Simple Wilted Cucumber Salad Recipe
I wasn’t sure which I liked better as a descriptor of this recipe- wilted or blistered. Although I like the term “blistered” more to describe the scorching hot pan these cucumbers are cooked in, in the end I chose wilted. Blistered seemed to imply charring to the skin, a feat I’m not sure is possible with a cucumber. So, may I present this wilted cucumber salad, filled with the flavors of garlic, ginger, chili, scallions, peanuts, lemon and mint. Fresh, flavorful, refreshing, and impactful. Cooking the cucumbers really helps them to meld well with the other more flavorful ingredients, and makes your cucumber salad just a little more delightful.
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Can you Cook Cucumbers?
You can indeed cook cucumbers. It is much more common in Asian cuisines, Because cucumbers don’t have tons of flavor on their own, cooking them releases some of their liquid and allows them to take on a little flavor from the dish you are cooking. It also makes a difference to the texture, changing it from sharp and crunchy, to more juicy and slightly less crunchy. Perhaps the important question is should you cook cucumbers- to which I say yes. But, as the crunch of a raw cucumber is fantastic, certainly not always. This year I grew an abundance of cucumbers– I am a fairly terrible gardener (please send help!), and out of the 25 or so things I planted, only a handful really worked out for me. And one of those handful were cucumbers. I made plenty of raw and smashed cucumber dishes, but wilted or blistered cucumbers really make their way into my cooking universe when I’m looking to have something just a little different. As well as sautéing cucumbers, I have seen others fry and roast them.
Looking for Cucumber Recipes? Try one of these!
- Sesame Cucumber Spring Vegan Millet Recipe
- Tandoori Seitan Kabobs with Cucumber Yogurt Salad
- Cucumber and Jicama Vegan Tea Sandwiches
- Smashed Vegan Cucumber Salad
How to Make Wilted Cucumber Salad
This salad really isn’t tough to make, you just chop things up and cook a bit. Garlic, ginger, and chili peppers are sautéed in a large skillet, and once plenty of their flavor is in the air and the oil, the cucumbers are added. Cook the cucumbers for a few minutes, but don’t forget about them. Eventually they will turn into a pile of mush, which is not the goal. Cook them just enough for them to start to turn slightly translucent, but still have a little crunch. Let your cucumbers cool for a minute before draining any liquid from the pan. Add the remaining ingredients, give it a toss and your salad is ready.
Simple Wilted Cucumber Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. cucumber
- ½ tsp. grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small chili pepper
- 1 lemon
- A few sprigs of fresh mint
- A few sprigs of fresh cilantro
- 2 scallions
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- Oil, for cooking
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare your vegetables- partially peel your cucumber, and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Grate the ginger, mince the garlic, remove the seeds and pith and then mince the chili. Zest the lemon, and chop the mint, cilantro, and scallions. Chop or crush the peanuts.
- Heat a large skillet with some oil. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili pepper, stirring until fragrant. Add the cucumbers and toss, cooking for a minute or two. Remove from the heat, let cool a little and drain any excess liquid.
- Add the lemon zest, ½ lemon juice, herbs, scallions, and peanuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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