This Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad boast big, bold flavors with just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of prep. The tangy, shallot laced rice vinegar dressing adds zip to thinly sliced cucumbers topped with crunchy black sesame seeds.
When the heat is on and summer swelters, even tossing together a salad brings on the threat of overheating. Sometimes you just need to keep it easy and be done with it. This Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad is as simple as it gets.
Made with just a small handful of ingredients, this easy Cucumber Salad boasts big flavor in mere moments
No matter what you're grilling up, this crisp, crunchy salad is sure to compliment with a tangy, vinegary bite. I always serve it alongside my wildly popular Ginger Honey Lime Chicken Skewers recipe.
Allow 15 minutes for the cucumbers to marinate in the dressing
Thinly sliced cucumbers soak up a the rice vinegar dressing laced with a bit of sugar, a touch of salt and the mild earthiness of thin sliced shallots. This basic beauty only needs about 15 minutes to get the marination happening at room temperature.
You only need these 6 simple ingredients to make this Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad
- English or Mini Cucumbers, they both have a thinner skin so they don't require peeling, plus they don't have many seeds
- Rice Vinegar gives the salad it's zippy flavor without overpowering as it's milder and more delicate than other vinegars
- Shallots add a mild onion flavor with an earthy hint of garlic
- A big of sugar balances out the zip of the vinegar
- A pinch of salt mellows the other flavors
- Black sesame seeds add a crunchy bite with a nod of nuttiness
The longer the cucumbers marinate in the rice vinegar dressing, the more zip they'll have. Serving it sooner than later, retains the crispness of the cucumbers. This Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad will keep stored in the fridge for at least 3-5 days. Just know that the longer it sits, the flimsier the cucumbers become. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a thing to know.
This Easy Cucumber Salad makes for a simple side dish
My favorite way to serve the Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad is with my grilled Ginger Honey Lime Chicken Skewers and fluffy white rice. There is something magical that occurs when the juicy cucumber salad is spooned over the rice and the vinegar dressing sinks in. The tangy brightness against with the summery skewers, and simple white rice is a match made in paradise.
For a Mexican twist on a cucumber salad recipe, my friend Kate's from Hola Jalapeño has a vibrant, fresh and flavorful Mexican Cucumber Salad Recipe on her site. I love everything happening in Kate's salad!
Recipe
Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
This Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad boast big, bold flavors with just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of prep. The tangy, shallot laced rice vinegar dressing adds zip to thinly sliced cucumbers topped with crunchy black sesame seeds.
Ingredients
- 2 cups english or mini cucumbers (- thinly sliced)
- 1 small shallot (- thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1-2 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Place thinly sliced cucumbers in a bowl.
- Combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, salt and thinly sliced shallots. Stir together then pour over the cucumbers.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or chill in the fridge for at least an hour, until ready to serve.
- Sprinkle with black sesame seeds just before serving.
Notes
This Quick Pickled Cucumber Salad may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, however the cucumbers will lose their crispness over time.
You can add or substitute carrots, radish, jicama, etc.
Adding red pepper flakes to the dressing will spice things up.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
