If you mixed salad Shirazi with an Asian-style quick-pickled cucumber salad, this is what you would get. It's sweet, tangy, crunchy, and fresh all at the same time. My secret is the irresistible dressing of honey, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil. And it's ready in 15 minutes!
Why this Recipe Works
This quick and easy pickled cucumber salad is everything a salad should be! It has a great variety of textures and flavors. Sweetness from the bell pepper and honey, a bite from the red onion, a light pickle, tanginess from the sumac, and more.
I add toasted sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil to this salad for a layer of rich nutty flavor that pairs really well with the cucumber.
It keeps well in the fridge for a few days, making it a great meal prep salad.
Ingredients & Substitutions
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sumac - not the poisonous bush, but a spice made from the sumac berry. Has a tangy taste that you won't find anywhere else. Here is great quality sumac, and you can also find it on Amazon.
cucumber - the delicate Persian cucumbers are my favorite pick for this recipe. You can choose to peel or not to peel... your preference.
sesame oil (optional) - I like adding a touch of sesame oil to enhance the sesame seed taste, but it isn't necessary in this recipe.
How to Make this Recipe
Mix together the 1 teaspoon of honey, ¼ cup of rice wine vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of (optional) sesame oil in a bowl.
Note: For the cucumber, onion, and bell pepper, you can either finely dice them or slice them thinly on a mandoline. Interestingly, the two taste more different than you'd think. Try them both to figure out which you prefer. For me, it depends on my mood.
Add the vegetables to the bowl with the dressing. Add the sumac, mix well to coat, and season with salt to taste.
Pickled Cucumber Salad FAQs
The cucumbers will last up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Cucumber is great with a squeeze of citrus, dill, sumac, salt, chili powder, and more.
It depends on the cucumber type. Persian cucumbers do not need to be peeled, but cucumbers with a waxy peel will need to be peeled. The waxy cucumbers may also require removal of the seeds.
More Quick Pickles & Cures
If you're looking for more salads you can find them here. Or check out some of these other pickles and cures:
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Cucumber Salad with Sumac
Ingredients
- 5 persian cucumbers sliced on a mandolin or finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced on a mandolin or finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion or shallot, sliced on a mandolin or finely diced
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- pinch sea salt
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil optional
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1-2 teaspoon sumac
Instructions
- Mix together the 1 teaspoon of honey, ¼ cup of rice wine vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of (optional) sesame oil in a bowl.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients into the bowl.
- Season with salt to taste and the sumac. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in August of 2017 but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, FAQs, and tips in March of 2021.
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