This chili oil cucumber pepper salad is the perfect side salad – it’s packed with delicious aromatics, crunchy from the sweet peppers and cucumbers, and just so yummy.
This viral cucumber pepper salad was first introduced by Rachael Kirkconnell, and has become super popular throughout the summer of 2023. I love that it’s super flavorful, crisp, crunchy, and can go well with either classic American flavors or more asian inspired main dishes.
FAQ – for the Chili Oil Cucumber Pepper Salad
Q: What are the differences between sweet peppers and bell peppers? Which one should I use? A: Sweet peppers are a smaller and sweeter pepper. They are thinner and the seeds are edible compared to the regular sized bell peppers. These are also known as mini sweet peppers, are about 2” long, and are often a mix of yellow, red, and orange colors. I prefer using the sweet peppers compared to the bell peppers as these are more tender when eaten raw.
Q: Can this salad be made ahead of time?
A: Yes! Some liquid will release from the veggies, but the salad should last in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you’d like to keep this as fresh as possible for a potluck or gather, I’d recommend cutting the vegetables and tossing with the dressing the same day.
Q: What if I can’t find the Everything but Bagel Seasoning?
A: If you can’t find the everything but bagel seasoning, feel free to replace it with 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of sesame seeds (black or white), and 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Q: What ginger sesame dressing do you use?
A: I used a store-bought Girard’s brand ginger sesame dressing to keep things REALLY simple. I don’t typically buy store-bought dressing, but when I do, I make sure to look through the ingredients to make sure there aren’t any foreign ingredients that might make the dressing taste like preservatives.
Q: What would be some main dishes or proteins to pair with this asian style cucumber and pepper salad?
A: Some ideas that would be great to pair with this side salad include:
- Miso Steamed Salmon
- Easy Lemongrass Thai Chicken
- Coconut Curry Steamed Salmon
- Spicy Thai Garlic Shrimp
Step by step instructions
- Prep all the vegetables – dice the mini sweet peppers and persian cucumbers. Add this to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss together. Taste, adjust with more kosher salt or dressing as desired, and serve.
Video Tutorial Here: Chili Oil Cucumber Pepper Salad
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Chili Oil Cucumber Pepper Salad
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This chili oil cucumber pepper salad is the perfect side salad – it’s packed with delicious aromatics, crunchy from the sweet peppers and cucumbers, and just so yummy.
Ingredients
- 1 lb mini sweet peppers – diced
- 1 lb persian cucumbers – diced
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- 1/3 cup of ginger sesame dressing
- 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
-
Prep all the vegetables – dice the mini sweet peppers and persian cucumbers. Add this to a large mixing bowl.
-
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss together. Taste, adjust with more kosher salt or dressing as desired, and serve.
Notes
- Cut the peppers and veggies into bite sized pieces (~1/2”) – follow my video tutorial or use a vegetable chopper to get a bite sized piece. You can cut these larger, but I find the smaller pieces are great to use this salad as a dip with chips, or even great when tossed in a quinoa salad.
- Taste and adjust with more dressing, chili oil, or kosher salt as desired. Cooking is all about tasting as you go and adjusting based on your preferences. The seasonings I have listed here are all starting points – feel free to use this, then add more of each ingredient as you’d like.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
I can’t wait to try some of your recipes!
They look healthy and delicious
Hi Rhonda! I hope you enjoy them 🙂 let me know how it goes!