Celery Free Vegan Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Cool, crunchy, and loaded with bold flavor, this smashed cucumber salad is the kind of dish that disappears fast at any table. The smashing technique is the real secret here — cracking the cucumbers open creates jagged edges and crevices that soak up every drop of the creamy lemon tahini dressing instead of letting it slide right off. Salting and draining the pieces before tossing keeps everything bright and crisp rather than watery, so the final bowl tastes intentional and restaurant-worthy. The dressing itself is a silky blend of tahini, fresh lemon juice, cumin, and a touch of maple syrup that hits savory, tangy, and subtly sweet all at once. Scallion greens, torn cilantro, and a pinch of red pepper flakes layer in freshness and a gentle kick, while toasted sesame seeds and an optional drizzle of sesame oil finish it off with nutty depth. Every ingredient here is naturally free from celery in any form — no hidden stalks, seeds, or celeriac lurking in the mix — so you can dress and serve with total confidence. It comes together in well under half an hour and works beautifully as a starter, a side, or an honest-to-goodness light lunch on its own.
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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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