Can A Cucumber Actually Grease Your Frying Pan?
There's no shortage of wild and questionable cooking hacks on TikTok, but one recent trend has people debating in the comments: Using a cucumber to grease a frying pan.
It started when creator @jana.dvll posted a video rubbing a halved cucumber on a hot pan before cooking an egg. She said it was a tip passed down from her Italian grandmother. The internet, predictably, had a lot of opinions — some curious, others confused, and plenty skeptical.
So can this cucumber trick actually work? Technically, yes, but only in very specific cases and not very well. Cucumbers are mostly water and contain a small amount of natural wax on the skin, and when cut, produce a liquid when cut that's full of starches and forms of proteins, both of which might create a barely-there nonstick surface. But according to Today.com, any slickness burns off quickly, leading to uneven cooking, eggs that still stick, and no real flavor benefit. If you're using a nonstick pan, you probably don't need anything at all. On stainless steel or cast iron, though, this won't cut it.
This isn't the first cucumber to go viral on TikTok. A chili crisp salad, which uses up a whole cucumber, also made the rounds recently, although that seems worth making. But, as always, not everything trending online is worth trying. If you're still tempted by every new hack, maybe take a scroll through this reminder: Don't believe everything you see on TikTok.
How to actually keep eggs from sticking to the pan
Sure, more than 18.5 million people have watched this so-called Italian nonna-approved cucumber egg hack — but if you actually want eggs that cook evenly and don't stick, just reach for butter, oil, or even cooking spray.
TikTok might be a goldmine of quirky kitchen ideas, but when it comes to reliable results, real technique matters. Want the secret to a crispy edge and tender center? Skip the gimmicks and give your eggs the attention they deserve.
Whether you're going for sunny-side up or over-easy, proper fat distribution is key. That's why basting with oil is the move for ultra-crispy eggs. And if you're looking to level up even more, a few pantry staples can make a big difference. Start with these ingredients that make your fried eggs unbeatable every time.
There are plenty of great ways to fry an egg. But if we're aiming for delicious, not viral, a cucumber isn't one of them.