Creamy Asian Cucumber Bowl (Printer-friendly)
Fresh cucumbers and crisp vegetables coated in a creamy tangy sesame dressing. Perfect for quick, light meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 1 small carrot, julienned
03 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
04 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
05 - 1/2 cup cooked shelled edamame
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
→ Creamy Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
08 - 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce
11 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
14 - 1 clove garlic, minced
15 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili sauce (optional)
→ Garnish
16 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts or cashews (optional)
18 - Lime wedges, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Combine sliced cucumbers, julienned carrot, bell pepper strips, green onions, edamame, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl.
02 - Whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and sriracha in a small bowl until smooth and well combined.
03 - Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Divide the dressed salad evenly between two serving bowls.
05 - Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped nuts over each bowl. Serve with fresh lime wedges on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamy dressing hits every single flavor note without being heavy or overwhelming
- You can throw this together in literally 15 minutes with zero cooking required
02 -
- Dont dress this too far ahead of time or the cucumbers will release water and youll end up with soup instead of salad
- The ginger and garlic really need to be finely minced or grated, big chunks are overwhelming in a raw preparation like this
03 -
- Use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons instead of slices for the cucumbers sometimes, it looks so elegant
- Let the dressed salad sit for just 5 minutes before eating, the flavors meld together incredibly