Cucumber Noodle Salad with Tahini Cilantro Stem Dressing

Cries for cilantro

Seems like those cries can go two ways–ya love cilantro, or you simply don’t, tears of joy or tears of pain. I’m in the love camp, and I especially love the stems, finely minced and thrown into whatever I can throw them into as much as possible! So (cilantro non-lovers, cover your ears), this is my rendition of the most cooling and refreshing summer salad I can muster.

Well…

The most cooling and refreshing summer salad, minus however many slices of hot pepper you decide to cram in there, too. I think it’s a theme for this week, with Tuesday’s Mint and Serrano Granita waving hello and toying with our taste buds.

So, may you go forth and get refreshed. With a little kick. Do as you do, kind soul. Bring your merriment, your love for appetites big and small and your love for cooling down on hot, humid summer days.

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Cucumber Noodle Salad with Tahini Cilantro Stem Dressing

After a quick sprinkle with sea salt, cucumber noodles release their extra water and make for a great refreshing and crunchy noodle option, perfect for hot summer evenings.

Course Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Cucumber Noodles

• 4 whole cucumbers
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Tahini Cilantro Stem Dressing

• 1/4 cup tahini ground sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup packed mint leaves
• 1/4 cup cilantro stems save leaves to garnish
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup leftover cucumber innards if any
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 inch knob of fresh ginger
• 2 whole scallions

Garnishes

• scallions bell peppers, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, black sesame seeds, sesame oil, jalapeños or other peppers.

Instructions

To make the cucumber noodles:

1. Using either a spiralizer or a serrated vegetable peeler, begin making noodles with the cucumbers. Once you hit the seeds, you can stop as it will be difficult to make noodles from the core of the cucumber.
2. Place the cucumber noodles in a strainer over a bowl and quickly mix with the sea salt.
3. Allow the cucumbers to drain and the salt to pull the excess liquid out of them while making the dressing.

To make the dressing:

1. Blend all ingredients together until a smooth dressing is achieved while the cucumber noodles drain.

Putting it all together:

1. To make the salad, first gently squeeze any remaining liquid off of the cucumber noodles.
2. Place the noodles in a serving bowl, then dress with the dressing.
3. Garnish with additional scallions, bell peppers, black sesame seeds, mint leaves, cilantro leaves and jalapeños, as desired.