Spicy Peanut Cucumber Crunch Salad
A cold, crunchy cucumber salad with a spicy peanut-lime dressing that wakes up any plate.
Prep: 15 · Cook: · Total: 15 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.8/5 (302 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
I wanted a cold side that hit hard with flavor and took less time than the main dish. Peanut-lime dressing does the job and makes cucumbers feel exciting.
Story
On road trips, there is always that moment when you need something crisp and cold to balance the greasy goodness. This salad is that reset button, spicy, nutty, and loud in the best way. It takes five minutes to stir up the dressing and suddenly plain cucumbers have a purpose. Bring it to the table and watch it vanish before the burgers are even flipped.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp honey (or sugar)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp chili crisp or sriracha, to taste
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Put cucumbers, carrot, and scallions in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, and sesame oil until smooth.
- Stir in chili crisp a little at a time until it tastes right to you.
- Pour dressing over the vegetables and toss until coated.
- Fold in most of the peanuts, saving a pinch for the top.
- Serve immediately for max crunch, or chill 10 minutes and toss again before serving.
Chef Tips
- English or Persian cucumbers stay crisp and have fewer seeds.
- If your peanut butter is thick, thin the dressing with 1 to 2 tsp water.
- Want it heartier, add shredded rotisserie chicken or chilled noodles.
- Salt the cucumbers only lightly so they do not weep too much.
Cook's Notes
- Cut cucumbers thin so they soak up dressing fast.
- For a milder version, skip the chili crisp and add extra lime.
- This is best the day it is made, after a night in the fridge it softens.