Zucchini vs. Cucumber Vitamins, Water Content, and Uses

Zucchini and cucumber often share fridge space in the crisper drawer, but the zucchini vs. cucumber comparison reveals some distinct differences.

Both belong to the gourd family and are technically fruits, though they’re treated as vegetables in the kitchen. Still, their textures, flavors, and uses couldn’t be more different.

Both cucumber and zucchini have a cylindrical shape, green skin, and small seeds, but they differ in taste, cooking methods, and even health benefits.

Texture and Taste

Cucumber slices. Pawel Michalowski / Shutterstock

Cucumbers tend to be crisper, juicier, and are almost always served raw. They have a refreshing, slightly bitter taste and are popular in summer salads or served on their own.

Slicing cucumbers and English cucumbers are the most common varieties, and their thin or bumpy skin holds a cool crunch.

Zucchini, on the other hand, has a firmer, denser flesh with a mild flavor that can be slightly sweet. Raw zucchini is edible, but it’s commonly cooked.

The skin is smooth and dark green, and the zucchini fruit usually has a woody stem attached at one end (with the blossom sometimes still on the other end).

Culinary Uses and Cooking

Cucumbers are rarely cooked. They shine in cold dishes, pickling recipes, and cucumber salads (obviously). Pickling cucumbers—with their bumpy skin and compact size—are especially prized for crunchy pickles.

Zucchini is incredibly versatile and frequently cooked. It can be baked, grilled, sauteed, or spiralized into zucchini noodles. Zucchini bread is a classic baked good that takes advantage of its mild taste and moisture content. In side dishes and various dishes, fresh zucchini blends well with other flavors.

Though they’re sometimes substituted for one another in recipes, especially when raw, the textures and water content differ enough that results may vary. Substitute cucumbers for zucchini only in raw recipes, and substitute zucchini cautiously in cooked dishes.

Health Benefits and Nutrition

Both vegetables are low in calories and high in water, making them hydrating additions to any meal.

Cucumbers are about 95 percent water, and a whole cucumber (8.25 inches or 21 cm with peel) provides roughly 40 to 55 percent of the recommended daily vitamin K.

Zucchini contains substantially more vitamin C (over six times as much as cucumber) and is richer in potassium, a mineral that can help reduce high blood pressure by dilating blood vessels.

Zucchini and cucumber both contain antioxidants and fiber, but zucchini has a slight edge when it comes to cooking versatility and vitamin concentration.

Growing and Harvest

Cucumis sativus (cucumber) and Cucurbita pepo (zucchini) come from the same family but grow on different plants.

Cucumber plants, like zucchini, are warm-season crops that thrive in warm conditions (around 65 to 75 F or 18 to 24 C), and cucumbers should be harvested while they are firm, avoiding any fruits with soft spots.

Zucchini is a summer squash harvested young for the best flavor and tenderness.

Both can have prominent seeds when overripe, but tender specimens have small seeds and better flavor. In both cases, harvest timing makes a big difference.

5 Key Differences Between Cucumber and Zucchini

Skin: Zucchini has smooth, dark green skin; cucumbers may have thin or bumpy skin.
Flavor: Zucchini is mild and slightly sweet; cucumbers have a crisp, refreshing, slightly bitter taste.
Use: Cucumbers are eaten raw; zucchini is commonly cooked but can be eaten raw too.
Texture: Cucumbers are watery and crisp; zucchini is firmer with a denser texture.
Culinary range: Zucchini works in baked goods, zoodles (zucchini noodles), and warm dishes; cucumbers are best in salads, sandwiches, and cold dishes.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.