A vibrant and crunchy carrot cucumber salad that's simple to make and ready in 10 minutes. Serve with a sweet and tangy sesame ginger dressing lightly drizzled over the top.
I love to sprinkle this cucumber carrot salad with a pinch of sesame seeds, some finely chopped spring onions and a few fresh mint leaves just before serving.
This is just perfect if you serve it on a large plate so that there's room to share. Then, I like to add some extra dressing plus toppings on the side, so people can help themselves and make it their own.
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Why you'll love this salad
This cucumber and carrot salad is:
- Made with natural ingredients.
- Versatile - easy to serve with many other dishes all year round.
- Quick and easy to make, taking only 10 minutes.
- A light and healthy salad side dish.
- Crunchy, tangy, fresh and super delicious!
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and vegan.
- The sesame ginger dressing can also be used as a light marinade or dipping sauce.
Ingredient Notes
I found the most fantastically moorish combination of ingredients for this salad dressing.
Apple cider vinegar: Most sesame ginger dressing recipes call for rice vinegar, but I prefer raw apple cider vinegar (with the mother) and have plenty in the pantry cupboard, so this is what I use. Feel free to swap it out for rice wine vinegar (I've yet to discover a raw one).
Coconut aminos: Made from the sap of coconut with a bit of sea salt added, coconut aminos makes a brilliant alternative to soy sauce.
It's lighter in flavour than soy sauce and slightly sweet. So, the recipe doesn't need any added sugar. I use a coconut aminos that has no additives, preservatives, sweeteners or colours (check the brand label) added.
Sesame oil: Instead of using toasted sesame oil, this recipe uses a cold-pressed, unrefined version. It's beautifully light in flavour, and whisking a small amount of oil into the dressing helps coat the carrot and cucumber sticks.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the sesame and ginger dressing. Finely slice spring onions and place to one side. Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together.
Step 2: To prepare the salad vegetables, finely slice the crunchy cucumber and carrot into long matchstick-size pieces. Mix them together then turn them out onto a plate.
Step 3: To dress the salad, pour a little of the salad dressing over the cucumber and carrot sticks. Top with spring onions, a pinch of sesame seeds and a few torn mint leaves. Serve with leftover dressing, sesame seeds and finely diced green onions on the side.
Variations
Want to take this cucumber and carrot salad up a notch? Here are some variations:
- Spicy - add a little finely chopped red chili pepper and fresh coriander leaf.
- Deluxe - add halved baby pak choi, sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes.
- Mix it up - swap out the dressing for this peanut dressing or tahini miso dressing instead.
Storing
The sliced carrot and cucumber can be stored for 2-3 days in a lidded container in the fridge. They soften over time, so really, they're best enjoyed the same day.
Store the sesame ginger dressing separately in a jar with a lid and add just before serving.
Not suitable for freezing.
Top tip
Keep the discarded cucumber pieces to add to your morning smoothies or blend them and add to dressings to minimise any waste.
FAQ
The edge of a teaspoon is slight and will move around the curved shape of fresh ginger easier than using a paring knife.
This sesame ginger dressing is easy to make by whisking together coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, and some minced ginger and garlic.
Slice into rounds, matchsticks, dice into cubes or use a vegetable peeler, julienne peeler or spiralizer to make beautiful ribbons.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with cucumber carrot salad:
Recipe
Carrot Cucumber Salad
Equipment
- a small bowl.
- Chopping board.
- Teaspoon.
- small hand whisk or fork. optional
- Garlic crusher
- fine handheld grater
- A paring knife
Ingredients
- 1 medium-large carrot.
- 1 whole English cucumber.
- 2 spring onions
- fresh mint leaves small handful
- A sprinkle of raw sesame seeds.
Sesame Ginger Dressing
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) coconut aminos just over 5 tbsp
- 2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil unrefined cold pressed
- 1 teaspoon piece fresh ginger. minced
- 1 garlic clove. crushed
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Add the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar and sesame oil to a small bowl. Peel the ginger with the back of a teaspoon then finely grate or mince. Crush the garlic using a garlic crusher or finely chop. Use a fork or a small hand whisk to whist the ingredients together until fully combined.80 ml (⅓ cup) coconut aminos, 2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 garlic clove., 1 teaspoon piece fresh ginger.
- Prepare the salad: Use a paring knife to finely slice the spring onions and discard their messy ends. Top and tail the carrot and cucumber. Chop the cucumber lengthwise into four and trim off the seeds, so you're left with just firm pieces. Next, slice the cucumber and carrot into long matchstick-size pieces the same size.1 medium-large carrot., 1 whole English cucumber., 2 spring onions
- How to serve: With your hands, gently mix the crunchy carrot and cucumber sticks together on a large plate. Pour over a few tablespoons of dressing and top with some of the finely sliced spring onions. Sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds and a few fresh mint leaves.fresh mint leaves, A sprinkle of raw sesame seeds.
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