Welcome to Fearless Meals, a column where we help you get through your busy week with speedy, easy, low-stress dinner recipes that call for 5 ingredients or less from our favorite grocery store, Trader Joe’s.
One of my favorite combos is cucumbers and cream cheese. There’s something about the mellow crunch of the cucumber with the tangy creaminess of the cheese that is just magic. There’s a reason cucumber sandwiches are a thing.
But just plain cream cheese and cucumber can be a bit, well, bland. That’s why many cucumber sandwich recipes incorporate herbs and seasonings to give it a little oomph. But why go through all of that trouble when Trader Joe’s has me covered?
The day I discovered TJ’s Red Pepper, Garlic, and Parmesan Cream Cheese Spread, my consumption of cucumber sandwiches went through the roof. Spiked with just the right amount of garlic, a quick slather of this flavorful cream cheese and a few cucumber slices are all the sandwich filling you need for an ideal summer lunch.
Simply Recipes / Laureln Randolph
The Best Cucumber for Cucumber Sandwiches
My favorite cucumbers, hands down, are Persian cucumbers. The little cukes have thin skins, small and tender seeds, and a nice crunch. They’re usually available year-round at Trader Joe’s. They’re also a good size and shape for filling up a single sandwich.
Hothouse or English cucumbers are also a good choice year-round. Any cucumbers will do, but I recommend at least partially peeling cucumbers with thick, waxy skins and scooping out any tough seeds for the best experience.
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
The Best Bread for Cucumber Sandwiches
The classic choice for tea time is a squishy white or whole wheat bread with the crusts trimmed. I’m not quite fussy enough for that, but go for it if you’d like to take the traditional route. It’d be lovely to make a few sandwiches, trim the crusts, and cut them into triangles for tea time.
I really love sourdough, so I tend to use a seeded sourdough and, if it’s not super fresh, I’ll toast it a bit first. That’s what I have around and what I like to eat, so your best bet will be to make this sandwich using your favorite sandwich bread.
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
How To Make 3-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Cucumber Sandwich
To make 1 sandwich, you’ll need:
- 1 Persian cucumber
- 2 to 3 tablespoons TJ’s Red Pepper, Garlic, and Parmesan Cream Cheese Spread
- 2 slices sandwich bread
Trim the ends off of the cucumber. Slice lengthwise into long, thin slices. Strips are less likely to come tumbling out of your sandwich than round slices.
Spread a nice layer of cream cheese on each slice of bread. Top one with the slices of cucumber and sandwich the slices together. Slice in half or into quarters and serve.
Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph
Bonus Ingredients
This sandwich doesn’t need anything else to make it delicious, it’s already perfect as-is! But depending on what I have on hand, I’ll stick another ingredient or two in there to bulk it up. Here are a few things I’ve tried and enjoyed:
- A thick slice or two of heirloom tomato, sprinkled with salt and pepper
- A couple of slices of crispy bacon
- A small handful of sprouts or arugula topped with a squeeze of lemon
- A few thin slices of watermelon radish
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