Ensalada De Pepino (Mexico-Inspired Cucumber Salad) Recipe

You'll find cucumber salads all over the world, and Mexico is no exception. While this watery and refreshing vegetable is often used to make fresh salad, Mexicans also use it in other ways, for example, in a stewed cucumber dish and in a spicy and refreshing snack featuring cucumber spears dressed with lime and chili powder. It's worth trying these and other classic Mexican dishes that aren't standard on menus in the United States.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico used cucumber dishes such as these as inspiration for this Mexican-inspired cucumber salad recipe. The salad itself comes together quickly. The bulk of the prep time is a 30-minute rest in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld. This dish features thinly sliced cucumber, tomato, red onion, and cilantro tossed with a simple and tangy dressing of olive oil, lime juice, and ground cumin. We grind whole cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle first to bring out the most of their warm, earthy flavor, and freshly-squeezed lime juice adds its signature zesty brightness.

Green chile pepper adds a fresh spiciness, and the heat can vary depending on which kind you use. This recipe was tested with a serrano pepper, but you can dial down the heat by using a jalapeño pepper (remove the seeds for even less heat if desired) or leave the chile out entirely. This unique cucumber salad recipe may just become one of your new summer staples.

For this recipe, you will need whole cumin seeds. They will be freshly ground at the start of the recipe. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can use ground cumin powder instead. You will also need large cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, red onion, a small green chile pepper, and cilantro. For the dressing, gather olive oil, lime juice (freshly-squeezed juice is recommended), salt, and black pepper.

Grind the cumin seeds with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Slice the cucumbers very thinly with a mandoline slicer or sharp chef's knife. You can peel the cucumbers first if desired, but it's optional.

Combine the ground cumin, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, measuring cup, or jar, and whisk or shake well to combine. Set aside.

Place the cucumber, tomato, red onion, green chile, and cilantro in a mixing bowl.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Serve cold.

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The julienne cut is a French cutting technique that calls for using a sharp knife to create long, thin matchsticks from vegetables such as carrots, radishes, bell pepper, yellow squash, and turnips. The slices are usually about ⅛-inch wide by 1 or 2 inches long. You've probably seen a recipe calling for a julienned zucchini or carrot, but it may be surprising to hear that you can julienne an onion as well. After all, an onion is composed of layers, making it different from vegetables like carrots, which can be cut into thin planks and then sliced into strips.

To julienne an onion, first peel the onion and slice off the two ends (the root end and the top end). Then cut the onion in half by standing it on one of the cut ends and then cut from top to bottom. Arrange one of the onion halves with the flat cut side down on the cutting board. Make sure the original cut ends (the top and the root ends) are facing the same direction as you are. Now use a sharp chef's knife to cut thin, uniform ⅛-inch thick slices from side to side. Hold the knife at a 45-degree angle from the center of the onion so it follows the curve. Because the onion is layered, you can stop there, and the layers will come apart while you cook. Or, you can turn the onion 90 degrees and thinly slice again.

Cucumbers are a versatile vegetable used in Mexican cuisine, and Mexicans often use this crispy, refreshing vegetable in salads. Some of the salads are inspired by world cuisine, for example, you'll find a viral cucumber salad made with soy sauce, sesame oil, and cream cheese. More classic cucumber salads feature ingredients such as tomato and red onion, lime juice, cilantro, and oil. Salads can be as varied as the people who make them, and some versions include added ingredients such as bell pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, and jalapeño pepper.

Besides salad, there are a few unique cucumber dishes from Mexico we think are worth a try. Los pepinos guisados a la Mexicana, or Mexican-style stewed cucumbers, is an easy-to-prepare cooked cucumber dish. Tomato, onion, garlic, jalapeño pepper, and spices are sauteed, and cucumber slices are added at the end and cooked until just tender. The dish is garnished with fresh cilantro and served with rice or tortillas.

Bocadillo de pepino mexicano, also known as pepinos con chile, is a spicy cucumber snack served in a cup or dish. This simple recipe is both refreshing and spicy. Raw cucumber slices or spears are dressed with chile powder or Tajín, lime, and salt. Sometimes one of several types of hot sauce is drizzled on as well. Mexicans eat this dish to keep cool on hot summer days.

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