Cucumber Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing

Smashed cucumber salad with miso dressing! Crisp, fresh and crunchy cucumbers are drenched in a maple-sweet and vinegar-sour spicy dressing.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: smashed cucumber salad

Servings: people

Place a cucumber on a cutting board and smash it along the length with a rolling pin. The cucumber should crack into sections. Repeat with the second cucumber.
Now cut the smashed cucumber into 2 inch pieces and add to a salad bowl. To the same bowl add crushed garlic, sliced green onions and 1 tbsp of chilli crips or other chilli oil of your choice.
In a small bowl prepare the dressing by mixing the brown miso paste, vegetable oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup and light soy sauce. Use a wire whisk to break down the miso paste and emulsify the dressing. Pour over the salad and mix gently to coat, season with salt to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Only use fresh, crisp cucumber. Soft cucumbers just won’t work!
Because we are smashing the cucumber, instead of slicing it, we get a jagged surface area with lots of nooks and crannies for the dressing to seep into and flavour the vegetable on both the inside and outside.
A This is an affiliate link.rolling pin or blender tamper both work well for smashing. And remember, no need to hit too hard!
I used red miso paste because I had it available. But white or brown will both work well too!
Even with the tasty dressing, the salad will still need salt. Give it a taste test before serving and don’t be afraid to add a bit more.