Sesame Cucumber and Avocado Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated June 7, 2022

Sesame Cucumber and Avocado Salad
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(3,793)
Comments
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Crispy cucumber and creamy avocado perform a delicate dance with earthy notes of sesame in this most simple of salads. Thin-skinned varieties such as Persian or English cucumbers work best, as they are almost seedless with a robust flesh that stays crisp. But don’t worry if you only have access to seedy cucumbers: Peel them if their skins are thick, then cut them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds before slicing. No-cook and ready in a matter of minutes, this elegant salad can be dressed up according to your mood. It is a satisfying meal on its own, but it can also be served alongside cold soba noodles, or with brown rice and a fried or jammy egg on top. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Sesame Dressing

    • 2tablespoons toasted sesame oil
    • 2tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
    • 1tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 1½teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
    • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes

    For the Salad

    • 2ripe avocados
    • 1pound cucumbers (such as Persian or English), trimmed and thinly sliced
    • 2green, red or purple scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
    • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
    • Toasted sesame seeds, for topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

284 calories; 24 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 571 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the dressing: Place the sesame oil, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, sugar, soy sauce and red-pepper flakes into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk until emulsified. Taste, and adjust seasonings. (Dressing should taste acidic, a little sweet and salty.)

  2. Step 2

    When you’re ready to eat, prepare the salad: Halve the avocados and discard the pits. Using a small paring knife, carefully score the avocado flesh into ½-inch cubes, avoiding cutting through the skin. Use a large spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh (in one spoonful, if possible), as close to the skin as possible. Transfer avocado cubes to a large bowl and add the dressing; toss gently.

  3. Step 3

    Add the cucumbers and scallions and toss everything together. Season with salt and black pepper, top with more sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,793 user ratings
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Comments

Barbara Kraft

I found soaking the cucumbers in cold water with 2 Tablespoon of salt for 2 hours makes the cucumbers crisp & fresh ..drain & rinse & dry well..I use a clean kitchen towel to roll them in to dry throughly

claudia

Add some edamame for additional protein!

Allie

I just made this within 20 minutes of Sam suggesting it via email. I tossed it with cold udon noodles and added thinly sliced jalapeño. Perfect warm weather lunch.

Suzanne

We love this salad. I often make a half batch (1 cucumber) without the avocados or red pepper flakes, then pile some into a meatball sandwich. NYT’s Korean BBQ meatballs, good quality sub rolls spread with plenty of mayonnaise and gochujang, and the sesame cucumber slices for crunch. They’re so good, and the cucumbers really elevate them. The sandwiches are a regular weeknight meal for us!

Tia

This is okay. A little bland. I did serve with noodles as suggested in the recipe but I think it would have been better without them.

Bay Area

Made pretty much as written except I didn’t notice the water to be added to the dressing - I didn’t miss it. I also didn’t have red pepper flakes somehow, so added a bit of gochujang instead. It was very yummy. Next time I might experiment with a little more acid.

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