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Cucumber and bell pepper salad is crisp, vibrant, & refreshing with a zingy, sweet, and savory ginger dressing. An easy 5-minute salad loaded with color, flavor, and nutrients!
Why You’ll Love Cucumber Bell Pepper Salad
I can’t wait to make the most of summer produce this year with simple lettuce-free salads, like crunchy Thai peanut salad, mango black bean salad, raw carrot salad, and now my take on the viral TikTok cucumber and bell pepper salad by Rachael Kirkconnell.
This simple salad combines refreshing cucumber, crisp peppers, and fresh parsley in a zingy ginger dressing. Unlike the TikTok cucumber pepper salad, though, I’ve left the chili crunch and EBTB seasoning optional, making this version with only 4 simple, inexpensive ingredients but leaving plenty of room for customization!
It can be thrown together in minutes and is loaded with vibrant color, crisp textures, juiciness, and heaps of sweet, zingy, fresh flavor. It’s also naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and loaded with nutrients – the perfect side dish for BBQs, picnics, and practically any meal.
Looking for more simple cucumber-based salads? You might like this spicy cucumber salad, cucumber apple salad, radish cucumber salad, carrot cucumber salad, or cucumber dill salad.
The Ingredients
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Use store-bought or homemade ginger salad dressing, carrot ginger salad dressing, sesame ginger dressing, etc.
Recipe Variations and Add-Ins
- Viral TikTok cucumber bell pepper salad: Optionally add 1-2 teaspoons of chili crisp oil and/or ½-1 tablespoons of everything but the bagel seasoning.
- Other vegetables: Swap out the veggies based on season and availability.
- Tomato (cherry tomatoes, halves for extra juiciness)
- White/ Red onion (soak in ice water for 10 mins for milder flavor)
- Corn (steamed, grilled, canned, etc.)
- Edamame (to add protein)
- Pink radish
- Apple: Add crisp, sweet-tart flavor with honey crisp, fuji, pink lady apple, etc.
- Vegan feta cheese: For tangy, creamy, salty flavor. Buy it or make vegan feta.
- Heartier salad: Try making this cucumber pepper salad into a pasta or grain salad with cooked quinoa, couscous, or pasta.
How to Make Cucumber and Bell Pepper Salad
Step 1: First, if you’re using homemade ginger dressing, prepare it and set it aside.
Step 2: Then, use a sharp knife or mandoline to thinly slice the cucumber (in rounds or half-moon slices). Also, dice the bell peppers and chop the parsley.
Step 3: Add the prepared ingredients to a bowl with half the dressing. Mix well, and leave the pepper and cucumber salad to chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Step 4: Then, toss again, taste, and add more dressing to taste. If you’re adding avocado, gently mix that in now, too, and serve. Enjoy!
FAQs
English and Persian cucumbers have a thin peel that doesn’t require peeling unless you prefer to do so (for a softer texture).
When using varieties with tough peel, like regular garden cucumber, though, I recommend peeling them.
As long as you use a gluten-free dressing, like my easy ginger salad dressing, this salad is naturally free from gluten.
Pro Recipe Tips
- For seedy cucumbers: Slice in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then chop – to avoid watery cucumber and pepper salad.
- For the sweetest salad: Avoid green bell peppers, which have a bitter flavor.
- To further prevent sogginess: Only add the dressing before serving if you plan to store the bell pepper and cucumber salad for several days.
- Leave it to marinate: That way, the flavors have time to meld. 20-30 minutes works well.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this simple yet refreshing viral cucumber pepper salad as an appetizer, starter, or side with your favorite proteins. I particularly like serving it with:
- Vegan burgers: Like any of these 9 delicious vegan burger recipes.
- Other BBQ fare: Like grilled tofu steaks, kabobs, grilled corn, French potato salad, vegan coleslaw, and more.
- Grains: Like quinoa (check out this guide to quinoa), roasted veg couscous, garlic rice, brown rice stir-fry, etc.
- Noodles: Like garlic sesame soba noodles, teriyaki noodles, or a veg stir-fry.
- Sushi: Like tofu sushi or a sushi bowl.
Storage Instructions
Once fully assembled, this bell pepper cucumber salad is best consumed within two days for the crispest textures.
However, you could store the salad and dressing separately for 4-5 days, adding the dressing before serving to avoid sogginess.
Cucumber and Bell Pepper Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup of homemade or store-bought ginger dressing
- 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup of parsley, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
Instructions
- If you’re using a homemade dressing, prepare and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the thinly sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, and parsley. Add half of the dressing and mix well.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
- When ready to serve, toss, taste, and add more dressing if needed. Add the avocado if using and gently mix.
- Serve cold.
Notes
- For seedy cucumbers: Slice in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then chop – to avoid watery cucumber and pepper salad.
- For the sweetest salad: Avoid green bell peppers, which have a bitter flavor.
- To further prevent sogginess: Only add the dressing before serving if you plan to store the bell pepper and cucumber salad for several days.
- Leave it to marinate: That way, the flavors have time to meld. 20-30 minutes works well.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Love all the colors of this salad!