Cucumber Martini

Shake the classic martini recipe and stir up a Cucumber Martini. This sweet-and-savory cocktail has all the makings of the classic but with subtle notes of fresh cucumber.

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Cucumber Martini recipe

Any home gardener knows the cucumber plant yields an overabundance of fruit, leaving in its wake superfluous amounts of cucumbers.

You can make pickles, tzatziki sauce and salads, but have you thought about drinks?

The cucumber martini is a great way to enjoy cucumbers in a whole new way.

Yes, sure, you could make a pickle martini or an olive-studded classic martini. But the cucumber martini is fresh and bright, highlighted by the gin and lacking the salty, briny flavor of pickles.

Let’s get into how to make it.

More cucumber drink recipes: Cucumber Agua Fresca • Pimm’s Cup • Irish Maid • London Mule

Why you’ll love this recipe

If you love martinis, you’ll love making this sweet and savory spin at home. It’s essentially a dirty martini, but with cucumber juice instead of olives.

• The cucumber martini is a tatsy take on the classic recipe that’s worth trying.
• You only need a few ingredients to make a cucumber martini martini at home.
• They’re a great way to use up fresh cucumbers.

Enjoy one after a long day or serve them for happy hour. They’re a great way to celebrate spring and summer and all the fresh flavors of farmers’ market produce.

Tools & glassware

Making a martini is simple. You are not going to need a cocktail shaker here. Contrary to James Bond’s usual order (”shaken, not stirred”), the best martinis are stirred.

You will want to use a mixing glass and a bar spoon. (However, you can use the shaker as a mixing glass if that’s what you have.) You’ll also want a jigger and a Hawthorne strainer.

A muddler is also a must for getting the juices out of the cucumber.

And to serve the drink, you’ll need a martini glass, of course! There are lots of kinds of martini glasses. Traditional martini glasses are V-shaped vessels with a stem. However, stemless martini glasses are a bit sturdier and coupe glasses have wider cup-shapes.

Ingredients

The martini is a fairly simple cocktail. It’s made with three ingredients:

• Gin: Gin is classic but you can also make it a vodka martini. London Dry Gin is the most popular. I used Hendrick’s here for its crisp botanical flavor.
• Dry vermouth: Dry vermouth is a fortified wine with a pale color and slightly sweet flavor. It also goes by French vermouth, white vermouth or vermouth secco.
• Muddled cucumber: Smash fresh cucumbers with a muddler to release their juices. You can also use a cold-press juicer if you have one. Be sure to strain out the seeds.
• Cucumber garnish: Garnish the drink with a few slices of cucumber or some cucumber ribbons.

How to make a Cucumber Martini

Ready to make your own cucumber martini?

First, muddle some cucumber slices to release their juices. Strain the juice so it’s free from seeds and pulp.

Then, in a mixing glass, combine the gin (or vodka), dry vermouth and cucumber juice. Add a couple of ice cubes and stir gently with a bar spoon.

Slowly, strain into a martini glass and garnish with a few slices of cucumber.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making a martini:

• Stir, don’t shake. This will keep the drink from getting too diluted with ice, while still chilling the ingredients enough.
• Play with the ratio of gin to dry vermouth to make it a wet martini or dry martini and find your perfect martini recipe.
• If you want to make martinis for a crowd, you can stir up a big batch and serve them from a large pitcher. You can also stash it in the fridge for yourself so you can have martinis ready to drink anytime.

Food pairings

Martinis are a great happy hour drink to enjoy before a meal, especially because they are savory cocktails.

Enjoy a cucumber martini with cucumber dishes like creamy cucumber salad or smoked salmon and cucumber pizza. You could also serve hummus or whipped feta dip with sliced cucumber chips.

This cool cucumber drink would also be good with a cheese board or any other savory appetizer or dish. It could even be a lunch cocktail with something like a crispy chicken cabbage salad.

FAQ

More martini recipes

• Mexican Martini
• Vesper
• Dry Martini