Nitrate & Nitrite Free Vegan Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Smashing cucumbers before salting them is a technique that genuinely transforms the texture — the jagged, cracked edges soak up dressing in a way that neat slices never could. After a quick drain to pull out excess moisture, every rough-cut piece gets coated in a creamy lemon tahini dressing built from just a handful of pantry staples: tahini, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, and a touch of cumin. The result is bright, nutty, and just a little spicy from the red pepper flakes, with fresh cilantro and scallion greens adding a clean herbal lift. Toasted sesame seeds on top give it a satisfying crunch that makes the whole bowl feel finished and intentional. Every single ingredient here is naturally free of cured-meat preservatives and processed additives — no deli counter required, no label-reading stress. It comes together fast, travels well to a potluck, and honestly tastes better than most salads that take twice the effort.
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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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