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ByCatherine PerezUpdated on
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This smashed cucumber avocado salad is fresh and flavored with a delicious cilantro lime sauce. A quick and easy to make dinner side.
When a recipe can be both delicious and therapeutic it becomes part of the regular rotation. This one is especially calming because you get to unleash any pent up anger on your cucumbers.
But really, beyond just being a therapy dupe, the Chinese technique of smashing cucumbers has it’s purpose and improves the taste and texture of this salad making it irresistible.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Smashed Cucumber Avocado Salad
- Quick & Easy. Comes together very easily using super simple ingredients. Just mix the salad together in a bowl and if you want to make it a meal, just roast some chickpeas in the oven. No extra hands-on time needed.
- Great way to add veggies. For those struggling to get their veggies in, using a flavorful sauces can help with making vegetables more enjoyable to eat and less bland.
- Customizable. Tailor this recipe to your taste and feel free to use the recipe as a base guide and tweak the ingredient amounts to your liking.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cucumbers: For optimal results use Japanese cucumbers, English cucumbers, or Persian cucumbers for this dish. Other varieties of cucumbers maybe too watery and less flavorful.
- Avocado: Compliments the crisp texture of the cucumbers. Feel free to leave out if desired.
- Soy Sauce: Use your favorite soy sauce. I often use a wheat-free tamari when developing gluten-free options, but you can also use coconut aminos.
- Sweetener: I used maple syrup as it is something I always have at home and it doesn’t require dissolving. You can swap for agave syrup or regular sugar. If using granulated sugar, whisk it together with the soy sauce and lime juice to dissolve before adding it to the cucumbers.
- Sesame Oil: Primarily used for it’s flavor. If allergic, feel free to leave out or replace with chili oil.
- Sesame Seeds: Adds an extra bite and some protein. Feel free to use more or leave it out if desired. If looking for an allergy friendly alternative, try toasted sunflower seeds or pepitas.
- Lime: Fresh lime so you can use both the juice and zest. I also love this with fresh orange zest and juice.
- Cilantro: If cilantro isn’t your thing, try serving with some minced parsley or minced chives.
- Chickpeas: I love roasted chickpeas, but if that’s not your thing opt for some tofu or edamame if you want to add some additional plant-based protein.
- Seasonings: I seasoned the chickpeas with some Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder and smoked paprika. If you don’t have access to Old Bay seasoning, just swap for 1/2 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 tsp thyme. This will change the flavor, but should still compliment with the salad really well.
How to Make Smashed Cucumber Avocado Salad
Preheat oven to 425F. Place the rinsed chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry, discarding any chickpea skins that rub off on their own.
Transfer the chickpeas to a parchment lined baking tray then top with the oil, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Toss the chickpeas to evenly coat then spread out into a single layer on the tray. Place in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing them half way through.
Place your halved cucumbers cut side down on a flat cutting board then with the flat side of your knife, smack down along the length of the cucumber until it splits. Slice the cucumbers diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces.
Transfer the cut cucumbers to a strainer propped on top of a bowl. Top the cucumbers with a generous sprinkle of salt and allow to sit and drain for 10-15 minutes.
Discard the excess water at the bottom of the bowl then add the drained cucumbers to it. Top the cucumbers with the avocado, cilantro, scallion, garlic, lime zest and juice, tamari, syrup, sesame oil and seeds, and red pepper flakes. Toss the salad to combine and adjust seasonings to taste.
To serve, add your grain of choice to a serving dish and top with the cucumber avocado salad, then the chickpeas and extra scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds as desired.
Expert Tips
- Make it gluten-free. To make this gluten-free, simply swap out your soy sauce. Soy sauce contains wheat, so you can opt for a wheat-free tamari, coconut aminos or Bragg’s liquid aminos.
- Fold your avocado into the salad when ready to eat. If you aren’t planning to eat the salad right away, you can always wait to fold in your avocado prior to eating. This will help keep it fresher longer.
- Add some heat. I used a small amount of red pepper flakes in this, but I always love to top with extra spicy options like gochugaru, gochujang, sriracha, or chili oil.
- Use cucumbers that have tender seeds. The best type of cucumbers to use in this salad are Japanese cucumbers, English cucumbers and Persian cucumbers. They are less watery and stay crunchier than regular cucumbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to salt the cucumbers?
You can choose not to salt your cucumbers, but the salt does have a purpose. Salting the cucumbers helps to draw out excess water from the cucumbers faster. This will help keep the cucumbers more crisp. It also helps to infuse more flavor into your cucumber.
How long does this salad last?
Because of the nature of this salad, I would recommend eating it immediately after preparing. If you don’t intend to eat it right away, I would suggest smashing the cucumbers in advance and storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Combine the marinade ingredients together and store in the fridge in a separate container for up to 5 days. When ready to assemble fold the cucumbers, cilantro, scallions and avocado together then pour on the sauce. If storing leftovers after mixing, place in an airtight container and store for up to 2 days.
Why do you smash cucumber?
Smashing your cucumbers does a few things. First, it disrupts the membranes of the cucumber which releases more of it’s natural flavor making them tastier. Next, it releases extra moisture, which can help with keeping your cucumbers crispier. Lastly, all the extra nooks and crannies created when smashing the cucumber hold the sauce even better.
How do you keep cucumber salad from getting soggy?
After smashing your cucumber, place it over a colander resting over a bowl and sprinkle salt over them. The smashing and salt help to release extra moisture faster, which helps to preserve the crisp nature of your cucumber.
Make It a Complete Meal
I love serving this smashed cucumber avocado salad as a side, but to make it a complete meal I served it alongside some quinoa and roasted chickpeas for added protein. Optional, but makes it extra filling.
If you need some other pairing ideas, consider any of the following:
- Edamame or baked tofu
- Some cooked tempeh crispies
- Other beans like this orange marinated back bean mix
- Over toast
More Quick and Filling Salads
- Balsamic Glaze Marinated Chickpea Salad
- Cannellini Bean Salad with Maple Lime Dressing
- Roasted Lentil Potato Salad
- Grilled Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons
- 20 Minute Green Goddess Pasta Salad
Smashed Cucumber Avocado Salad
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- Author: Catherine Perez
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: One Bowl
- Cuisine: Chinese Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This smashed cucumber avocado salad is fresh and flavored with a delicious cilantro lime sauce. A quick and easy to make dinner side.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Old Bay Chickpeas
- 1, 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Cucumber Avocado Salad
- 6 Persian cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1/3 cup cilantro, stems removed and minced
- 1 scallion, finely sliced
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- Juice and zest of one lime
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Kosher salt
Serving
- Grain of choice (quinoa, rice, farro, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Place the rinsed chickpeas on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry, discarding any chickpea skins that rub off on their own.
- Transfer the chickpeas to a parchment lined baking tray then top with the oil, Old Bay seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Toss the chickpeas to evenly coat then spread out into a single layer on the tray. Place in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing them half way through.
- Place your halved cucumbers cut side down on a flat cutting board then with the flat side of your knife, smack down along the length of the cucumber until it splits. Slice the cucumbers diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces.
- Transfer the cut cucumbers to a strainer propped on top of a bowl. Top the cucumbers with a generous sprinkle of salt and allow to sit and drain for 10-15 minutes.
- Discard the excess water at the bottom of the bowl then add the drained cucumbers to it. Top the cucumbers with the avocado, cilantro, scallion, garlic, lime zest and juice, tamari, syrup, sesame oil and seeds, and red pepper flakes. Toss the salad to combine and adjust seasonings to taste.
- To serve, add your grain of choice to a serving dish and top with the cucumber avocado salad, then the chickpeas and extra scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds as desired.
Notes
Make it gluten-free. To make this gluten-free, simply swap out your soy sauce. Soy sauce contains wheat, so you can opt for a wheat-free tamari, coconut aminos or Bragg’s liquid aminos.
Fold your avocado into the salad when ready to eat. If you aren’t planning to eat the salad right away, you can always wait to fold in your avocado prior to eating. This will help keep it fresher longer.
Add some heat. I used a small amount of red pepper flakes in this, but I always love to top with extra spicy options like gochugaru, gochujang, sriracha, or chili oil.
Use cucumbers that have tender seeds. The best type of cucumbers to use in this salad are Japanese cucumbers, English cucumbers and Persian cucumbers. They are less watery and stay crunchier than regular cucumbers.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★Catherine
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