Cucumber Peel: How to Use It in Cooking and a Zero Waste Recipe

Welcome to a new edition of our Zero Waste in the Kitchen column!
Today we value the cucumber peel, often discarded but rich in vitamins and minerals.

Cucumber peels contain. vitamin C, essential for the immune system and to fight free radicals, and vitamin K, important for blood clotting and bone health. With a little creativity they can be made into fresh sauces, dressings or creams, reducing waste in the kitchen without sacrificing taste.

Find out how to prepare a refreshing sauce with cucumber peel, perfect for appetizers, vegetables, meat or fish.

Cucumber peel

As we have seen in previous releases of the Zero Waste column, vegetable peels are extremely rich in nutritional properties. Learning how to use them in recipes is a great way to combat food waste, but also a tasty way to take care of ourselves, as these are rich in nutrients.

Cucumber is one of the star vegetables in many summer recipes and this is due to its particularly fresh flavor; in addition, being rich in water and potassium, it is perfect for hydrating the body.

La Cucumber peel is rich in minerals and vitamins and in fact it is in the peel that the Vitamin C, critical for the immune system and also important for neutralizing free radicals.

Also present in the peel in large quantities is the Vitamin K, involved in the process of blood clotting and essential for keeping bones in shape.

It is therefore important not to remove the skin of the cucumber, and with this recipe you can make a delicious sauce, very similar to Tzatziki, perfect for an aperitif and as an accompaniment for dishes from vegetables to fish and meat.

Salsa with cucumber peel, refresh your summer

Ingredients: 

• Peel of one cucumber (organic and untreated)
• ½ clove of garlic
• ½ cup of whole white yogurt
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Mint

Preparation:

1. Wash the cucumber peel well.

2. Put it in the blender along with yogurt, mint, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.

3. Blend until smooth.

4. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and store in the refrigerator for about an hour.

5. Serve as an appetizer, with raw vegetables, or to flavor meat and fish.

A fresh, healthy and tasty recipe that completely enhances the cucumber peel!

More Zero Waste ideas and recipes

• With the cucumber peels you can also prepare some tasty rolls with crescenza cheese and cherry tomatoes.
• I black cabbage stalks are the secret ingredient of the pesto Zero Waste.
• If you are looking for new Zero Waste recipes just visit the dedicated section.
• I cucumbers are among the protagonists of our Gazpacho cool: a real treat that will refresh your summer.