For More Flavorful Cucumber Salad, Make It Mexican-Style

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Crisp, herbaceous, and slightly sweet, cucumbers are one of the most refreshing foods you can eat. They're also nutritious, with antioxidants, fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamins. So, we're big fans of making cucumbers the star of any dish. A super easy way to do that is with a simple cucumber salad, which you can make with cucumber and just a few other ingredients depending on what you like for mix-ins and dressing. An exciting riff on a cucumber salad perfect for when you're craving some new flavors for this dish? Mexican-style cucumber salad, also known as ensalada de pepino.

This salad is still irresistibly easy — just add to cucumbers ingredients you might use in Mexican dishes — but packs a crave-worthy flavor punch. To make one of the most refreshing cucumber recipes with a south-of-the-border twist, reach for diced tomatoes, red onions, corn, and cilantro. You can toss in black or pinto beans if you want a more filling salad, avocado chunks for a creamier element, and jalapeño slices or other chili peppers if you like some heat.

For dressing, you can keep it light, bright, and simple with lime juice, or mix that with olive oil plus chili powder or ground cumin for spice. Alternatively, make this salad a bit richer yet still healthy by incorporating cottage cheese or plain Greek yogurt — yogurt with hot sauce creates a spicy yet creamy finish. To bulk things up, simply add tuna, salmon, or chicken.

There are nearly as many ways to get creative with Mexican-style cucumber salad as there are ways with basic cucumber salad itself. The dish keeps transforming based on other veggies you employ along with any protein additions and different dressings. It helps to know some of the most essential Mexican ingredients to keep playing around with your recipe. You're likely already frequently cooking with things like corn, beans, tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers, but you could experiment with ingredients like nopales, squash blossoms, and tomatillos.

For seasoning, you can find traditional Mexican staples like dried epazote leaves or achiote powder on Amazon and use them alongside things like cilantro, oregano, and tarragon. Epazote is a Mexican herb with notes of mint, anise, citrus, and oregano; achiote is a spice that provides a brilliant red hue and mild pepper flavor. This salad is a great way to use leftovers, too, especially when it comes to possibly adding a protein to make it a main dish.

If you made tacos or enchiladas and have leftover, already seasoned and pulled chicken, for example, toss it into your cucumber salad. For an authentic hint of richness that's still fresh and just a bit tangy, crumble queso fresco on top of your salad. While cucumbers themselves are plenty crisp, if you want some actual crunch, turn to tortilla strips or pepitas. Mexican-style cucumber salad can be as simple or as complex as you like, but promises to refresh and delight.