumber (English or regular)
- Keto mayonnaise (or homemade keto mayonnaise)
- Spices: Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper
- Optional garnish: Parsley and red pepper flakes
- Tuna
Preparation
- Thoroughly wash the cucumber.
- Mix all ingredients and spices (except garnish) in a mixing bowl.
- Slice the cucumber into discs.
- Top each cucumber slice with the tuna mixture.
- Garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes, if desired.
- Serve fresh.
Storage
These cucumber tuna bites are best served fresh. If you must store them, refrigerate in an airtight container for no longer than a day.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Serving Suggestions and Variations
- Cucumber Cups: Slice cucumbers into 1-inch sizes to create cucumber cups.
- Marinade: Marinate the tuna, spices, and other ingredients in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for about two hours before placing on the cucumber discs.
- Flavor Enhancements: Add fresh veggies or bagel seasoning to the cucumber slices.
- Protein Alternatives: Use leftover shrimps, blackened shrimp, or air fryer shrimp to make delicious shrimp cucumber bites.
- Topping Alternatives: Apart from tuna, you can use nuts, sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, cheese.
Keto Cucumber Sandwiches
These easy keto cucumber snacks replace bread with slices of cucumber, sandwiching a seasoned cream cheese filling. It is a twist on the classic English cucumber sandwich.
Ingredients
- English cucumber
- Cream cheese (or vegan cream cheese)
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Optional fillings: peanut butter, almond butter, hummus
Preparation
- Par-peel the cucumber (optional).
- Slice the cucumber into thick rounds.
- Mix cream cheese with desired seasonings.
- Spread cream cheese mixture between two cucumber slices to form a sandwich.
- Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
Variations
- Vegan Option: Use a vegan cream cheese made with sunflower seeds for a low-carb alternative.
- Filling Alternatives: Experiment with peanut butter, almond butter, or hummus.
- Open-Faced Bites: Cut cucumbers into 2-inch disks, scoop out the center with a melon baller, and pipe in peanut butter.
Advance Preparation
You can prep these easy cucumber appetizers ahead but don’t put them all together until you are almost ready to serve. Go ahead and peel and slice your cucumbers well in advance. The cream cheese topping can also be made ahead of time. You can even pipe the topping onto the cucumber slices up to several hours in advance. Do keep in mind that if you refrigerate the cream cheese mixture, it will be too hard to pipe on right away. Don’t sprinkle with the seasoning until it’s almost time to serve, especially if they will be sitting at room temperature for a while, at a party.
Cucumber Bites with Creamy Garlic and Onion Dip
These cucumber bites are topped with a creamy garlic and onion dip mixture and garnished with fresh herbs.
Ingredients
- Cucumber
- Cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
- Onion granules
- Garlic granules
- Salt
- Chopped chives (or dill or other fresh herbs)
Preparation
- Peel the cucumber (partially or completely, as desired).
- Slice the cucumber into ¼ inch thick rounds.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, onion granules, garlic granules, and salt.
- Place a dollop of the creamy mixture on each cucumber round using a piping bag or spoon.
- Sprinkle with chopped chives or other herbs.
Storage
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two to three days, but consume as soon as possible for the best quality.
Low-Carb Cucumber Boats
These cucumber boats are a filling keto snack that can be easily customized with various toppings.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Ingredients
- Mini cucumbers
- Cream cheese
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper
- Bacon
- Chives
Preparation
- Cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble finely.
- Wash and dry the cucumbers. Cut them in half lengthwise.
- Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds, then pat the insides dry with a paper towel.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Fill the cucumber boats with the cream cheese mixture.
- Top with crumbled bacon and fresh chives.
Storage
Cucumber Boats can be prepped in advance and also keep well in the fridge for 1-2 days. To prep in advance, mix up the cream cheese filling and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cook and crumble the bacon, then reheat briefly just before assembling. For best results, wait to cut and de-seed the cucumbers until just before assembling.
Variations
- Dairy-Free Option: Substitute vegan cream cheese or almond cream cheese at a 1:1 ratio.
- Avocado: Guacamole can be used in place of mashed avocado.
- Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes or diced fresh beefsteak tomatoes could be used instead of grape tomatoes.
- Mustard: Either Dijon mustard or yellow mustard can be subbed for Stone-Ground Mustard at a 1:1 ratio.
Making Your Own Everything Bagel Seasoning
It’s ridiculously easy to make your own. And probably less expensive in the long run too. Done. Making your own seasoning quite honestly takes less than 5 minutes. More like two minutes. You can make as much or as little as you like. Love that everything bagel flavor? Make a big jar and sprinkle it on anything and everything. It will be fine for months.
Ingredients
- Mix all the ingredients together
Health Benefits of Cucumbers
Cucumbers are a fantastic addition to your diet due to their high water content, fiber, and essential nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and magnesium. They are also low in calories and carbs, making them ideal for weight loss and keto diets.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto