A simple crunchy peanut Asian cucumber salad tossed with salted peanuts and Thai chillies in a rice wine vinaigrette.
Dear Huggies: Why does my baby not peacefully drift off into dreamland when placed in his crib the way the babies do in your ads? Is it because he wears Pampers? Because I will switch. In a hurry!!
My cherubic baby, when placed in his crib, quickly turns into something far less angelic. This has been made worse lately by the fact that he is rolling violently all over his crib, making it thump against the wall.
Sigh. I am traumatized by the noise that was happening in the next room as I shot these photos. I hope I can get over it and explain this delicious, refreshing salad to you.
Let me try.
It’s summer. Am I allowed to say that yet? I’ve waited so long for nice weather, and I don’t want to scare it away! OK…I guess summer is in 20-something days.
But mentally, I’m in summer mode. Which means that lately I’ve had picnics on the brain.
So I’ve been thinking of picnic worthy food…something simple, refreshing, and delicious. Which led me to this Asian cucumber salad!
Really, is there anything as cool and refreshing as cucumber on a hot summer day? Well, OK…maybe watermelons, and margaritas, and ice cream, and coca cola. But I’m pretty sure cucumbers belong on that list, too!
These cucumbers are tossed with cilantro, shallots, Thai chiles, and salty roasted peanuts. Then drizzled with a cool rice-wine vinaigrette with a hint of sesame oil. Cause I love sesame oil and will find an excuse to put it in {almost} anything!
The cool, crunchy cucumbers and peanuts are contrasted by the spicy Thai chiles. Be careful with these things, they are dangerous!! I recommend de-seeding them, because these guys can do some damage if you’re not careful {word from the wise, here}.
The mildly sweet and tangy vinaigrette with its wonderful hint of sesame oil goes so nicely with all the cucumbery-chile-goodness that is happening in this Asian cucumber salad.
This Asian cucumber salad takes…oh…15 minutes to make. No marinating. No cooking of anything. One bowl required.
So you can get out of the kitchen and spend your time on more important things. Things of a summery nature. It took so long to get here…we really need to enjoy every last minute of it!
More light summery salads!
- this Spiralized Cucumber Salad with Feta & Mint is ready in just 10 minutes
- and this Apple, Fennel & Brussels Sprouts Slaw is perfect for a picnic
- so is this Herbed Orzo Pasta Salad with Tomatoes & Feta
Crunchy Peanut Asian Cucumber Salad (15 minutes)
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar {I used seasoned rice vinegar}
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- salt to taste
Salad
- 1 long English cucumbers sliced
- 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro {chopped coarsely}
- 1-2 Thai chiles de-seeded and diced {to taste!}
- 2 shallots sliced into slivers
- 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together rice vinegar and sugar until smooth. Whisk in sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper.
- Toss in salad ingredients, taste and season with salt as needed.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
- Salad adapted from Food & Wine
Dressing adapted from AllRecipes
Catherine
Dear Denise, I love cucumber salad…add peanuts and I am in heaven. A delicious salad. xo
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I can’t believe you have time for these gorgeous photo shoots and recipes with a baby in diapers! My hat is off! pinned
Denise
Well, I have to be pretty strategic with photography and nap-times…or usually on the week-end when I have an extra set of hands to hold him. Thanks, so much for the huge compliment, Averie, and thanks for pinning!!
nicole (thespicetrain.com)
Oooh, this salad looks so fresh! And I really like cucumbers but for some reason don’t use them all that often. Shall be making this soon! 🙂
Denise
I love cucumbers too, but they usually end up in a plain old Greek salad, so I wanted to try something a little different. Hope you like it!
Joybee
This salad soundw delicious. It’s weird, I didn’t like cucumbers for the longest time but this past 2 years or so they’ve grown on me. Now I eat them all the time. I’m pinning this.
Denise
You weren’t a cucumber fan?! I can see that…if you get some with bitter skin, or too soft, they can be not so good. They don’t really have flavor though, they’re all about that cool crunchiness. Thanks for pinning, Joybee 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
This is the perfect summer salad! Hopefully this makes things a little more calm after your crying baby. 🙂 Love the red wine vinaigrette dressing too, it’s one of my favorites!
Denise
Thanks, Gayle!
Denise
Thanks, Mary Frances! Cucumbers are all about that crunchy, freshness 🙂
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
What a beautiful and fresh summer salad! I always have plenty of cucumbers from my garden so I can’t wait to make this salad. I hope your sweet baby starts sleeping better!
Denise
Thanks, Ashley! I wish I could grow cucumbers here…
Katie
This cucumber salad looks so refreshing! And yes, it’s okay to call it summer, I think the nice weather is here to stay. Beautiful pictures as always; I could eat this salad right off my computer screen!
Denise
Thanks, Katie, I sure hope this good weather is here to stay!
How to Philosophize with Cake
This look so light and refreshing! I love Asian-inspired salads, I’ll have to try this ASAP. 🙂
Denise
Thanks! I am addicted to anything sesame oil 🙂