If you need a side dish that comes together in about 10 minutes, this cucumber crunch salad is your dish. The flavor is on point, and it always gets rave reviews. Plus, it can be made and served in the same bowl, making clean-up a breeze.
Serving Bowl | Serving Spoon Set
This is a vegetable-forward dish with a lot of crunch factor — we’ve got cucumbers, radishes, and roasted chickpeas. I use an avocado as the base for the dressing – I call it nature’s mayonnaise (but with healthier fats). Then I layer in some bright lemon, honey, and a dairy-free Greek yogurt, and use my favorite whisk to smooth it out to a thick dressing. Fresh dill is one of my go-to herbs in the kitchen, so that goes in next. Dressing, done.
Then, the cucumber gets a rustic chop and is added to the bowl alongside some cherry tomatoes. Dice up some red onion and invite chopped radishes to the party. Radishes always make me think of my mom. She loves to garden. Growing up, springtime meant radishes, and I’d be sitting in the garden with a shaker of salt next to the garden hose. I still love radishes to this day.
Lastly, I crush up some roasted chickpeas for added texture, fold them all together, and there you go. Wasn’t that easy? This salad is so fresh for spring or any time of year, really. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Cucumber Crunch Salad | Chris Cooks
Ingredients:
For the Dressing
- 1 medium avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
- 1/4 cup dairy-free unsweetened, unflavored yogurt alternative
- 1/4 cup dill, fresh chopped
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp honey
For the Salad
- 6 radishes, quartered
- 2 English cucumbers, cut into 1in pieces
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 cup salted, roasted chickpeas, roughly smashed
- 1 handful cherry tomatoes
Directions:
- To a bowl, combine the avocado and lemon juice and smash until smooth. Add the other ingredients and whisk until uniformly combined. Add the remaining ingredients, toss and serve chilled.
Tips/Notes:
And if you’re in the mood for some other salads, give these a try:
- Arugula & Prosciutto Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Blueberry & Bacon Spring Salad
- Iceberg Wedge Salad – Grain, Dairy, & Pork-Free
- Broccoli Salad
- 8-Layer Salad (No Grain, Dairy, Pork or Egg)
- Panzanella Potato Salad – Grain- & Dairy-Free
- Caprese Salad
- Shredded Veggie Salad with Sweet Vinegar & Orange
Do you roast canned chickpeas? For how long and at what temperature? Assuming you drain them first? Sorry for all the questions, I’ve never heard of roasting chickpeas.
I buy the chickpeas roasted already. They’re usually where nuts are found in grocery stores.
What can we substitute for the yogurt. I detest the taste.
If dairy isn’t an issue I would use a mix of sour cream and a little mayo.
If dairy is an issue I would use mayo or veganaise and a splash of unsweetened almond milk.
Made this salad a couple of times now. A crowd pleaser. Im wondering if the dressing be ahead??
It can be, but will turn color for sure. I would put it in a container and lay plastic wrap directly over the surface, pressed up against the dressing so there are no bubbles, then add a lid on the container. It would keep a day or two that way.
Hey this was great! We forgot the chickpeas until the salad was already made, instead added rinsed canned black beans. Still great, and the kids loved it, too
I was making a similar salad with avocado cut up but having the avocado smooth and mixed is better! I also added edamame to the salad and used honey coated roasted chickpeas for that crunch. Many thanks!!