To take full advantage of the many benefits of cucumbers here is the 5 Best Healthy Cucumber Salads, create some hearty salads you can devour all season long.
I feel kinda bad for cucumbers. Thanks to the world’s obsession with its famous cousin, the versatile zucchini, people are zoodling their lives away without even giving the cuke a fair shake. Well, sorry zucchinis, but cucumbers have some impressive qualities, too. And one of them is their ability to make you want to ditch the kale for a salad that’s crunchy, satisfying, and super-hydrating.
Cucumbers are typically used as a salad topping, but there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be the star of the show. A large cucumber contains 2 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and a solid amount of vitamin C and vitamin K, magnesium, and potassium, which is known to help with bloating (something kale commonly causes). On top of that, since cucumbers are 96 percent water, eating them makes it easy to stay hydrated.
1. Jalapeño lime cucumber salad
If you like a little spice in your life, this cucumber salad featuring finely-diced jalapeños is a winner. Combined with zesty lime, your taste buds are in for a treat.
Recipe type: SaladsServes: 2 – 4Prep time: 10 minsTotal time: 10 minsIngredients
Ingredients
- 4 or 5 pickling cucumbers, or 2 larger ones
- 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
- Juice of one medium lime
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 5-6 grind of fresh pepper – 5 peppercorn blend is nice, but black will work too
- about ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Wash cucumbers well and slice thinly – a mandolin slicer is handy for getting this done quickly and evenly, but a good sharp knife will do the trick – set aside.
- In a bowl big enough to hold everything, whisk together the jalapeno, garlic, lime juice, and salt and pepper.
- Whisk the oil into the mixture in a thin stream, until blended and emulsified.
- Stir in the cucumbers, being sure to get them well coated.
- Make at least 1 hour ahead of time to blend the flavors – it is best eaten the day you make it, but if needed, leftovers should be stored in the fridge.
2. Thai cucumber salad
Give your cucumbers a Thai twist with this quickie salad that’s loaded with red onion, lemon juice, cayenne powder, and chopped peanuts. As we’re travelling through South East Asia (we’re in Chiang Mai, Thailand, at the moment), we want to share more Asian recipe with you guys because they’re so popular on the blog and also so healthy and easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cane, coconut or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp oil, we used coconut oil
- Sea salt to taste
- Cayenne powder to taste (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Slice the cucumber, julienne the red onion and add them to a mixing bowl.
- To make the salad dressing, just mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined (lemon juice, sugar, oil, salt and cayenne powder).
- Pour dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine. Then top with the chopped peanuts and serve immediately.
- Best with fresh, keep the veggies and salad dressing separately, in sealed containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To satisfy both your sweet and spicy cravings, whip up this cucumber salad that contains ingredients like rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and diced red onion.
3. Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad
This sweet and spicy cucumber salad has quite the kick, but it’s delicious and packed with flavor. This vinegar based cucumber salad is perfect for a summer side dish, and something you could easily bring to a barbecue or potluck. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 3 English cucumbers, halved and sliced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
Instructions
- In a large colander, sprinkle the cucumbers with salt.
- Allow the cucumbers to sit with the salt so that the juices drain.
- Meanwhile, simmer the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan *affiliate link over medium heat.
- Reduce the liquid to 2/3 cup and remove from heat.
- Toss the cucumbers with the cooled dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Mediterranean cucumber salad
Mediterranean Cucumber Salad is healthy and easy to make. And this refreshing salad is naturally vegan and gluten free. It can be eaten on its own as a light meal or as a side with other summer dishes.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ▢1 cucumber, (remove seeds, if desired), skin on, chopped
- ▢1 dry pint cherry tomatoes, (25-30), halved or quartered
- ▢3 radishes, (or substitute a few Tbsp. chopped red onion), chopped
- ▢1 yellow or red bell pepper, chopped
- ▢handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- ▢1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ▢juice of 1 lemon, (3 Tablespoons)
- ▢salt, to taste
Instructions
- ▢Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.
- ▢Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate and enjoy chilled.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for a few days.
5. Japanese cucumber salad
Japanese cucumber salad known as “Kyuri no Sunomono” in Japanese is a very refreshing, light, and delicious side dish. It is healthy dish consisting of thinly sliced cucumber and Wakame (a type of seaweed) that is marinated in rice vinegar, which is called “su” in Japanese.
Ingredients
- ▢1 cucumber
- ▢5 g dried seaweed wakame mix
- ▢2 tsp salt
Amazu
- ▢2 tsp rice vinegar
- ▢2 tsp mirin
- ▢2 tsp ususkuchi soy sauce
- ▢sesame seeds to sprinkle
Instructions
Amazu
- Combine all Amazu ingredients in a small bowl, stir them, and set aside.
Preparing cucmbers
- Wash and slice the cucumbers 2mm(0.078inch) thick.
- Place the sliced cucumbers into a small bowl and sprinkle the 2tsp of salt.
- Toss the cucumbers and salt in order to coat the cucumbers evenly with salt.
- Leave the cucumber with salt for 10 minutes to get the water out of the cucumbers.
- Place the dried seaweed in a small bowl with 2 cups of water and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Drain and squeeze the water out of the cucumber and seaweed.
- Place the cucumber and seaweed in a mixing bowl and pour Amazu vinegar mixture over the cucumber.
- Serve it in a small bowl and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.
Notes
Other vinegars can be replaced – white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, wine vinegar but each different vinegar will taste differently. Vietnamese cucumbers or continental cucumbers are recommended to use for this recipe. Wakame seaweed can be replaced with bits of cooked octopus, and Shirasu baby fish (cooked and dried)Instead of sprinkling white sesame seeds, garnish with finely chopped ginger is delicious too.
For More Salad Recipes
Springtime Salad Recipes very refreshing
Roasted Sweet Potato, Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad
How To Make Any Salad Delicious
Healthy Living 