Chilli Lime Cucumber Salad (Printer-friendly)

Cucumbers and red onion in a tangy lime chili dressing with fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
02 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
03 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

→ Dressing

04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon chili flakes
07 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
08 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

10 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced cucumbers, red onion, and chopped cilantro.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, chili flakes, honey or agave syrup, sea salt, and black pepper until well blended.
03 - Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Let the salad sit for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
05 - Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately while chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in less time than it takes to grill the main course, so you can focus on actually enjoying your guests instead of being stuck at the stove.
  • The heat builds gently rather than hitting you all at once, which means even people who think they don't like spicy food often come back for seconds.
  • It pairs beautifully with almost anything—grilled fish, tacos, curry, roasted vegetables—without stealing the spotlight.
02 -
  • Chili flakes are not created equal—taste your dressing before committing it to the salad, because some brands are mild and others will light your mouth on fire, and there's no recovery once it's mixed in.
  • The five-minute resting period isn't optional if you want the flavors to actually meld; I used to skip this and always ended up with a salad where the dressing just sat at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for just a minute or two until they're fragrant—this tiny step makes them taste infinitely better than raw seeds and adds a subtle sophistication.
  • If you accidentally make the dressing too spicy, add a splash more olive oil to dilute the chili heat, and if it's not balanced enough, add another squeeze of lime juice rather than more salt.
Go Back