Description
A refreshing and vibrant Cucumber Avocado Salad featuring sumac-marinated shallots, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh dill. This easy-to-make salad combines crisp cucumbers and creamy avocado with a tangy dressing, perfect as a light side dish for warm weather meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
- 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tsp. ground sumac
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Salad
- 1 lb. cucumbers (English/Hot House or Persian, ideally), cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 medium ripe avocado, cut into small pieces or thinly sliced
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 scant Tbsp. sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Marinate shallots: Combine the thinly sliced shallots, rice vinegar, ground sumac, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl. Massage the sumac into the shallots and let the mixture sit for at least 20 minutes, up to 3 hours, to allow the flavors to meld.
- Toast sesame seeds: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are lightly browned and fragrant. Be careful to avoid burning. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare salad base: Arrange the cucumber chunks and avocado pieces on a large plate or serving platter. Season them evenly with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
- Assemble salad: Scatter the sumac-marinated shallots along with their residual rice vinegar evenly over the cucumber and avocado. Garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and freshly chopped dill before serving.
Notes
- The salad can be prepared up to 1 hour in advance; keep refrigerated and add avocado just before serving to prevent browning.
- For extra crunch, add chopped toasted nuts like almonds or walnuts as a garnish.
- Use Persian or English cucumbers for less bitterness and fewer seeds.
- This salad is vegan, gluten free, and perfect for warm weather meals as a light and refreshing side dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 0.6 cup
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.5 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
