Carrot and Cucumber Salad

This fresh Asian-inspired Carrot and Cucumber Salad is the perfect light and flavorful side dish to pair with any entree. This salad can be made in just 15 minutes and is packed with nutrient dense ingredients. 

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
• How to Make this Salad
• What I Love about this Carrot and Cucumber Salad
• Storage
• Diet Types
• Recipe Tips
• Related Recipes
• Other Great Recipes
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• 📖 Recipe

This Carrot and Cucumber salad is light, fresh and pairs well with so many dishes. It is a great alternative to your typical green salad and is so simple to make.

Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions

English Cucumber

English cucumbers work best for this recipe because they have a tender skin and are not as watery as regular cucumbers. Regular cucumbers will work but should be peeled and seeded before chopping. Persian cucumbers are also a good choice.

Shredded Carrots

I usually buy a package of shredded carrots for this recipe, but you can absolutely use whole carrots and shred them yourself. Using a food processor with a shredding attachment makes this easier.

Coconut Aminos

Coconut aminos are a gluten and soy-free alternative to soy sauce that have a slightly sweet-umami flavor. They are also less salty than soy sauce. Coconut aminos can be found near the soy sauce or in the gluten-free section of most grocery stores or from online retailers like Thrive Market or Amazon. You can also substitute a low sodium soy sauce but may need to adjust salt to taste.

Rice Vinegar

Rice vinegar is neutral and very lightly sweet. You can substitute white balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

Honey

Maple syrup or granulated sugar can be used.

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce adds a little saltiness and some umami flavor. I like Red Boat fish sauce because it has great flavor and minimal ingredients. This ingredient can be omitted if you don’t have it on hand.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil is going to give you the most flavor, but using peanut oil or avocado oil can work if you have a sesame allergy.

Sea Salt

If substituting low sodium soy sauce for coconut aminos, you can omit the salt or salt to taste to avoid the salad from being too salty. Because both the coconut aminos and fish sauce will add an element of saltiness to the recipe, you can opt to mix the dressing holding the salt and then taste by dipping a cucumber into it and add additional salt if needed.

How to Make this Salad

This salad is simple to make and can be done in under 15 minutes. Here's how:

1. Halve the English cucumber lengthwise and then thinly slice it into half moons about ⅛ inch thick. I usually buy a package of shredded carrots, but you can shred carrots using a food processor shredding attachment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dressing with a whisk until the honey is fully dissolved. 
3. Add the cucumber and carrots and gently toss. Add the sesame seeds and toss, and then garnish sliced green onions and serve immediately, or allow to marinade for 30 minutes in the fridge and then gently toss again before serving.

Storage

This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. It will become more flavorful as it marinades in the dressing, but the cucumbers will loose their firmness. Be sure to toss lightly before serving.

Diet Types

This Carrot and Cucumber salad is naturally gluten-free, but can be made vegan or paleo with a few simple swaps.

To make this recipe vegan, you will want to omit the fish sauce and substitute the honey with maple syrup.

If you want to make this recipe paleo-friendly, you can substitute the rice vinegar with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure your veggies are thinly sliced to ensure they absorb the flavor from the dressing.
• If you're sensitive to salt, consider holding the sea salt. Mix the dressing without the salt, taste using a carrot or cucumber and then add additional salt if needed.
• Making the salad and putting it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes allows the flavors to develop.
• I like tossing the salad again right before serving, and then using tongs to serve so that the veggies are coated with dressing but not dripping.

Related Recipes

• Vietnamese Cucumber Salad
• Avocado Mango Cucumber Salad
• Vegan Watermelon Salad
• Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad with Walnuts and Avocado

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