This refreshing salad is a summertime favorite, offering a cool contrast to the hotter dishes it often accompanies. Chinkiang vinegar, a Chinese black vinegar with rich, tangy depth, adds a complexity to the dressing, but rice vinegar will work well in its place. This comes together in under an hour and delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Smashed Cucumber & Tomato Salad
This refreshing salad is a summertime favorite, offering a cool contrast to the hotter dishes it often accompanies. Chinkiang vinegar, a Chinese black vinegar with rich, tangy depth, adds a complexity to the dressing, but rice vinegar will work well in its place. This comes together in under an hour and delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 2 large English cucumbers
- 2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as canola or avocado
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large tomatoes sliced into wedges
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced watermelon radish
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ⅓ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Peel 2 cucumbers lengthwise, leaving alternating stripes. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise; cut the halves into ½-inch slices in a slight diagonal. Smash the slices with the side of a chef’s knife (or with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer), just until the skin begins to crack. Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well; let stand for 20 minutes.
- Whisk 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt together in a small bowl until the salt and sugar are dissolved. In a separate small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon neutral oil and the minced garlic.
- Rinse the cucumbers with cold water; shake off excess water and transfer to a large bowl. Add tomato wedges and ⅓ cup each radish and onion. Drizzle with the garlic oil mixture; toss to coat. Add the vinegar dressing; toss well. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and ⅓ cup cilantro.
