With summer just around the corner it's officially cold food season and there's nothing like a super crunchy spicy cucumber salad that requires zero cooking.
The coolness of the cucumber balances the heat of the spices, creating a harmonious explosion of flavors in every bite. This salad is crisp, tangy, and has a fiery kick.
We’ve really been enjoying cucumber season. It's crunchy, absorbs flavors super well, and is just all around refreshing. Plus it works super well with both sweet and savor foods such as watermelon or onion.
And can be made ahead of time!
How To Make Spicy Cucumber Salad
This recipe comes together in about 10 minutes. However, it needs to sit for at least 30 minutes so we recommend making it ahead of time.
You'll need spicy peppers, onion, fresh cucumbers, vinegar, and high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Very finely chop the spicy peppers and onion. We like the onion slices to be no longer than an inch. Place everything into a bowl, add a generous sprinkle of salt, and then cover with vinegar.
The onions and spicy pepper will slightly pickle in the vinegar as well as infuse it with some spice and flavors.
Peel the cucumbers then cut them in half and into 1/4 inch thick half rounds. Add them to the bowl but do not mix. Cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge for up to a day.
When ready to serve take the bowl out of the fridge about 45 minutes ahead of time, then drizzle with a generous glug of fresh extra virgin olive oil, salt to taste, mix and enjoy!
What Type of Cucumbers to Use?
We have made this salad with English, Kirby, and Garden cucumbers and it always turns out great. We honestly don't have a preference as long as the cucumbers are fresh! That's most important for a satisfying crunch.
To Peel or Not to Peel?
While we usually enjoy cucumber skin it can be quite bitter so we prefer to peel them first and then chop. If you do choose to leave the skin on you can also salt the cucumbers to get rid of some of the bitterness and water.
How Long Should This Salad Marinate?
The longer the vinegar, onion, and spicy pepper marinate together the more intense the flavors will be. You can make the dressing, minus the EVOO, up to two days ahead of time and keep that in the fridge if you want! It also makes a delicious sauce.
How Far Ahead Can You Make Spicy Cucumber Salad?
You can make and prepare the entire salad, minus the EVOO, up to a day ahead. After a day or so the cucumbers start to get sad and soggy.
What Type of Vinegar to Use?
We usually make this with apple cider vinegar, however, you can use also use rice.
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Hey, we wrote a cookbook and guide called The Olive Oil Enthusiast, have you ordered it yet?
If you make this recipe please let a comment and let us know! We love to hear from you. If you’re on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok don’t forget to tag us and use #EXAUoliveoil so we can repost!
