Martha Stewart Cooks Her Cucumbers—And You Should, Too

There are a million ways to prepare summer's abundance of cucumbers—slicing and pickling being the most popular—but have you ever cooked one? I'll admit that I didn't see a need to try it—that was until I saw a Martha Stewart recipe for Sautéed Cucumber back in 2003.

I thought, "Well, I’ll try this some time," curious to see whether the juicy veggie benefits from cooking them down in a pan. I hung on to the idea for some time, until a neighbor presented me with a few cucumbers that she had picked from her over-productive plant. My husband was skeptical, but he often is; I figured if he didn’t like it, I’d eat it myself since it’s just a cucumber. 

Turns out, the mild, sweet vegetable takes on another dimension when lightly browned in butter and tossed with fresh herbs. Even my husband had to admit it was surprisingly good.

How to Cook and Serve Sautéed Cucumber

For Martha's recipe, I peeled and halved my cucumber and scooped out its seeds to get rid of the watery pulp. (You don’t have to do this, but I think it’s a nice touch.) Martha recommends using an English cucumber, but I’ve also sautéed more common cukes as well; they're fine as long as they're smaller and younger and not overly mature with large, bitter seeds.

When cooking, it's important to keep the heat on medium and to not go longer than the 5 minutes, as the recipe directs. The cucumber is full of water, so if you go lower or longer, it will start to weep its liquid and turn mushy. At the right heat and timing, the butter slightly browns and coats the cucumber. 

Martha adds the salt to the cuke in the pan. I prefer to add the salt right before serving, along with the fresh herbs. Salt is famous for drawing out moisture, making it great for certain techniques, such as pickling, but not in this case. If it's added too early, the cucumbers will start to weep in the pan.

Martha's Sautéed Cucumber is a quick side dish for a summer meal, perfect alongside grilled chicken or fish. But these can also tumble over a green salad for a warm contrast to the cool greens. Or, toss them with tiny, fresh mozzarella balls and some thinly sliced onion red onion for a light lunch. Thanks to Martha, I found a new way to serve this familiar (and abundant) summer vegetable.

Martha’s Sautéed Cucumber

• 1 medium English cucumber
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Chopped fresh dill or parsley

Peel the cucumber and cut it into large chunks.

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cucumber. Cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with the salt and dill or parsley and serve.