Your Cucumber Salad Needs Crunch. Pistachios Hold The Key

Cucumber salad is a quintessential summer medley that's as cooling as it is crispy. Beyond its refreshing bravado and satisfying mouthfeel, cucumber salad is customizable to boot. When you're jazzing it up to reflect your unique tastes, don't just select the basics; be a little nutty and take this crave-curbing classic salad from ordinary to extraordinary by introducing pistachios.

Although cucumbers are crunchy, each bite gives way to a green-tasting blast of water. Adding pistachios to the mix can firm up the salad by giving it a more substantial, solid, and liquid-free crunch for a more dynamic mouthfeel. Similarly, pistachios bring a buttery, herbaceous, and notably nutty taste to the light, mild flavor of cucumbers. Although they have a unique taste of their own, pistachios play well with other cucumber salad classics, ensuring you never have to compromise on or omit your favorite fixings.

In addition to the flavor and texture upgrade, pistachios provide cucumber salads with a bolstered nutritional edge. Teeming with fiber, protein, antioxidants, and healthy fats, a pistachio-kissed cucumber salad is delicious and nutritious — what's not to love?

When introducing pistachios to your cucumber salad, there are some practical tips to keep in mind to maximize their impact on the dish. Don't worry: It doesn't take Michelin star skills to bring this nutty, refreshing salad to life.

First, consider whether you'd prefer slivered, crushed, or whole pistachios in your cucumber salad. Slivered pistachios offer a delicate crunch and elegant look; crushed pistachios provide a rustic texture and intense flavor thanks to the diffusion of their oils, while whole pistachios deliver a bold crunch and striking visual appeal. To boost the ease of preparation, purchase shelled pistachios and avoid the tedious process of cracking them. If you want to crush whole pistachios, lean on your food processor to do the dirty work. No food processor? No problem. Bag them and seal them up, then pulverize them with a rolling pin to grind whole pistachios. If you want to think outside the box, blend pistachios into a creamy salad dressing instead.

Cucumbers are replete with water, and adding pistachios to the salad too early can destroy their quality by leaving them wilted and soggy. Add the nuts just before serving to preserve their crunch. It can be tricky to skewer individual nuts with a fork, which means serving a cucumber-pistachio salad with a spoon is the practical cutlery for this summery dish.

Cucumbers and pistachios tucked into a bowl is a delicious meal in and of itself. However, there are some easy ways to jazz up this light and zippy salad to give it an added dimension of flavor.

Get fruity and cut up some sweet, juicy watermelon to incorporate into a nutty cucumber salad. A watermelon cucumber salad shaded with the fragrant notes of pistachio culminates in a garden-fresh tapestry of flavors further enhanced by rich, tangy, and crumbly feta cheese and invigorating mint. Although it's an unusual combination of ingredients, this sophisticated fruit salad is the perfect lunch or dinner appetizer.

If you're not in the mood for anything sweet, grab some chili crisp for a touch of heat. The crispy, dehydrated alliums bring a satisfyingly savory depth to the peripheral edge of the salad, while the chili flakes provide a bold but never brash spark of heat to those cooling cucumber flavors. Don't forget a yogurt dill dressing to balance the heat and give your dish a creamy finish. 

Although it's just one of many delicious and creative ways to use nuts in your cooking, adding pistachios to a cucumber salad is one of the tastiest. Whether you prefer a no-frills bowl or one topped with added ingredients, where there are pistachios and cucumbers, there is satiating enjoyment.