I make these cucumber boats when I want a snack that is cold and crisp but still filling. I peel a medium cucumber, split it lengthwise, remove the seeds with a spoon, and blot it dry. Then I spread chive and onion cream cheese, stone-ground mustard, and mashed avocado down the middle and finish them with crumbled bacon and Everything Bagel seasoning. They take ten minutes, one cucumber makes two boats, and they work as a snack, an appetizer, or a small lunch.
The step that matters most is blotting the cucumber dry after the seeds come out. It keeps the cream cheese and avocado from sliding around and keeps the boats from turning watery.
They taste freshest the day you make them. The cucumber softens and gives off water as it sits, which is why the recipe card says to eat them within 1 day.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Light, crisp, and refreshing.
- Creamy and savory from the chive and onion cream cheese, with salty bacon on top.
- Works as an appetizer, a snack, or a small lunch.
- Doesn’t require complicated equipment.
- Easy-to-find ingredients.
- Takes just minutes to prepare.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make cream cheese cucumber boats
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Slice a cucumber in half lengthwise. Then, using a spoon, de-seed the cucumber. (You can either discard the seeds or save them to mix into the cream cheese or use them in a different recipe.)
- Blot both sides of the cucumber dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This will help the ingredients to sit well inside of the cucumber boats.
- Spread on the Chive & Onion cream cheese, stone-ground mustard, and mashed avocado.
- Sprinkle on crumbled bacon then Everything Bagel Seasoning, then serve.
🍴 Nutrition
The recipe makes 2 cucumber boats, and one boat is one serving. The calories, carbs, protein, and fat for each serving are in the nutrition label below the recipe instructions.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Cucumber: Bell peppers, sweet mini peppers, or celery work great here.
- Chive & Onion Cream Cheese: For dairy-free options, use mayonnaise or a dairy-free cream cheese, including an almond-based one. Other options are sour cream or Greek yogurt; both contain dairy and are tangier than cream cheese, but they work. If you follow any of these substitutions for cream cheese, add the subbed ingredient to a bowl and stir in minced onion and dried chives to mimic Chive & Onion Cream Cheese.
- Mashed Avocado: Guacamole can be used in place of mashed avocado. Just be sure to note that the cucumber boat may be a little saltier than the original recipe intended if the guacamole contains added salt.
- Salt-Free Everything Bagel Seasoning: I like this sodium-free bagel seasoning that I buy from Amazon, but you can also find this seasoning at most grocery stores in the spice aisle. If you can’t find it, you can make your own seasoning at home, or you can use any of the components you have on hand to make a variation (like sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic, pepper, and/or dried minced onion).
- Pre-Cooked Bacon: Turkey bacon is a great substitute, or you can omit this altogether.
- Stone-Ground Mustard: Either Dijon mustard or yellow mustard can be swapped in at a 1:1 ratio, but if you can get stone-ground mustard, I would use it. The whole mustard seeds give the filling a little texture.
Any swap you make will change the nutrition numbers in the recipe card.
✨ Variations
- Stir finely chopped green onions or chives into the cream cheese mixture.
- Stir fresh dill or dried dill into the cream cheese mixture.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice atop cucumber boats before serving.
💬 FAQs
Do I need to peel the cucumbers to make chive and onion cucumber boats?
No. I like them peeled, but the skin can stay on if you prefer it.
Do I need to de-seed the cucumbers?
Not necessarily, but I would suggest it to ensure the toppings can be stuffed in the cucumber and not fall out. If you don’t want to waste the cucumber seeds after de-seeding, mix them in with the Chive & Onion cream cheese or you could even set them aside to later make homemade tzatziki.
Is there a specific type of cucumber needed for cucumber boats?
No. Use any type of cucumber that you like. I like using Kirby, English, or Persian cucumber for this recipe, which are all excellent.
Can I use pre-cooked bacon?
Yes, that is what I do to save time when making this snack. I just briefly heat it up in the microwave or on the stove and then crumble it into pieces. You can, however, cook a raw slice of bacon on the stovetop or in the oven before crumbling.
Can I meal prep these cucumber boats?
Yes, but you’ll want to store them properly in the fridge right after preparing. Plan to eat them within 1 day to ensure they are still fresh and crisp.
How should I store the prepared cucumber boats?
Place the cucumber boats in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap before placing them in the refrigerator. Eat within 1 day.
📚 More cucumber recipes
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Chive And Onion Cream Cheese Cucumber Boats
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled
- 1.5 oz Chive & Onion cream cheese, I use Philadelphia brand
- 1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
- 1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons mashed avocado
- 1 slice pre-cooked bacon
- ½ teaspoon Salt-Free Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
- If using pre-cooked bacon, reheat in the microwave until crisp, then crumble. (If using raw bacon, cook on the stovetop until crisp, then crumble.)
- Slice cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, de-seed cucumber and then blot both sides dry with paper towel.
- Spread on cream cheese, stone-ground mustard, and mashed avocado. Sprinkle on crumbled bacon then Everything Bagel Seasoning.
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