I had a problem – too many cucumbers to eat in salads, but not enough to make pickles. This sent me searching through my hundred-year-old cookbooks for cucumber recipes. One cookbook suggested dipping cucumber spears into a batter and then frying them. I decided to give it a try.
The Fried Cucumbers were delicious and easy to make with a lovely crispy coating and a delightful slight crunch when I bit into them. They are versatile, and make a great appetizer or side dish. Fried Cucumbers would be lovely with a dipping sauce – though it definitely is not needed.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Fried Cucumbers
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3-5 medium cucumbers (number needed depends upon size)
shortening or oil
Prepare a batter by combining the flour, salt, eggs, and milk in a mixing bowl. Beat until combined.
Cut the cucumbers into spears that are approximately 1-inch wide. Dip the spears in the batter.
Heat 1/2 inch of shortening or oil in a large frying pan. Carefully place the breaded spears in the pan in a single layer. Depending upon pan size, the spears may need to be cooked in several batches. Fry for about a minute or until the bottom side of each cucumber spear is lightly browned, then gently turn and fry until the other side is browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.
And, here is the description in the old cookbook about how to prepare cucumbers. I didn’t try the suggestion for boiling and mashing them (there’s always another day), and just followed the instructions in the last paragraph about frying them.
A Hundred Years Ago 
I have never fried cucumbers.
This was the first time I’ve ever had them – though I ate fried pickles once at the state fair. 🙂
I’m not much into deep frying but this sounds very interesting!
I love the “if too old to serve in this way”. They really tried to make the best even out of limp vegetables back than. It’s so admirable. 🙂
Yes, I like how they really tried back then to find ways to use the foods they had, including over-ripe vegetables and other “seconds,” in ways that would result in little waste.
This is a new one on me! But it sounds good!
Until I saw Fried Cucumbers mentioned in the old cookbook, I wasn’t familiar with them either – but they were good and I’m glad that I made them.
Oh I must try this one… Cucumbers are stacking up in the frig…. Thanks!!
Glad to be of help. 🙂
I enjoy stir fried cucumbers but this idea is intriguing. I suppose it would work well for courgettes too.
I think that a courgette is what we call zucchini in the U.S. Yes, this would work well with them. In fact, the Fried Cucumbers reminded me a little of Fried Zucchini – but the Fried Cucumbers had slight crispy, crunch when I bit into them, (and, of course a mild cucumber taste). 🙂
Yes, courgette = zucchini. We use both terms here. I usually use courgette because I can never remember how to spell zucchini. 😀
You’re not the only one. I have to check it, every time.
phew!
Must have been the inspiration for deep-fried dill pickles. And yes, courgette is another word for zucchini.
Makes sense to me that fried cucumbers were the inspiration for fried dill pickles. It’s interesting how this squash has two very different names.
I, too, am in this predicament with cucumbers and zucchini. I was going to Google recipes but no need now. I’m still fairly new to growing and cooking so please pardon me but is 1/2″ of shortening or oil really needed? Could I just use a couple tbs of oil?
I think that just a couple tablespoons of oil would work fine – especially if you use a no-stick pan.
What perfect timing! I’m having the same issue. Not enough for pickles… I never would’ve thought of this, but have had fried pickles. Can’t wait to try it!
I think that you’ll like it.
This is another recipe that sounds kind of icky at first but I trust you and you say it’s delicious so . . . maybe I’ll try it! Have you tried any of these old recipes and really simply hated it?
With the exception of a couple hundred-year-old candy recipes (which can be very tricky to interpret), I don’t think that I’ve ever had a total failure when making old recipes. I’ve definitely liked some recipes more than others. Some I absolutely love- and they’ve become part the repertoire of recipes that I regularly make for my family, many are good and I may or may not make them again, and a few I definitely won’t make again. I always struggle with whether I should post the recipes that I didn’t particularly care for, and if I do how to describe them. Sometimes I’m very surprised how other people seem to really like recipes that weren’t my personal favorites. For example, I didn’t really like the hundred-year-old recipe for Beet Relish that called for lots of horseradish – yet it’s been a reasonably popular post, and I have sense that some people like it.
I’ll pass on this one, since I’m trying to avoid most fried foods, and don’t like cucumbers to start with. But I suspect for cucumber fans they would be quite tasty, and yes, it is a good way to deal with just-over-the-hill veggies.
This definitely sounds like a recipe you should skip. 🙂
I also never heard of fried cucumbers, but I do remember my Mom frying zucchini and tomatoes from the garden.
It’s definitely part of the same genre of recipes as Fried Zucchini and Fried Tomatoes. My sense is that fried vegetables (with the exception of French Fries) were more popular in the past than what they are now. 🙂
How creative! I have had fried pickles, but never fried cucumber. Seems like it would be delicious though 🙂
Fried Cucumbers don’t have the sweet-sour spiciness of Fried Pickles, but there’s a similar crispiness and cucumber flavor.
That sounds worth a try. I’ve had fried pickles and fried green beans, but never cucumbers. I wonder if the taste is similar to fried zucchini, which I love?
If you like Fried Zucchini, I think that you’d really like these. In many ways they are similar, yet they are also different. Both have a delicate taste- but the Fried Cucumbers have a slight cucumber taste. The Fried Cucumbers also have a slight crunch when you bite into them.
I think these would taste great on a hot summer night with a dipping sauce similar to what I use for Chinese dumplings—soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, etc. I’ll give it a try!
The dipping sauce would be perfect with Fried Cucumbers.
I’ve not tried deep fried cucumbers or cooked cucumbers other than pickles. They look and sound like a tangy tasty treat.
Fried Cucumbers are tender- yet also crispy. They have a delicate cucumber flavor. If you like tangy, serve them with a dipping sauce. 🙂
We cut courgettes into chips, batter and deep fry them to serve with fish and chips. They are really addictive and the whole fried dinner is really naughty! It’s definitely a once a year treat. I guess that a hundred years ago everyone grew their own and had to find different ways to make them interesting! I certainly put sliced cucumber in stir fries if I need extra veggies.
I agree – fried vegetables are tasty. 🙂
Mom used to serve cucumbers by slicing them into a bowl of vinegar. We used vinegar much more than I do today. As for batter frying them, I’ve eaten other vegetables done this way. Battered fried dill pickles are a delicious treat at a pub-type restaurant I know.
Your mother’s way of serving cucumbers sounds similar to how my family always made (and I still make) Cucumbers and Onions. We mixed 1 part sugar, 1 part vinegar, and 1 part water in a bowl, and then put sliced cucumbers and onions into it. I did a post on it several years ago: Cucumbers and Onions.
Going to try it!
Wow, so good and so simple. I’ll have to try this next time I pick up some cukes! Thanks!
I think that you’ll like them. Easy recipes are the best. 🙂
what a great idea!
In my neck of the woods, we often see fried pickles on the menu. Why not fried cukes?
Love it!
It’s wonderful to hear that you enjoyed this post. Fried pickles are a popular state fair food here, but I don’t think that I’ve ever seen them in a restaurant.
I made these ,of course , me being me I tweaked the recipe just a little . I used old bay seasoning,and a little onion salt in the flour then fried like the recipe. Then I served it with a sauce that one would use for blooming onions.
1 cup of mayo
1/4 cup of ketchup
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/8 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
My family loved it!!
Oh … I did peel them first, flour stuck on great.
mmm. . . This sounds wonderful. I like how you tweaked the recipe. The use of Bay Seasoning was inspired.
Any amount of Cucumber can make a pint or quart of refrigerator pickles. Quick & easy.
Yes, refrigerator pickles are an excellent way to use a small (or larger) amount of cucumbers.