Smashed Vegan Cucumber Salad
Refreshing, flavorful, slightly spicy and a little sour, this vegan cucumber salad includes shallots, cilantro, toasted peanuts and sesame seeds. The extra juicy texture of this salad is thanks to a fun little technique- smashing! And when I say fun technique, I mean it’s a salad that’s just downright fun to make. Added bonus- it’s low cook to really help you cool down this summer!
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The Art of Smashing
Ever since I started making this vegan cucumber salad, I’ve been asked several times why I smash it. Can’t you just cut it? Well, I mean, you could, but why would you want to? Smashing a cucumber is one of the most satisfying cooking techniques I’ve ever done- it’s the perfect way to get out a little pent up aggression. Just take out your rolling pin and hit that cucumber until it splits open- then roll it over and hit it some more. But, as lovely as all the bashing is, that’s not actually the only reason you should smash your cucumbers. When you smash apart your cucumbers, you soften them, making them more juicy and tender. It also creates roughened, pitted edges that will hold your dressing better than the sharp, flat edges from the knife cuts. This is a technique that is common in China and other parts of Asia, and while my dish isn’t a perfectly authentic replica (in China they’ll often be more like a pickle) it’s very much inspired by the traditional Chinese method and technique.
All about Cucumbers
For years I described my favorite vegetable as cucumbers, and although I’ve moved on from that as my favorite vegetable, I still love the crispy, refreshing cucumber. When someone would ask my favorite vegetable, and I’d respond, they would always look at me surprised- “But cucumbers don’t taste like anything!”. Agree to disagree, friend. True, cucumbers are 95% water but to me that’s not a lack of flavor, it’s the lovely, refreshing flavor of water. Plus, depending on your cucumbers, they have the flavor of a less sweet honeydew melon, or even some bitterness. Today we have several different varieties of cucumbers being eaten, and we have written records of cucumbers being enjoyed at least since Roman times. During the heat of summer, it’s the perfect vegetable to cool down. While cucumbers are not super high in vitamins and minerals, they are also very low in calories and have plenty of phytonutrients which have antioxidant and anti-cancer effects.
Looking for more Summer Salads? Try one of these!
- Heirloom Tomato Summer Watermelon Salad
- Massaged Mustard Greens Salad
- Hearty Bean Dinner Salad with Sun Dried Tomato Dressing
- Summer Tomato Vegan Caprese Salad
- Seaside Vegan Beet Salad
- Fava Bean and Pomegranate Salad
Making Smashed Vegan Cucumber Salad
This dish works really well for summer, as it’s an almost no-cook dish. We do spend just a minute or two in front of the stove with this one, to toast our peanuts and bring out the best of their nutty flavor. After that, turn off the stove and step away from the heat! Get out your cucumber and get smashing- you can keep it a little neater by placing the cucumber in a plastic bag before you smash, but I personally don’t. I think the flying seeds are really all part of the fun. Do a little chopping of shallots, garlic, and cilantro, and then mix all the ingredients together. Taste, adjust, and chill (optional), and you’re done!
Smashed Vegan Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 2-3 small cucumbers (1½ lbs. total)
- 1 small shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp. seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- ½ tsp. sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp. chili flakes
- ¼ tsp. chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash your cucumbers well, and place on a cutting board. Use a rolling pin or the flat side of a wide knife and bash the cucumber down the length until it splits, flipping it 90 degrees once so it splits into four rough pieces. Chop the smashed cucumbers into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Heat a small skillet with no oil. Chop your peanuts and place them in the warm pan, stirring constantly, until they are fragrant and toasted. Place the peanuts in the mixing bowl with the cucumbers.
- Dice the shallot, mince the garlic, and finely chop the cilantro. Place in the mixing bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Toss to combine, and serve at room temperature or chilled.
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