Cucumber Apple Pistachio Salad (Printable)
Shaved cucumber ribbons, crisp apple, and pistachios with a creamy sesame tahini dressing.
# List of ingredients:
→ Vegetables & Fruit
01 - 2 large English cucumbers
02 - 2 crisp apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
03 - 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves
04 - 1 small bunch fresh cilantro leaves
05 - 2 scallions
→ Nuts & Seeds
06 - 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
07 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (white or black)
→ Sesame Dressing
08 - 3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
09 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free if needed)
11 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
13 - 1 tablespoon water (plus more as needed)
14 - 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
15 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Rinse cucumbers and apples thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave the cucumbers lengthwise into thin ribbons. Core the apples and slice them into thin matchsticks or ribbons.
02 - Place the shaved cucumber and apple in a large mixing bowl. Add the fresh mint leaves, cilantro leaves, and thinly sliced scallions.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, rice vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, honey or maple syrup, toasted sesame oil, water, grated ginger, and grated garlic until creamy and smooth. Adjust the water to reach your desired consistency and season with salt and pepper to taste.
04 - Drizzle the sesame dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
05 - Sprinkle the chopped pistachios and sesame seeds over the top just before serving. Serve immediately for maximum crunch and freshness.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of shaved cucumber and apple creates a texture that is somehow both delicate and deeply satisfying, like nature intended them to be paired all along.
- This dressing is the kind of thing you will start putting on everything from grain bowls to roasted vegetables once you taste it.
- Zero cooking required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you get to spend more time outside.
02 -
- Salt the cucumber ribbons and let them drain for ten minutes if your cucumbers seem watery, otherwise the dressing will pool at the bottom of the bowl and thin out completely.
- Toss the apples with a squeeze of lemon juice right after slicing to keep them from oxidizing and turning brown before your guests arrive.
03 -
- Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes until they start to smell fragrant, this one step doubles the flavor of the entire finished dish.
- Make the dressing up to three days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator, then just whisk it again and add a splash of water to bring it back to life.