Description
Cool cucumbers dance with zesty herbs in this Mediterranean-inspired salad, creating a refreshing summer sensation that brings Mediterranean flavors right to your plate. Crisp vegetables and tangy dressing combine for a light, nutritious side dish you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 1 cucumber
- 1 carrot, grated
- Green onion, chopped
Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) salt
- 20 grams sugar
- 15 grams paprika
- 20 grams sesame seeds
Liquid Ingredients:
- 40 milliliters (1.35 fluid ounces) olive oil
- 20 milliliters (0.68 fluid ounces) soy sauce
- 10 milliliters (0.34 fluid ounces) apple or rice vinegar
Instructions
- Salt the cucumbers by sprinkling with salt and letting them rest for 15 minutes to extract excess moisture, which prevents a soggy texture.
- While cucumbers are releasing liquid, prepare the additional vegetables by grating carrots and finely chopping green onions.
- Thoroughly drain the cucumbers using a colander or strainer, gently pressing to remove all excess water.
- Create a vibrant dressing by whisking together olive oil, soy sauce, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and vinegar in a separate mixing bowl until fully integrated.
- Combine the drained cucumber with grated carrots and chopped green onions, then pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables.
- Toss the salad gently but thoroughly, ensuring every vegetable piece is evenly coated with the dressing.
- Refrigerate the salad for a minimum of 30 minutes at 40°F to allow flavors to meld and develop a more harmonious taste profile.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick stir to redistribute the dressing and reinvigorate the vegetables’ texture.
Notes
- Drain cucumbers thoroughly to prevent a watery salad, using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Experiment with different vinegars like white wine or champagne vinegar to create unique flavor profiles that suit your taste preferences.
- Toast sesame seeds lightly in a dry pan before adding to enhance their nutty flavor and bring out a deeper, more complex taste.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing paprika, or substituting with red pepper flakes for a different heat intensity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg