Come summer, there's no shortage of cucumbers. Which, at first, can be very exciting. (See: Smashed cucumbers! Crustless tea sandwiches! Grain bowls topped with quick pickles! Eating them plain with flaky salt!)

Until, suddenly, it's not. Which happens for me every year roughly around August 1, the convergence point of well-meaning friends and colleagues sharing their own cuke hauls, and my own overzealous stockpiling of summer produce. At which point my attitude shifts from "Would you look at all of these cucumbers?" to "Would you look at all of these cucumbers?" It's my personal Midsommar.

I start searching, feverishly, for all the ways to use them: Old standby salads, new entrée ideas, cocktails, as a hat (?). To save you the trouble, I've compiled my efforts here. Introducing: 60 ways to use up alllllll of those cucumbers.

Salads & Things

This smashed cucumber salad's crunchy, tangy, perfectly salty-sweet, and full of little bits of things you're not going to want to stop eating (Asian pear, walnuts, radish slices, kiwi...).

Pro tip: Call pre-dibs on any leftovers of this (cheesy!) punchy pasta salad.

A clean, green answer to "What's for dinner?" Especially when paired with a slice of grilled sourdough.

Senior Editor Eric Kim's "magic spice blend," as well as a squeeze of lime juice, take cucumber to new heights.

Don't skip Ali Stafford's prescribed "salting" step, here—it makes a world of difference in drawing out extra moisture, and helping to create a bright dressing.

In this dish, salted cucumber gets mixed up with Greek yogurt, dill, and Meyer lemon to create a creamy, cooling salad. This simple, chilled out side works seamlessly with salmon, lamb, or anything fresh off the grill.

Cucumber salad, meet cantaloupe. And fresh herbs. And cheese.

Make way: Genius spicy cucumber salad, comin' through. Jalapeño, Thai dried chiles, and Szechuan peppercorns join together, cooled down by cilantro along (and the cucumbers themselves!).

This hearty salad is just what we need in August, thanks to creamy white beans, crunchy cucumbers, and a citrusy kick from tangerines.

Feel free to make this smacked cucumber salad (with a sweet and tangy soy-balsamic dressing) ahead of time—it'll keep three days in the fridge.

All of the crunch, right this way: sweet fennel, cucumbers, and a zingy dressing.

Wakame seaweed, cucumber, and ribboned kale mingle in a salty-sweet vinaigrette to great effect.

This colorful update to a Caprese stars cukes, tomatoes (two types!), fresh mozz, and lots of herbs. It's a constant in our summer rotation.

All the good stuff, in one bowl. According to recipe author Cristina Sciarra, it's "infinitely adaptable," too. "You can add radishes or white beans. Fold in almost-stale bread (I like homemade garlic croutons) for panzanella. Add avocado or a medley of your favorite summertime herbs." All great ideas.

Meet your new favorite burger topping, this herby cucumber and radish number. (Or: Your new favorite thing to eat off of a spoon.)

Cucumbers' best friends? Sweet summer tomatoes and big planks of pita bread. Crunchy, lemony sumac and pomegranate syrup are in the friend group, too.

Here's a satisfying grain salad with a zippy basil dressing, with plenty of julienned cucumber to give it crunch and coolness.

Smashed chickpeas take the place of that deli mystery "meat"—tuna? potato?—along with lots of salty, crunchy, pickled bits, and everyone wins.

This one's called "The Greatest Salad of All Time" for a reason—it's full of seasonal vegetables and doused with a garlicky green dressing you (I) could basically drink straight.

An extra-green salad that's anything but boring. (See: labne. Scallions. Bottarga.)

This one's a no-cook power player with a harissa-honey dressing, cooling mint, and crunchy slices of cucumber.

Picture everything good about gazpacho, dialed up a notch. This hearty salad has summer tomatoes, cucumbers, and a ton of crusty bread to soak up all the juices.

If you liked the original, you'll love the sequel—bring on the ripe avocado; the seedy, nutty bread; and the slices of radish, cucumber, and onion.

This is like the perfect potato salad, minus the potatoes—and plus cucumbers, radishes, and chunks of salty-tangy feta.

Soups

Summer, get ready for your perfect soup, with creamy avocado, herbal cucumber, scallions, and, oh, an incredible corn and mango salsa on top...

Garlic, walnuts, and country bread provide invisible depth to this cold, creamy cucumber-yogurt soup.

If you can blend, you can make this dead-simple soup. And pro tip, according to recipe author A Pleasant Little Kitchen: "If the soup needs to be served immediately and there is no time to chill, add a few pieces of crushed ice" before you blend. Brilliant.

A food processor taps in to combine watermelon, vinegar-soaked cucumbers, shallots, and chiles. Top with feta and mint, and thank us later.

Noodles, Rice & Entrées

Here, we give you the ultimate summer soba salad, starring cucumber—and cucumber dressing. And chile oil.

Quick, spicy, satisfying noodles join forces with a cooling cucumber salad in this dish. The crumbled tofu makes them faintly reminiscent of Szechuan pork noodles, but we're guaranteeing you won't be miss the meat.

Kombucha, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic come together for an unforgettable steak-and-cukes salad. Serve with plain white rice or rice noodles to give it even more staying power.

Perfectly cooked salmon with a simple cucumber slaw to accompany? We think yes. This one's excellent hot, cold, or anywhere in between.

Get your "five a day" (and then some) all in one go, with lots of crunchy veg and a generous swipe of basil mayo. These hulking veggies sandwiches are next-level.

Cucumbers add crunch to this hearty salmon and noodle soup. The beauty here lies in its simplicity and riffability: With a flavorful broth, plain cooked soba noodles and salmon, and lots of crunchy raw veg, you can customize it any which way.

The secret ingredient for crunch in these Genius lobster rolls? You guessed it.

Yogurt, rice, lentils, cukes, and spices make for a meal that's equal parts simple and cozy. It's summer comfort food at its finest, and couldn't be lower-maintenance.

A chunky chickpea batter griddled into a waffle becomes savory take on breakfast-for-dinner. Crispy edges are non-negotiable—same goes for the sweet and crunchy tomato–cucumber salad on top.

This dish is everything great about summer: A grilled avocado, stuffed with all the grains and vegetables fit to stuff.

A riff on Vietnamese banh mi, but in taco form, filled with chicken thighs, crunchy pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs.

Your favorite breakfast (times two!), plus fresh mozzarella, tomatillos, and a generous scoop of pesto. A few thin rounds of cucumber add freshness and a bit of much-needed crunch.

This salad wants you to riff and riff, using whatever vegetables and meats you have in the fridge. Delicate rice noodles and lots of fresh herbs are a must, though.

A crunchier, spicier, cheesy take on a club sandwich, from Mumbai. Since the sandwich is griddled, too, it's got a great mix of hot and cold, melty and crisp-crunchy.

These noodles require just a few (vegan!) ingredients—soybeans, sesame seeds, tahini, and noodles, along with lots of fresh veggies for garnish—and make for the perfect cooling, summer lunch.

There's a reason these buns have gained something of a cult following over the years—they're perfect. In them, quick-pickled cucumbers top crisped pork belly and hoisin in homemade steamed buns.

Lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, and chile bring noodles, chicken, cucumber, and more to life in this summery noodle dish.

Vietnamese spring rolls are refreshing, endlessly customizable, and dipping sauce–adjacent. This version uses pork, shrimp, and lots of fresh vegetables and herbs to give it heft and bite.

Fried tofu and crunchy vegetables make for especially delicious bánh mì. A swipe of mayonnaise on a crusty baguette creates the perfect bed for all the fixings.

"My grandma is from the Sichuan (Szechuan) province in China, and because of that, I've always claimed that spicy food is as normal to me as bread," writes recipe creator Betty. "This is one of my favorite dishes for the summertime...it's cold, it's yummy, and it satisfies my spicy cravings."

Meet the chicken milanese Dorie Greenspan dreamed up, to evoke a restaurant favorite. It's covered in a crunchy cucumber–herb salad to lighten and brighten the breaded chicken cutlet.

Pickles

Summertime quick pickles, to the rescue! (Shiso, you're invited. You too, mirin.)

A bright, crisp take on the store-bought stuff. Garlic, turmeric, and celery and mustard seeds give these a spicy, crunchy lift.

Pickles in an hour? Sign us right up. You can use whatever hardy vegetables you like, and the brine couldn't be easier to stir together.

Don't try saying this recipe names five times fast—just make it while you can still find garlic scapes at the farmer's market.

Beverages

An excellent warm-weather fizz, with or without gin. Fennel and cucumber give it a savory, sweet, and refreshing burst of flavor.

Cukes and sweet white peaches make the perfect garnish for rosé sangria, and that's a fact.

Extra-special touches in this juicy, thirst-quenching agua fresca include cucumber-infused ice, as well as thinly sliced citrus.

Margaritas get a face-lift, thanks to sweet, tender hothouse cucumbers and pleasantly tart grapefruit.

Refreshing, summery, and ready for you to cheers with it. A cucumber garnish makes this drink.

This cooler is equal parts sweet and sour, soothing and shocking, thanks to tart cider vinegar and a whole lot of fruit, cukes, and herbs.

Filled with curls of cucumber and a hefty pour of gin, this not-too-sweet cocktail is your service and ready for some cheers-ing, all summer long.

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What's your go-to recipe for using up cucumbers? Let us know in the comments!