Cucumber Sandwich (One Pan)

Quick and easy cucumber sandwich recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pan in 10 minutes. Packed with garlic herb cream cheese and fresh cucumbers. Also known as cucumber cream cheese sandwich or cucumber dill sandwiches and even English cucumber finger sandwiches.

These are so light and refreshing that they are great to serve as an appetizer, lunch, or snack just like this Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (One Pan) and this Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich (One Pan) or Loose Meat Sandwich (Tavern Sandwich).

The fresh, crisp cucumbers, garlic herb cream cheese mixture, and soft bread all come together in perfect harmony. Make them for your next brunch, baby shower, or tea with friends and I bet there won't be any leftovers.

How to make cucumber sandwiches?

1. Spread cream cheese-Do this on one side of all the bread slices.
2. Arrange cucumbers- Place them on top of half the bread slices.
3. Add herbs- Sprinkle dill and chives on top of the cucumbers.
4. Enjoy- Stick the other slice of bread on top of the cucumbers. Cut into 2 or 4 pieces (if you want smaller finger sandwiches for appetizer) and dig in!

Whats to serve with cucumber sandwich recipe?

They are usually enjoyed on their own with tea.

However, they also pair well with a fresh fruit salad or a green salad such as this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing (One Bowl).

You can also serve it with soup to make a hearty meal. Try this Chicken Vegetable Soup (One Pot), Tomato Basil Soup Recipe (One Pot), or Carrot Ginger Soup (One Pot).

Homemade garlic herb cream cheese

If you can't find garlic herb cream cheese at the market or you have run out of it, make it at home. Mix together the following ingredients to make your own unique cream cheese blend. The quantities of all the ingredients can be adjusted, based on your preference.

• 8 oz. Cream cheese-  Full fat, Softened
• 3 tbsp Mayonnaise-  Full fat
• 2 tsp Dill-  Fresh, Finely chopped
• 1 tsp Chives-  Fresh, Finely chopped
• 1-2 tsp-  Garlic powder
• Salt-  To taste
• Pepper-  To taste

Once this cream cheese mixture is prepared, store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How do you keep cucumber tea sandwiches from getting soggy?

Pat each cucumber slice dry with paper towels to reduce moisture.

Also, make sure the slices of bread are covered completely with cream cheese mixture before you place the cucumbers on them. This will create a barrier between the cucumbers and bread and keep the bread from becoming soggy.

Variations

Use other flavors of cream cheese- Such as garden vegetable, chive and onion, or cracked pepper cream cheese. There are so many varieties in the market these days.

Make it an open faced sandwich- These are very popular these days and also very beautiful. Just don't cover the cucumbers with another slice of bread.

Use other herbs- Such as finely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, chives, dill, parsley, mint, rosemary or sage.

Sprinkle some seasonings- Such as ranch dressing/ ranch powder, Italian seasoning or lemon pepper seasoning for added flavor.

Use different bread- Such as pumpernickel, rye, or whole wheat.

Make it spicy- Add red pepper flakes to the cream cheese mixture, or even finely diced jalapenos.

Make it without bread- If your guests have gluten allergies, you can use 2 slices of cucumber as the "bread" and spread the cream cheese mixture in between. Just use slightly thicker slices of cucumber so they can hold up the cheese mixture.

Change the shape of the sandwich- Use cookie cutters to make them into a circle shape or any other shape you like. You can serve as is, or stick a toothpick in it for easy appetizer serving.

Storage

Can you put sandwiches in the fridge overnight? Yes, you can do this. Store them in a sealed container. They should remain fresh till the next day.

Can you freeze sandwiches? No, because they will become soggy when thawed.

Can I make sandwiches the night before a party? Yes! Follow the recipe according to the directions below. Make sure to cover the slices of bread completely with the cream cheese mixture to prevent the bread from becoming soggy from cucumbers. Then, store them in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Tips and Techniques

What kind of bread to use? I used thick white bread with the crust cut off for presentation purposes, but you can use other breads such as pumpernickel, rye, or whole wheat. It's up to your personal preference.

Use full fat ingredients- This provides the best rich flavor and creamy texture.

Cucumbers must be very thinly sliced- This allows for the perfect ratio of cream cheese to cucumber, and produces the best flavor and texture.

Do I need to peel the cucumbers? This is up to you. I like the green edges for presentation purposes and their crisp texture. However, if you like cucumbers peeled, then feel free to do so.

Feed a crowd- Just double all the ingredients in this recipe to make a big batch for parties.

Do you have to cut the crust off the bread? Yes, traditionally, the crust is removed for an elegant presentation.

More Cucumber Recipes

• Cucumber Tomato Salad (One Bowl)
• Creamy Cucumber Salad (One Bowl)
• Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe (One Bowl)

Recipe

Happy cooking everyone!