I make these on the afternoons when I want something cold and salty without putting a real meal together. I halve a cucumber, scoop out the seeds, and fill it with softened cream cheese and mashed avocado, then top it with crumbled bacon, chopped grape tomatoes, and a good sprinkle of Everything Bagel Seasoning. The bacon is the only thing that has to be cooked, so once that is done the boats come together in about ten minutes, and they are crunchy and rich at the same time, which is why I will put them out for company just as happily as I eat them standing at the counter.
The step I never skip is scooping out the seeds and blotting the cucumber dry, because a wet cucumber will not hold the cream cheese.
The Everything Bagel Seasoning is what pulls this together, and that one sprinkle is the difference between plain cucumber with cream cheese and a snack I actually look forward to.
(And once you have made these, I have more cucumber boat recipes for you to try!)
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Cold, crunchy, and salty all at once.
- A knife and a spoon are the only equipment you need.
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients.
- Ready in about ten minutes, start to finish.
- Bacon!
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make the cucumber boats
- Slice a cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, de-seed the cucumber and then blot both sides dry with a paper towel.
- Spread on cream cheese and mashed avocado before sprinkling on Everything Bagel Seasoning, crumbled bacon, and chopped tomatoes.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Cucumber: Bell peppers, mini peppers, or celery can be used in place of cucumbers.
- Cream Cheese: If you do not eat dairy, you can use vegan cream cheese at a 1:1 ratio to traditional cream cheese. Mayonnaise is also an option, or you can omit the cream cheese altogether.
- Salt-Free Everything Bagel Seasoning: I purchase my salt-free seasoning from Amazon. If you don’t want to do this, Everything Bagel Seasoning that includes salt as an ingredient can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio, but the prepared cucumber boats may be a little too salty if you do this. Try this homemade Everything Bagel Seasoning recipe if you don’t want to purchase pre-made seasoning.
- Avocado: Prepared guacamole can be used in place of mashed avocado, or it can also be omitted altogether if you prefer.
- Bacon: If you don’t want to include bacon in this dish, feel free to substitute it for your protein of choice. If you don’t eat pork, turkey bacon will work great here.
- Grape Tomatoes: Any other chopped tomato will work fine here (cherry, roma, etc.). If you don’t like tomatoes, you can leave them out or substitute them with another vegetable such as bell peppers or olives.
💬 FAQs
Are these cucumber boats gluten-free?
Yes, all of the ingredients in this recipe are gluten-free.
Do I need to use a specific type of cucumber for this recipe?
No, you do not need a certain kind of cucumber for this cucumber boat recipe. I’ve made it with regular cucumbers as well as English ones, and both are delicious. Choose whatever size and sort you like the best.
Do I have to peel the cucumbers?
No. Because cucumbers are high in nutrients, you may leave the skin on if you like it! I usually just remove it based on my personal taste preferences.
Can I make these cucumber boats ahead of time?
Yes, but probably not more than 1 day ahead of time. If you want to make your cucumber boats in advance, I recommend eating them within 24 hours.
How do I store leftover cucumber boats?
If you make them ahead of time, place the cucumber boats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
📚 More cucumber recipes
If you enjoyed this cucumber boat recipe, you will love these other easy recipes featuring cucumbers:
🍽 Recipe
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Bacon Tomato Avocado Cucumber Boats
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled
- 1 ½ oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp mashed avocado
- ½ tsp Salt-Free Everything Bagel Seasoning
- 2 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
- 3 grape tomatoes, ~20g, chopped
Instructions
- Slice cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, de-seed cucumber and then blot both sides dry with paper towel.
- Spread on cream cheese and mashed avocado. Sprinkle on Everything Bagel Seasoning, crumbled bacon, and chopped tomatoes.
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