Cucumber Pepper Salad is a vibrant, incredibly flavorful, and irresistibly crunchy dish, featuring crisp cucumbers, sweet mini peppers, and creamy avocado, all brought together with a zesty homemade dressing. This easy-to-make salad is not just a treat for your taste buds but also a feast for the eyes, bursting with beautiful colors and fresh ingredients.

Cucumber-Pepper Salad: A Burst of Freshness

There’s nothing quite like a fresh, vibrant salad to brighten up any meal, and this Cucumber-Pepper Salad truly delivers. As an avid fan of fresh produce, I often find myself gravitating towards the simplicity and crispness of mini cucumbers and the delightful sweetness of mini bell peppers. And let’s not forget the undeniable allure of a perfectly ripe avocado! Combining these three powerhouse ingredients seemed like a natural next step, and the result is nothing short of spectacular. This salad is so unbelievably good; it quickly became a staple in my kitchen, and I have a feeling it will become one in yours too!

This versatile side dish seamlessly complements a wide array of meals, making it an effortless addition to almost any plate. Whether you’re enjoying it on its own as a light and satisfying lunch, adding a delightful crunch to grain bowls atop fluffy farro, nutrient-rich quinoa, or wholesome brown rice, or even using it as a salsa-like garnish for savory grilled chicken or a juicy steak, its adaptability is unmatched. The crisp texture, incredible flavor profile, and ease of preparation make this salad a true standout for any occasion, from casual weeknight dinners to elegant potlucks and summer BBQs.

Choosing the Best Cucumbers for Your Salad

The foundation of a great cucumber salad lies in selecting the right type of cucumber. For our refreshing Cucumber Pepper Salad, we highly recommend using mini cucumbers or their close relatives, English/Persian cucumbers. These varieties are superior for several compelling reasons, ensuring your salad reaches its full potential in terms of texture and flavor:

• Fewer Seeds, Less Watery: Both mini and English/Persian cucumbers contain significantly fewer seeds compared to standard cucumbers. This characteristic is crucial as it prevents the salad from becoming overly watery, allowing the distinct flavors of the other ingredients to shine through without dilution. The small, unobtrusive seeds in these varieties are often barely noticeable, much like the “seedless” watermelons.
• Delicate, Flavorful Skin: The skin of mini and English/Persian cucumbers is remarkably thinner, more delicate, and infused with a pleasant flavor. This means there’s absolutely no need for peeling, saving you time and retaining valuable nutrients located just beneath the skin. The thin skin also contributes a subtle, yet satisfying, crunch to every bite, enhancing the overall textural experience of the salad.
• Consistent Crisp Texture: Unlike some conventional cucumbers that can be watery in the center, these preferred varieties offer a consistently firm and crisp texture throughout. This ensures a delightful, uniform crunch in every single forkful, making the salad incredibly enjoyable.
• Mild, Non-Bitter Flavor: Mini and English/Persian cucumbers are known for their naturally mild and less bitter taste compared to some common cucumber varieties. This gentle flavor profile is perfect for complementing the sweetness of the peppers and the richness of the avocado, without overpowering the delicate balance of the salad’s ingredients. Their subtle taste allows the zesty dressing and other components to truly sing.

The Sweetness of Mini Peppers: A Salad Essential

Mini peppers are a true gem in the world of vegetables, offering a concentrated burst of sweetness and vibrant color that makes them ideal for this Cucumber-Pepper Salad. These small, often tri-colored varieties of bell peppers are not just visually appealing; they bring a unique set of qualities that elevate this dish. Here’s why mini peppers are our top choice over their larger counterparts:

• Superior Flavor Profile: Mini peppers boast a sweeter and milder flavor compared to standard-sized bell peppers. This intensified sweetness is a perfect counterpoint to the crisp cucumbers and tangy dressing, adding a layer of depth and enjoyment to the salad without any of the green bell pepper’s occasional bitterness.
• Ideal Size and Convenience: Their small size makes mini peppers incredibly easy to handle and quick to prepare. They require minimal chopping, fitting perfectly into bite-sized salad pieces alongside the sliced cucumbers and diced avocado. This convenience translates to less prep time and a more enjoyable eating experience.
• Choosing the Best Mini Peppers: When selecting mini peppers, look for those with firm, smooth, and glossy skin. They should be free of any wrinkles, soft spots, or blemishes, indicating freshness. The peppers should feel heavy for their size, a sign of high water content and juiciness, and display a vibrant, rich color that promises both flavor and visual appeal in your salad.

Achieving Avocado Perfection: The Creamy Heart of the Salad

Perfectly ripe avocados are absolutely fundamental to the success of this Cucumber Pepper Salad. Their rich, buttery, and creamy texture plays a pivotal role, greatly contributing to the overall mouthfeel and taste of the dish. The avocado’s smooth consistency creates a harmonious balance with the crispness of the cucumbers and peppers, adding a luxurious depth that elevates the entire salad.

Selecting the ideal avocado can sometimes feel like a culinary challenge, but with a few simple tips, you’ll pick a winner every time. Gently cradle the avocado in your palm and press it lightly with your thumb. A perfectly ripe avocado will yield slightly under this gentle pressure, feeling soft but not mushy. It should spring back a little. Conversely, avoid avocados that feel rock-hard (they’re unripe) or overly soft and squishy (they’re past their prime and likely to have brown spots or a stringy, unpleasant texture). The color of the skin can also be an indicator; for Hass avocados, a darker, purplish-black color typically signifies ripeness, though color alone isn’t always foolproof. Always rely on the gentle squeeze test for the best results, ensuring you get that velvety, creamy goodness for your salad.

The Zesty Heart: Cucumber Pepper Salad Dressing

A phenomenal salad is incomplete without a dressing that truly ties all the flavors together. Our Cucumber Pepper Salad dressing is a masterful blend of tangy, sweet, and savory notes, designed to complement the fresh vegetables without overpowering them. Here’s a detailed look at the simple yet impactful ingredients that make this dressing shine:

• High-Quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: The choice of olive oil is paramount, as it forms the base and significantly influences the dressing’s overall flavor. Opt for a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for its rich, fruity notes and robust character. This isn’t the place to skimp; a good olive oil elevates the entire dressing.
• A Touch of Honey: A small amount of natural honey provides a crucial touch of sweetness. This subtle sweetness beautifully balances the tanginess of the vinegar and mellows the mild heat from the red pepper flakes, creating a well-rounded and harmonious flavor profile.
• Unseasoned Rice or Rice Wine Vinegar: For that signature tangy kick, we use rice vinegar, often labeled as rice wine vinegar. It’s essential to select an unseasoned variety, as seasoned rice vinegars typically contain added salt and sugar, which can throw off the carefully calibrated balance of our dressing.
• Fresh Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier, helping the oil and vinegar combine smoothly, while also adding a subtle pungency and depth. Ensure your Dijon mustard is fresh, as older mustard can lose its characteristic sharpness and vibrant flavor. Note: Dijon and yellow mustard are not interchangeable in this recipe; Dijon’s unique flavor is key.
• Garlic Powder for Depth: Garlic powder provides a convenient and subtle hint of savory flavor that adds depth to the dressing. For those who prefer a more intense and pungent garlic experience, consider using finely minced fresh garlic instead. If opting for fresh garlic, start with a small amount (about half a clove, minced) and adjust to your taste preference, as fresh garlic can be quite potent.
• Red Pepper Flakes (Optional Heat): A dash of red pepper flakes offers a gentle warmth and a hint of spice, elevating the dressing with a subtle kick. This ingredient is entirely optional, allowing you to customize the heat level. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount based on your personal preference for spice.
• Fine Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Proper seasoning is crucial for any dressing. Always season to taste, starting with a smaller amount of fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. After combining, taste the dressing and adjust as needed, ensuring it’s perfectly balanced and not overly seasoned.

Mastering the Cucumber-Pepper Salad: Essential Tips

Creating this delightful Cucumber-Pepper Salad is incredibly simple, but a few key tips can elevate your results from good to absolutely outstanding. Follow these guidelines to ensure your salad is perfectly crisp, flavorful, and beautifully presented:

1. Pre-Chill Your Vegetables for Maximum Crispness: For an exceptionally crisp and refreshing salad, make sure to wash, thoroughly dry, and then refrigerate your sliced cucumbers and mini peppers for at least 30 minutes before assembling the salad. Chilling the vegetables ensures they are cool and firm, delivering that satisfying crunch in every bite.
2. Slice Vegetables Uniformly for Best Texture: Consistency in slicing is key to both the texture and visual appeal of the salad. Thinly slice the cucumbers and mini peppers to ensure a consistent texture that is easy to eat and allows all flavors to meld beautifully. If you own a mandoline slicer, this salad is the perfect opportunity to use it to achieve perfectly uniform, delicate slices effortlessly.
3. Prepare the Dressing in Advance to Mellow Flavors: The flavors in the dressing truly deepen and meld when given a little time. Prepare the dressing ahead of time and store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. This not only saves you time during final assembly but also allows the ingredients to harmonize, resulting in a more complex and balanced dressing.
4. Toss Gently to Preserve Texture: When it’s time to combine the salad ingredients with the dressing, do so with a gentle hand. Overly vigorous tossing can mash the creamy avocado or bruise the delicate cucumbers and peppers, compromising the salad’s appealing texture. A light, delicate toss is all that’s needed to evenly coat everything.
5. Always Adjust Seasonings to Your Liking: Before serving, always taste the salad after it has been tossed with the dressing. This is your opportunity to fine-tune the flavors. Add more salt, freshly ground black pepper, or a pinch more red pepper flakes as needed, customizing the salad to your exact preference.
6. Serve Immediately for Peak Freshness: To fully appreciate the salad’s vibrant freshness and optimal crunch, it’s best to serve and enjoy it promptly after dressing. While the components can be prepped ahead (see storage tips), the dressed salad is at its absolute best when consumed within a short window.

Cucumber-Pepper Salad

By Chelsea Lords

This crisp and colorful Cucumber-Pepper Salad is loaded with fresh cucumbers, sweet peppers, and creamy avocado, all tossed in a tangy dressing. Quick to make and bursting with flavor!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• Large bowl

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar (see Note 1)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or finely minced fresh garlic, to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to preference)
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Salad

• 3 cups thinly sliced cucumber (about 2 English cucumbers, see Note 2)
• 2 cups thinly sliced mini bell peppers (about 8 to 10 peppers, see Note 3)
• 2 small ripe avocados, diced (approximately 1-1/2 cups, see Note 4)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients (olive oil, honey, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper) in a small wide-mouth resealable jar. Season to taste (a good starting point is 3/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper). Secure the lid and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well combined and emulsified. Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to use it, allowing the flavors to meld.
2. Assemble the Salad: Wash and thoroughly dry all vegetables. Thinly slice the cucumbers and mini bell peppers. Dice the ripe avocados. Place the prepared cucumbers, peppers, and avocados into a large mixing bowl. Re-shake the chilled dressing vigorously and drizzle it generously over the vegetables. Gently toss all ingredients together to combine, being careful not to mash the avocado or bruise the other vegetables.
3. Taste and Serve: Taste the salad and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to suit your personal preference. For optimal freshness and crunch, serve and enjoy the Cucumber-Pepper Salad promptly after dressing.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Rice Vinegar Selection: Rice vinegar is sometimes labeled as rice wine vinegar. It is crucial to use an unseasoned variety for this recipe, as seasoned options typically contain added salt and sugar, which can alter the intended flavor balance of the dressing.

Note 2: Choosing Cucumbers: For the best Cucumber-Pepper Salad, our top recommendations are mini cucumbers or English/Persian cucumbers. These varieties are favored for their fewer seeds, thin and flavorful skin, consistent crisp texture, and mild, non-bitter taste, all of which contribute to a superior salad experience.

Note 3: Mini Pepper Prep: Mini peppers offer a wonderfully sweeter and milder flavor compared to larger bell peppers, making them perfect for this salad. When slicing, cut them thinly up to the seeds, then discard the tops and any remaining seeds.

Note 4: Avocado Ripeness: The creaminess of perfectly ripe avocados is essential. To check for ripeness, gently press the avocado with your thumb; a ready-to-eat avocado will yield slightly under pressure but still feel firm. Avoid overly soft avocados, which are likely overripe and may have an undesirable mushy texture.

Storage & Make-Ahead: This salad is at its best when enjoyed on the day it’s made. The avocado can brown and become mushy, and the vegetables may lose their crispness over time. For make-ahead convenience, prepare and store the dressing, sliced cucumbers, and sliced peppers separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Dice the avocados and combine all ingredients just before serving to maintain optimal freshness.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving |
Calories: 341kcal |
Carbohydrates: 23g |
Protein: 4g |
Fat: 29g |
Saturated Fat: 4g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 20g |
Sodium: 23mg |
Potassium: 860mg |
Fiber: 10g |
Sugar: 11g |
Vitamin A: 3970IU |
Vitamin C: 164mg |
Calcium: 34mg |
Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.