Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad is one of my favorite things to make for lunch. Toasted sesame oil, scallions, and red pepper flakes pack the dressing with flavor. I love topping the salad with cashews, which add a nutty flavor to this fresh, bright, and slightly spicy salad.
The dressing for this salad is pretty versatile. Feel free to add additional vegetables like edamame, radish, or bell pepper. try the dressing as the base of a quick coleslaw. It’s also the base of this Asian udon noodle dish.
What you need to make Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad:
Produce:
- 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 2 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
Pantry:
- ¼ C rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ C chopped cashews
Making the Dressing:
The dressing for the cucumber salad is where most of the flavor comes from and the toasted sesame oil is key. If you only had sesame oil you could get away with just using that, but otherwise, it's not the same as using any other kind of oil.
In a large bowl, combine the crushed garlic, chopped scallions, grated ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, salt, red pepper flakes, and salt. Set aside until you’re ready to dress the cucumbers.
Preparing the Cucumbers:
You want to use English cucumbers for this salad. The seeds are smaller and the skins are softer so you can consume the whole vegetable.
Before slicing the cucumbers, take a fork and score the outside of the skin. This will allow the dressing to seep into the flesh of a cucumber quicker. Slice the cucumbers into quarter-inch thick discs.
Place cucumber discs into the bowl with the dressing and mix until the cucumbers are coated.
Top with chopped cashews and enjoy.
Try this cucumber salad with grilled salmon, grilled chicken, or pork tenderloin with grilled pineapple.
It’s also satisfying and delicious as a lunch. If you’re looking for a little extra protein add edamame.
More salad ideas:
- Spicy Udon Noodle Salad with Edamame and CashewsWhite Bean Salad with Shallots
- Coleslaw with Apples and Nuts
- Black Bean and Corn Salad with Honey and Line Dressing
- Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad
- Lentil Quinoa Salad with Sundried Tomatoes
Recipe
Spicy Sesame Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers thinly sliced
- 4 scallions sliced
- 2 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 clove of garlic crushed
- ¼ C rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ C chopped cashews
Instructions
- The dressing for the cucumber salad is where most of the flavor comes from and the toasted sesame oil is key.
- If you only had sesame oil you could get away with just using that, but otherwise, it's not the same as using any other kind of oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the crushed garlic, chopped scallions, grated ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, salt, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- Set aside until you’re ready to dress the cucumbers.
- Before slicing the cucumbers, take a fork and score the outside of the skin.
- Slice the cucumbers into quarter-inch thick discs.
- Place cucumber discs into the bowl with the dressing and mix until the cucumbers are coated.
- Top with chopped cashews and enjoy.
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