Kristen Martinelli

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Cucumber Boats

Published June 13, 2021

As I mentioned with last week’s viral bell pepper sandwich recipe, healthy alternative snacks have been trending across social media. One of those recipes is an easy cucumber boat recipe that’s packed with flavor.

So for this week, I’m showing you the 4-step process for a healthy cucumber boat snack.

Ingredients for Cucumber Boats

If you grow your own cucumbers or like to bake, then you may already have 2 of the 3 ingredients for this snack.

I bought my everything bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s. You can also order the seasoning online or create your own homemade version by combining a variety of spices.

How to Make Cucumber Boats

Tools for this Dish

  • Cutting board

  • Sharp knife

  • Butter Knife

  • Plate for serving

Cooking Notes

Use Room Temperature Cream Cheese

I took my cream cheese out of the refrigerator only a few minutes before I needed to use it. I felt that this would be fine because the cream cheese would be nice and chilled.

However, I did struggle a bit when swiping the cream cheese into the hollowed out section of the cucumber. Because it was chilled, the cream cheese was more likely to stick to my butter knife than the actual cucumber.

My recommendation is to try and let your cream cheese soften at room temperature — or try whipped cream cheese.

Drying the Cucumber

Some of my challenges with the cream cheese may have been from excess water. After removing the cucumber seeds, you need to dry the cucumber well. I gave my cucumber halves a decent pat, but I think there may have been excess moisture that prevented the cream cheese from sticking easily.

The Final Product

Just like the bell pepper sandwich recipe, this cucumber boat has a satisfying crunch when you eat it.

As you can see from my photos, I tried to cut the cucumber to be decorative, but as I mentioned above, the cool cream cheese does not stay in place, and is likely to fall out when cut. It’s best for this single-serving snack to lift the cucumber boat and eat it without cutting.

Recipe Score

I give the viral bell pepper sandwich recipe a 10/10 for the following:

  • Recipe Level

    • Easy: This recipe does not require any cooking. It uses whole ingredients that you combine together for an easy snack.

  • Ingredients

    • You can find the 3 ingredients for this recipe at your local grocery store. Or if you cook frequently or grow your own food, you may already have them in your pantry.

  • Prep

    • If you want your cream cheese to go on smoothly, I’d recommend taking it out to soften at room temperature before you make this snack.

  • Flavor

    • 10/10: This snack has all of the flavors and textures you would want — fresh, crisp cucumber, crunchy and flavorful bagel seasoning, and smooth cream cheese.

K. Martinelli Makes Cucumber Boats

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Have you made cucumber boats before?

Leave a comment if you’ve made this recipe before! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Looking for more recipe inspiration? Check out my appetizer recipes here.