Cucumber Water is an easy infused water recipe for a cool, delicious drink with fresh cucumbers and optional mint leaves for extra flavor!
Creamy Orange Julius and Iced Sea Salt Coffee are some of our favorite indulgent Summer Drinks. When you want a healthy drink alternative to your sugary drinks, this refreshing Cucumber Water definitely hits the spot!
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About our Cucumber Water Recipe
When you are looking for a refreshing drink with a range of health benefits, there is nothing as simple and classic as Cucumber Water. Made with just fresh cucumber slices, cold water, and ice, this easy cucumber-infused drink is can be ready in minutes, or you can chill it for a couple hours for even colder water full of fresh flavor. Plus, you can add some fresh mint leaves for an even more refreshing taste!
This delicious, healthy drink recipe is perfect for summer days when you want something more hydrating and tasty than plain water. It has more health benefits than fresh juice and gives you a little natural boost of energy that won’t leave you jittery like caffeinated drinks. Refreshing Cucumber Water isn’t just a weight loss or spa drink, it tastes amazing too! Add some sparkling water or club soda to your fresh cucumber-infused water and you won’t even miss sugary soda.
Cucumber Water Ingredients
- Cucumber: While you can certainly use just about any type of cucumber you want, the best variety to use for delicious cucumber detox water is your everyday, basic garden cucumber! That’s right, a simple regular cucumber is gonna make the most refreshing cucumber flavored drink. The key is to slice it very thin that way you don’t have to peel the skin first.
- Chilled Water: You want to start with relatively chilled water, even though you are adding ice. The cold water will keep the extra cucumber slices you add to the water pitcher nice and crisp. Plus starting with colder water means you can start enjoying this healthy drink recipe sooner. Make sure to use the drinking water you like, for example if you prefer spring water, don’t use water bottles of distilled water.
- Ice Cubes: For the best tasting cucumber-infused water, make your own ice cubes with bottled water. Of course you can always use the ice that comes from the freezer, but this ensures it’s fresh water with no freezer smells. Plus you can get ice cube trays with different shapes to make this healthy drink recipe fun too!
- Mint Leaves: The fresh mint leaves are optional but they definitely add a cool minty taste to regular cucumber water. The mint also adds to the health benefits of cucumber water, making it a great detox drink and it adds natural energy. It could even replace your favorite coffee drinks!
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Water Pitcher: You don’t need a special infusion pitcher, just a regular water pitcher will work. You want it big enough to fill your pitcher with water, ice, and the extra slices with room to stir the mixture. It should also fit in your fridge to keep the cucumber water cool.
- Wooden Spoon: You’ll need a big wooden spoon that is long enough you can easily blend slices of cucumber, and mint if using, in the bottom of your pitcher. It’s better to blend slices in the pitcher so you don’t miss any of that delicious taste of cucumber.
How to Make Cucumber Water
Time needed: 2 hours.
- Prep the Cucumber
Clean an unpeeled cucumber very well, scrubbing the skin gently. Trim off the edges. Slice the cucumber thinly, about ⅛ inch slices. Divide into 3 even batches of slices. Reserve 1 batch of slices for the garnish.
- Extract the Juices
Place 1 batch of slices in the bottom of your pitcher and using a wooden spoon, gently mash the slices. Pour the chilled water in pitcher. Add the remaining slices to the water.
- Chill and Serve
Chill the water in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Serve the cucumber-infused drink with the ice cubes and extra slices of cucumber as a garnish. If you want to chill it faster, use an extra large pitcher and add ice directly to the water.
- Cucumber Mint Water
Add half the mint to the slices of cucumber you are muddling and mash gently. Fill the pitcher as usual and serve with a sprig of mint along with the extra slices of cucumber.
Nutritional Facts
| Calories: | 6kcal | Protein: | 0.3g |
| Carbohydrates: | 1g | Fat: | 0.1g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | Sodium: | 19mg |
| Fiber: | 0.5g | Sugar: | 1g |
Making Cucumber Water Tips & Tricks
Making the best cucumber-infused water has never been easier with these tips!
- Keeping the cucumbers crisp
- The colder your water is, the longer your cucumbers will stay fresh and crisp. However, they will start to soften after a day or two so you can always swap them out with fresh slices if you want.
- Making a good flavored drink
- The key to getting a good flavor to your cucumber water is to add those cucumber slices in the beginning and mash them up so they release their natural fruit juices. Just adding slices to the water will make a much more subtle flavor.
What to Pair With Cucumber Water
Snacks: Serve healthy snacks like Trail Mix or Fruit and Almond Bites with this Cucumber Water for a delicious, energy boosting afternoon snack full of energy and nutrients.
Light Lunch: Make a spa-worthy light lunch and serve your Cucumber Water with finger sandwiches and a nice Greek Salad. Turn any sandwich, like Egg Salad Sandwiches, into a tea sandwich by making it on white bread, then cut the crusts off and cut into small squares or triangles.
How to Store Cucumber Water
Store: You want to keep your Cucumber Water chilled and covered as much as possible, but it can be at room temperature for about 2 hours. Cover the pitcher with the lid or plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: You can freeze this Cucumber Water for a refreshing frozen treat or thaw it later on. Pour into ice cube trays, allow to freeze then transfer to a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Ideas to Serve Cucumber Water
Popsicle: Turn your delicious cucumber-infused drink into a healthy popsicle! You can pick up popsicle making kits at most retail stores. Or just use little freezer safe cups with a popsicle stick propped up in the cup.
Ice Cubes: Pick up some fun ice cube trays at the dollar store or craft store to make a prettier presentation. Some flower ice cubes would be fun for the spring or try some beach themed cubes in the summer.
FAQ for Cucumber Water
Pretty much any type of cucumber for eating will work for cucumber water. Try mini cucumbers, English cucumbers, or your regular cucumber. Just don’t use pickling cucumbers because their skin is super bitter and the flesh isn’t flavorful.
It takes about 2 hours for the maximum amount of flavor to soak into the water as long as you muddle the slices first. That lets out the juices so you don’t have to infuse the water overnight.
Cucumber Water Variations
Citrus: Combine lemon water and cucumber water for a refreshing summery Cucumber Lemon Water. Add 1-2 lemons worth of lemon slices, muddling ⅓ of the lemon slices with the cucumber slices, then using the rest of the whole slices to infuse the water.
Herbs: Using other fragrant fresh herbs like basil or lemongrass instead of the mint leaves is an easy tasty, subtle flavor change to your batch of cucumber water.
Berries: Add even more flavor by mashing some fresh berries in with the cucumber. Blackberries and raspberries would especially good with mint and cucumber.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber , washed well
- 8 cups water
- 4 cups ice
- 1/2 cup fresh mint , optional
Instructions
- Trim the edges off the cucumber and slice thinly.
- Reserve ⅓ for garnish.
- Add ⅓ of the cucumber slices to a large pitcher, then smash gently.
- Add in the water and the remaining ⅓ of cucumber slices.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Serve in cups with ice and remaining cucumber slices inside and as a garnish.
Alternate:
- Cucumber Mint Water
- Muddle half the mint in with the first cucumbers.
- Serve remaining mint in cups with the ice.
Nutrition
