Black Pepper Free Vegan Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Smashing cucumbers before salting them is the move that changes everything — it creates jagged, craggy surfaces that soak up dressing instead of letting it slide right off. The brief salting and draining step pulls out excess moisture, so you end up with cucumbers that are crisp and concentrated rather than watery and bland. The lemon tahini dressing is the real star here: bright, nutty, and just a little sweet from a touch of maple syrup, with ground cumin adding warm depth without any heat that might catch you off guard. Scallion greens and fresh cilantro keep things light and herbaceous, while red pepper flakes bring a gentle kick that's easy to dial back if you prefer. Toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil finish the whole thing off with a satisfying crunch and richness. It comes together quickly and looks genuinely stunning on the table, making it just as fitting for a weeknight dinner as it is for something you'd bring to a gathering. Best served right away while the cucumbers are still crisp and the dressing is freshly tossed.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 1 ½ lb persian cucumbers (about 8–10 small)
- ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly torn
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
For the dressing
- ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp water, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim the ends off the cucumbers. Place them on a cutting board and smash each one firmly with the flat side of a chef's knife or the bottom of a heavy mug until the skin cracks and the flesh splits open. Tear or cut the smashed cucumbers into rough 1- to 1½-inch pieces and transfer to a colander set over the sink.
- 2
Toss the cucumber pieces with ½ tsp of the kosher salt and let them drain in the colander for 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels. This draws out excess water so the dressing clings rather than pools.
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