Xanthan Gum Free Vegan Smashed Cucumber Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
Smashing cucumbers before salting them is the kind of technique that sounds almost too simple until you taste the result — those jagged, craggy edges soak up dressing in a way that neat slices never could. After a quick salt-and-drain step, the cucumbers shed their excess water so the lemon tahini dressing clings to every piece instead of turning the bowl into a puddle. That dressing itself is worth making on repeat: tahini, fresh lemon juice, a touch of maple syrup, and ground cumin come together into something creamy, bright, and just a little smoky. Scallion greens, torn cilantro, and red pepper flakes layer in freshness and a gentle kick that keeps each bite interesting. For anyone navigating thickeners and stabilizers in store-bought dressings, this one is completely clean — every ingredient is a whole food or pantry staple with nothing hidden in the label. A finish of toasted sesame seeds and an optional drizzle of sesame oil adds a nutty depth that ties the whole dish together beautifully. It's the kind of salad that disappears fast, so you might want to double it.
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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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