Zesty Cucumber Salad
This zesty cucumber salad is a light and crispy side dish or condiment that comes together in minutes with simple whole ingredients. It is a budget-friendly way to add freshness and crunch to your family's favorite savory dishes.
I keep a mix of raw veggie side dishes in my dinner routine because I've found that picky eaters often will prefer them over cooked.
As a late-in-life pickle lover, I've learned to truly appreciate the zest that a vinegary pickled veggie brings to a savory dinner.
When my daughter and I were playing around with our spicy salmon sushi bake, I knew we needed a cool and crispy veggie garnish to serve on top. This zest cucumber salad was the perfect fit.
It was so easy and so delicious that it has now found its way into the rotation alongside savory meats and sandwiches when you just need that crispy texture.
Why This is the Best Recipe
- Quick Prep: Just slice, season, and shake! This one would even be fun for the kids to make.
- Bright Flavors: The fresh citrusy zest and tangy vinegar brighten up meaty dishes and pairs with spicy foods so well.
- Versatile Serving Ideas: You could use it as a garnish on rice bowls, as a side dish with grilled meats, or tuck it into layers of fish or chicken sandwiches like a condiment.
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Ingredients
With a handful of pantry ingredients, you're ready to make this easy side dish:
- English Cucumber: These are the ones wrapped in plastic. You could also use a regular seedless cucumber.
- Fresh Orange: The fresh orange zest is key but you could substitute a lemon or lime if you had to.
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Olive Oil
- Honey: For a little boost of heat and a sweet and spicy flavor profile, you could also use a pepper-infused hot honey.
- Garlic Salt
- Onion Powder
- Salt & Pepper
Whisk the Dressing
You could shake the dressing together right in the mason jar, but when working with honey I prefer to whisk it to combine first. This helps the honey fully incorporate in the vinegar.
Add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, garlic salt, and onion powder to a small bowl and whisk them until smooth.
Slice the Cucumbers
Be sure to peel the English cucumber with a veggie peeler first.
Trim the ends and then slice the remaining cucumber in 1/8-inch thin rounds:
Stir Together
Add the cucumbers to the dressing bowl and toss them together to coat.
Add the orange zest and salt and pepper and toss again.
Chill the cucumbers for 15 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead Tips
The cucumber salad is best served the day you make it but it can rest in the fridge for a few hours if you want to prep it ahead of dinnertime.
Serving Suggestions
I first made this zest salad as the garnish for our spicy salmon sushi bake. I spooned them right on top of each slice of the casserole when I served it.
It would also pair really well with a meaty rice bowl dinner. You could use it to add veggies to my rotisserie chicken teriyaki rice bowls or these ground pork rice bowls with potsticker sauce. The zesty citrus tang complements them all perfectly.
If you're making spicy chicken sandwiches or want to add crunch to a pulled pork sandwich, you could use these in place of pickles for BBQ, too!
More Vegetable Relish Recipes
If you're looking for more ways to add cool, crispy crunch to your dinner, don't miss these other delicious and easy vegetable relish recipes:
📖 Recipe
Zesty Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 seedless cucumber thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions Start Cooking
- Add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, garlic salt, and onion powder to a small bowl and whisk them together until the honey has dissolved.
- Peel the cucumber with a veggie peeler and then thinly slice it. Add the slices to the dressing and toss to coat.
- Season the cucumber with the orange zest, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Chill the cucumber salad for at least 15 minutes before using as a garnish on spicy chicken, your favorite Asian dishes, or seafood recipes.
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