Cucumber and Pepper Salad
This cucumber pepper salad is the perfect balance of crisp, sweet, and spicy, loaded with fresh vegetables, protein-packed quinoa, and a creamy tahini-honey dressing that'll have you addicted.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 291kcal
Ingredients
- 10 Mini Bell Peppers
- 2 English Cucumbers
- 12 Ounces Edamame shelled
- 1 Cup Quinoa cooked
- 5 Green Onions chopped
- ½ Cup Cilantro chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
Dressing
- ½ Cup Tahini
- ¼ Cup Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Crunch
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning
Instructions
- Rinse and slice the English cucumbers into ¼-inch rounds or half-moons, then toss them in ½ teaspoon of salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Pat them completely dry after the 10 minutes are up. Wash the mini bell peppers, remove stems and seeds, and slice into thin circles. Chop 5 green onions and roughly chop ½ cup of cilantro, reserving some for garnish.
- To cook quinoa, first rinse it under cold water to remove its bitter saponin coating. Combine with 2 cups water or broth in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let it cool. If using frozen edamame, microwave it for 2-3 minutes, drain, and cool slightly so they remain tender with a slight bite.
- Whisk together tahini, honey, apple cider vinegar, chili crunch oil, and Everything Bagel Seasoning. Stir well until combined and emulsified.
- In a large bowl, combine cucumbers, bell peppers, cooled quinoa, edamame, green onions, and cilantro. Toss with the tahini-honey dressing until evenly coated. Finish with more chili crunch oil, drizzling on top or mixing in, and garnish with extra cilantro and green onions.
Notes
- The 10-Minute "Pre-Sweat": Before adding cucumber to the salad, toss your sliced cucumbers in ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Let them sit in a colander for 10 minutes. This draws out the excess "cell water" that typically dilutes your chili crunch. Pat them bone-dry with a towel before assembly.
- Temperature Shock for Extra Crisp: If your bell peppers feel slightly soggy, submerge them in an ice-water bath for 15 minutes. This restores Turgor Pressure, the internal water pressure against the cell walls, resulting in a literal crisp "snap" when you bite into them.
- The Emulsion Binder: Everything Bagel seasoning and chili crunch oil are notorious for clumping. To prevent this, I use tahini as the base of my dressing with apple cider vinegar and chili crunch oil. This creates a stable emulsion that keeps the seeds and garlic flakes suspended and evenly distributed across every piece of pepper.
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1330IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg
