Refreshing Cucumber Sandwiches Recipe
If you are feeling fancy and want to add a little British flair to your next gathering, we've got the recipe for you — cucumber sandwiches! This recipe is brought to us by wellness coach Miriam Hahn and will have you looking for someone in need of a wedding or baby shower. "My favorite thing about this recipe is how light and fresh these sandwiches are and how pretty they look when serving," Hahn explains.
Cucumber sandwiches became popular during the Victorian era and are now a mainstay at high tea in England. Since they are delicate in flavor, they blend well with many types of entertaining food and are simple enough to make with no sandwich-making experience. Hahn says, "I especially like to include cucumber sandwiches if I am going for a finger foods-only gathering which keeps people up and mingling. They pair nicely with mini quiches, deviled eggs, and fruit tarts." They also make for a simple but refreshing appetizer or snack all on their own — learn how to make them in just a few easy steps.
Gather the ingredients for cucumber sandwiches
To make this recipe, you will need a few fresh items from the produce aisle: fresh dill, chives, an English cucumber, and some watercress. Additionally, you will want to grab some chive-flavored cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, garlic granules, and some good old-fashioned white bread. Hahn tells us that English cucumbers are pretty important here because they are less watery and will help avoid soggy sandwiches. She also says, "If you can't find chive cream cheese, plain will work fine and a spreadable variety is better than a block."
The special ingredient in this recipe is the watercress. "I love how it complements the delicate sandwiches without overpowering them like a heavy green would do." Hahn shares. If you have trouble finding watercress, she suggests using pea shoots or kale microgreens that can be found in the sprouts section of your grocery store. If you are worried about an attendee showing up with a dairy or egg allergy, you can, of course, use dairy-free mayonnaise and cream cheese and be worry-free.
Make the cream cheese mixture
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill, chives, salt, and garlic granules. This is the "glue" in this sandwich and will hold everything together.
Slice the cucumber
The star of the show, our cucumber, needs to be sliced up, and now is the time. You want to slice it pretty thin but no need to get the mandoline out — with a sharp kitchen knife you can get the perfect slice. Most English cucumbers are pretty long, so you will have some leftovers to munch on as you assemble.
Remove the crust from the bread
Now it's time to remove those pesky crusts. Like all cucumber sandwiches we are going crustless, so stack up a couple of pieces of bread and remove the crust, then cut the bread in half to form 2 rectangles.
Assemble the sandwiches and serve
Layer some of the cream cheese mixture on a piece of bread, top it with 2-3 cucumber slices, and some watercress, and top with bread. Finish it off with a cucumber slice on top held firmly with a toothpick or sandwich pick. If you won't be serving these right away, seal them up in an air-tight container and place into the fridge. Leftovers will be fine the next day but Hahn says these sandwiches are best to make the day of the event. You will feel cool as a cucumber setting this platter down as you get oohs and ahhs from the guests!
- 8 ounces chive flavored cream cheese
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 English cucumber
- 8 slices white bread
- 2 cups watercress
- In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, dill, chives, salt, and garlic granules.
- Slice the cucumber into thin, ¼-inch slices.
- Cut the crust off the bread and cut in half to create rectangles.
- Spread a layer of the cream cheese mixture onto the bread. Layer with 2 to 3 slices of cucumber and about ¼ cup of watercress. Close the sandwich and top with 1 cucumber slice and secure with a toothpick or sandwich pick.
- Serve immediately as an appetizer or teatime snack.
| Calories per Serving | 463 |
| Total Fat | 32.5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13.1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 68.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 33.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 6.6 g |
| Sodium | 593.5 mg |
| Protein | 10.5 g |
