There’s probably nothing better than a light and refreshing cucumber salad when you’re in the mood for a quick, satisfying snack. That should come as no surprise, considering how these slightly bitter yet sweet members of the gourd family consist of around 96% water. But if you’ve tried Alice Waters’ pro-tip for perfectly crunchy cucumber salads, then you surely know that how you prep them has a huge impact on the overall flavor. Hence, while reaching for your favorite kitchen knife and slicing the cucumbers might seem more convenient, there’s a good reason why crushing them takes your salad to a whole new level.
Let’s be honest here: giving your cucumbers a good smack with a skillet might just be the stress relief we all need. However, that’s not the sole reason why it makes them taste more satisfying. As it turns out, by actually smashing them (and even crushing them with your hands afterward), the fruit’s cell walls burst open, allowing all of the water stored in the cells to escape the now-damaged internal structure more readily and quickly, especially after adding a pinch of salt. This process prevents your cucumber salad from turning into a mushy mess. And it’s not just a lack of water retention that makes this smashing process the more ideal preparation method — it also helps your cucumber salad taste better.
Uneven cucumber edges soak up more dressing
When you’re throwing together a cucumber salad and experimenting with a toppings like Greek yogurt, or maybe some vinegar, soy sauce, diced red onions, or fresh dill for a tangy twist (double-check you don’t confuse fennel and dill, there’s a difference), you want all that goodness to stick to the cucumbers, not just slide to the bottom of the bowl. And that’s where smashing the cucumbers really helps. This method creates more surface area on your cucumbers, which is what your extra ingredients desperately need in order to stay put.
If you’re planning to make that viral TikTok cucumber salad, opt for crushing your cucumbers instead of using a dangerous mandolin slicer for thinly sliced, uniform pieces. It may seem counter-productive, but the uneven chunks with jagged edges that you end up with after crushing actually makes it easier for the dressing to stick to the cucumber, turning every piece into a juicy, flavorful bite.
To try out this little trick, the only thing you need to do is grab a fresh cucumber and a resealable bag, so don’t end up with pieces of fruit flying across your kitchen. After you cut the cucumbers into thirds, place them inside the bag and seal it. The next and final step? You guessed it – take your favorite kitchen pan and give the pieces a nice whack. Just don’t overdo it and turn them to mush — you’re not making a cucumber soup, after all.
