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This crunchy and refreshing Smashed Cucumber Salad tosses partially crushed cucumbers and edamame in a tangy soy dressing. It’s a cooling, flavor-packed side or main dish for summer! Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
This easy Edamame Cucumber Salad is a celebration of textures and flavors. Crisp and crunchy cucumbers, protein-packed edamame, and green onions are tossed in a bold, tangy, and slightly spicy soy dressing in just 25 minutes. Enjoy it as a side dish, refreshing afternoon snack, or light lunch on a hot summer day!
Table of Contents
Crush On This Crushed Cucumber Salad
Let me tell you about a day when it was so hot out that all I wanted was a lunch that didn’t require any cooking. There are so many high-protein vegan lunch recipes to choose from on my blog, but my tastebuds were begging me to make something crunchy and tangy with just a hint of spice – enter this Smashed Cucumber and Edamame Salad!
Just like my Dilly White Bean Cucumber Salad, this simple and healthy lunch checks all of the boxes on my “perfect summer meal” list: There’s zero cooking required; the mix of textures and flavors actually makes it fun to eat; and it keeps me full for hours!
The best part of making this recipe is when you get to smash the cucumbers. Lightly crushing them with a rolling pin makes the cucumber more tender and gives them rough edges, helping them absorb the flavorful sauce in a way that sliced cucumbers just can’t. Tossed with protein-rich edamame, zesty green onions, a bit of sesame seed crunch, and a flavor-packed dressing, you’re in for a seriously satisfying and cooling salad experience.
What You Need for this Edamame Salad
This edamame cucumber salad calls for most of the ingredients you’d find in an authentic Chinese smashed cucumber salad, plus a few extras to turn it into a filling and satisfying meal.
- Cucumbers: any seedless cucumber variety will work best. Persian cucumbers are my favorite because they’re small, crunchy, practically seedless, and have very little water. If Persian cucumbers aren’t an option, I’d recommend using English cucumbers (AKA hothouse cucumbers), Armenian cucumbers, or Japanese cucumbers instead.
- Edamame: shelled edamame packs this salad with protein and fiber. Pre-shelled edamame is best because it’s very convenient to prepare! I buy mine from Trader Joe’s, but you can find it in most grocery store freezer sections.
- Green Onions: they bring a mild, fresh bite without overpowering the dressing. If you don’t have green onions, chives make a great substitute.
- Sesame Seeds: these are great for extra crunch. Try white, black, or golden sesame seeds (raw or toasted for an extra nutty aroma). If you don’t have sesame seeds, try crushed peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds instead.
- Soy Dressing: a simple yet flavor-packed blend of soy sauce, rice vinegar, cane sugar, toasted sesame oil, chili oil (homemade or store-bought), and raw garlic is transformed into a dressing that ties this salad together.
How to Make a Smashed Cucumber Salad
- Smash the cucumbers with a rolling pin, slice them into bite-size pieces, and transfer them to a sieve. Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt over the cucumbers and let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Afterward, drain the excess water.
- Meanwhile, cook the edamame according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water until cooled.
- Whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chili oil, and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
- Add the salted and drained cucumbers, edamame, green onions, sesame seeds, and dressing to a large bowl. Toss to combine, then serve the salad immediately or marinate it in the fridge before serving.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Don’t rinse the cucumbers: You may be tempted to rinse the excess salt off the salted cucumbers, but don’t do it! The salt draws out their excess moisture to prevent a watery salad. Rinsing them with water would only defeat this purpose.
- Smashing cucumbers is strategic. The technique of smashing the cucumbers with a rolling pin or the flat edge of a chef’s knife creates irregular, craggy edges. These rough edges soak up the flavorful dressing way better than cleanly sliced cucumbers. Always use firm but controlled pressure when breaking the cucumbers—you don’t want to crush them completely.
- Marinating the salad will maximize its flavor. If you have the time, place the assembled salad in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes before serving. This gives those wonderful tangy flavors time to deepen, helping your cucumber salad taste its very best!
Serving Suggestions
This smashed cucumber salad is surprisingly filling thanks to all of that protein and fiber from the edamame and cucumber. Enjoy a bowl for a satisfying lunch or serve it over cooked white rice or rice noodles when you need a light and refreshing yet hearty dinner.
Toppings on this Asian cucumber edamame salad are a must! A few extra sesame seeds or sliced green onions are a great choice; a dollop of chili crisp will turn up the heat; and crumbled nori sheets give each bite a salty, umami-rich edge.
Want to serve it as a cooling side dish instead? It would pair well with lots of Asian-inspired main dishes, like this 30-Minute Teriyaki Tofu, this Garlic Green Bean Stir Fry, and these Crispy Kimchi Rice Paper Dumplings.
If you’re looking for more elevated cucumber and edamame salads, you’ll also love this Mango Cucumber Salad with Edamame, this Crunchy Cucumber Dill Salad, and this Strawberry Quinoa Crunch Salad!
How to Store Leftover Smashed Cucumber Salad
You can get a jump on this recipe by salting and draining the cucumbers, cooking and cooling the edamame, and whisking the dressing together. Store these components separately in airtight containers and refrigerate until you’re ready to toss them together with the rest of the ingredients.
For the best texture and flavor, store the leftover cucumber salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that the cucumbers will continue to release moisture over time, so give the salad a quick toss before serving.
Freezing is not recommended.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Make the salad dressing with tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
- Chili Oil Substitute: If chili oil isn’t available where you live, use sriracha, gochugaru, sambal oelek, or chili pepper flakes instead.
- Milder Heat: If you’re sensitive to spice, reduce the chili oil or replace it with a neutral-tasting oil like olive oil or avocado oil to help balance the acidity in the dressing.
- Optional Veggie Add-Ins: You can bulk up this salad even more by tossing in thinly sliced bell peppers, sliced radishes, snap peas, shredded carrots, jicama matchsticks, or finely shredded cabbage.
- Salad Dressing Substitute: Revamp the flavor profile by substituting my 4-Ingredient Sesame Miso Dressing.
- Protein Boost: Try topping the salad with my Crispy Tofu or Baked Tempeh to stretch this meal even further.
Recipe FAQs
It’s really up to you but I’m team skin-on! The thin cucumber skins add more texture, keep the cucumbers crisp, and boost the fiber.
Yes, please don’t skip this step! The salt draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers, which keeps them crisp rather than soft and soggy.
Personally, this salad is best served cold. But if you’d rather try a warm version, briefly toss the dressed salad in a skillet over low heat just until it’s warmed through. Just remember that heating the salad will soften the cucumbers and change the texture.
This can happen if you skip salting and draining the cucumbers or if you rinse them with water after salting. The salad will also become soggy if you toss it with the dressing too far ahead of serving.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Edamame Salad with Smashed Cucumbers
Ingredients
- 1 hothouse cucumber or 3-4 smaller seedless Persian cucumbers
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cane sugar or sub maple syrup or agave
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1-3 teaspoons chili oil*
- 1 large clove garlic crushed
- 16 ounces shelled edamame or mukimame
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Smash the Cucumbers: Cut the ends off of the cucumber, then slice into quarters lengthwise. Press on each cucumber piece with a rolling pin or the flat edge of a chef’s knife, using the base of your palm to “smash” each cucumber from end-to-end. Slice into 1/2” pieces, then repeat with the remaining pieces. Transfer the cucumber to a sieve and sprinkle a generous pinch of salt over it; let rest for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain the water that comes out of them; do not rinse.
- Cook the Edamame: Cook the edamame according to package instructions (most brands require boiling in salted water for a few minutes). Drain the edamame well, then rinse with cold water until it comes down to room temperature. Set aside.
- Prepare the Dressing: Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chili oil, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside; the vinegar will mellow out the flavor of the garlic.
- Combine: Add the drained cucumber pieces to the bowl with the dressing along with the edamame, green onions, and sesame seeds. Mix well to combine; serve immediately, or let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving cold. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be enjoyed as a side or a main alongside cooked rice or noodles.
Recipe Notes
- Chili Oil: If you are sensitive to heat, reduce or omit the chili oil. I recommend replacing the chili oil with a neutral-tasting oil like olive oil or avocado oil though, to balance out the acidity from the dressing.
- Edamame: Some frozen edamame is pre-cooked, while other brands require boiling the edamame first. Read the package instructions carefully and cook as necessary!
How many lunch servings does this make? It says 0?
apologies! this makes about 2-3 servings.
Would swapping the cucumber for zuchinni totally ruin it and not work?
I would not recommend that!
Great easy recipe!
Glad you enjoyed!
So easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!:-)
You are so welcome, Becky!
Quick and delicious! Ate with seaweed snacks.
Delicious! I ate mine with some cold noodles.
I’ve made this twice. Ate with seaweed snack like deconstructed sushi yummy
2nd time making this. Ate with rice and seaweed snacks 😋 yummy. Deconstructed sushi.
Really nice salad. It’s officially a menu staple for me. So simple & quick.
It was pretty quick to throw together and I ate it with leftover rice. Super delicious! Idk how this is possible but it’s both lightly flavored but perfectly flavored and balanced as well lol. Only thing was I found it a tad too oily for my personal tastes so I might omit the toasted sesame oil next time. Otherwise this is definitely going in my recipe repertoire!
Been on a From My Bowl kick recently and wow this recipe didn’t disappoint! I added in some carrots and subbed some of the spices but the combo of edamame and crushed cucumber is so refreshing!
So glad you like the recipes!
Do you have any chili oil brands you can recommend? I thought before that you had a recipe to make my own, but Can’t find it.
I made one from @thewoksoflife
I personally love lao gan ma chili oil. You don’t need a lot since it’s so flavorful. I would not recommend Trader Joe’s chili onion crunch. It has almost no flavor.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was the perfect refreshing meal after a week of indulging. I doubled the recipe so we could have leftovers and served it over rice noodles and it was soooo good!!! I only added 1/2 tablespoon of chili oil because ours is pretty spicy, but other than that it was perfect. I’m already excited to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow 🙂
Thank you for the 5-star review, Mandy! So happy you liked it!