Fruits like apples, avocados, and melons produce ethylene gas as they ripen. This naturally occurring phenomenon can cause fruits and veg stored with the ethylene-releasing culprits to ripen faster in turn, and cucumbers are particularly sensitive to this second-hand reaction. In some cases, the contact can be a benefit: store your green bananas next to the avocados and they’ll both be ripe in time for breakfast! But, in the case of cucumbers, soft herbs, and leafy greens, it only expedites the process of decay.
To maximize the freshness of your cucumbers, tuck the towel-wrapped fruit inside a plastic bag, leaving it open at the top (a little airflow helps prevent condensation from collecting around the cucumbers). The plastic provides an extra barrier to protect the fruit from ethylene gas produced by, say, neighboring apples. We also recommend keeping ethylene-producing fruits and veg separate from your cukes—find a full breakdown here.
Once you’ve washed and wrapped them, the best way to store cucumbers is in the crisper drawer (a.k.a. produce drawer) of your fridge, set on high humidity with the fan closed. High humidity helps the ethylene-sensitive fruit retain moisture and keeps it from wilting. Follow these food storage tips and your cucumbers should be good for about a week, ready to use in refreshing cucumber salad, cocktails, or any number of cucumber recipes.
How to store sliced cucumbers:
As much as we love meal prep, leaving cucumbers whole will prolong their shelf life—the skins protect the delicate flesh inside. Whole cucumbers will last for up to a week in the fridge, whereas sliced cucumbers will start to soften and wilt almost immediately.
But if you want to store a cut cucumber, there’s a way: Cut only the amount you want to use, then cover the exposed end with plastic wrap or a reusable food hugger, pop it back into its swaddling in the bag, and use within three days. Cucumber slices will keep for even less time: cover them with a damp paper towel, store in an airtight container in the fridge, and use within a day or two.
It’s worth noting that the course of nature can only be evaded for so long. If your cucumbers have started to go soft, you’ve got options. Pickling cucumbers couldn’t be simpler—and results in the best homemade pickles. But you can also turn soft cucumbers into gazpacho, spritzes, soup, or smoothies.
