• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Food Banjo

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
    • Air Fryer Salmon Recipes
    • Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
    • Air Fryer Dessert Recipes
    • Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
  • Air Fryer Guide
  • About
  • For Bloggers
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
    • Air Fryer Salmon Recipes
    • Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
    • Air Fryer Dessert Recipes
    • Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
  • Air Fryer Guide
  • About
  • For Bloggers
×
  • Baked sweet potato with butter and parsley.
    Baked Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer
  • Air fried salmon on a plate with a lemon slice.
    Air Fryer Salmon
  • Air fried chili lime cod on a plate with parsley.
    Air Fryer Chili Lime Cod
  • Corn ribs on a white plate with parsley.
    Air Fryer Corn Ribs
  • Air fryer basket drying.
    Can you put your air fryer in the dishwasher?
  • Carrots in air fryer basket.
    Can You Put Parchment Paper in Air Fryer
  • Air fried roma tomatoes on a white plate.
    Air Fryer Roma Tomatoes
  • Air fried turkey meatballs with parsley on a white plate.
    Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs
  • Air fried green beans.
    Air Fryer Green Beans
  • Cooked meatballs on a plate
    Frozen Meatballs in the Air Fryer
  • Air fryer zucchini on a white plate.
    Air Fryer Zucchini
  • Apple pie crescent rolls on a plate
    Air Fryer Apple Pie Crescent Rolls
Home » Healthy

Smashed Cucumber Mint Salad

Published: Mar 24, 2022 · Last Updated: Mar 24, 2022 by Aimee - This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Share with others!

  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Smashed cucumber mint salad is a delicious and healthy recipe full of Mediterranean flavors. The cucumbers taste fresh with a splash of vinegar and the bright flavor of mint.

The cucumber mint salad can be enjoyed on its own, as a side dish, or in a salad or grain bowl. (We love it paired with cooked farro, bulgur, or quinoa!)

cucumber mint salad on a plate with a fork.

Want a fresh, delicious salad for summer? Look no further than this Mediterranean-inspired smashed cucumber salad with fresh mint.

The cucumber and mint gets paired with thinly sliced red onions and white wine vinegar to create a salad that can be used in so many ways. Grain bowls, grain and greens bowls, wraps, or as a temptingly delicious side dish to something like these Air Fryer Greek Chicken Thighs or Puff Pastry Tomato Ricotta Tart.

Ingredients:

  • English cucumber - I highly recommend getting an English (also called hothouse, European, or seedless) cucumber. You can find these at the grocery store, and they are long, thin, and typically come wrapped in plastic.
  • Salt - The salt helps to add a touch of brininess and also helps draw the water out of the cucumber.
  • White wine vinegar - This is the touch of acid that is needed in this cucumber salad!
  • Red onion - The red onion adds a nice contrast to the fresh cucumber.
  • Fresh mint - The fresh mint in this salad adds a new flavor and a fresh herb that makes this salad unique.
  • Black pepper - A touch of seasoning brings this salad together with freshly cracked black pepper over the top.

What tools are needed:

In this smashed cucumber recipe, I used a meat tenderizer to smash the cucumber. This one has a flat side (which I used) and a spiked side.

However, if you don't have a mallet like this, you can use anything else similar you have. Giant ricer? Use that. Rolling pin? Yes. Sheet pan? That might work. Citrus juicer? Sure.

What if I don't want to smash my cucumbers?

Smashing the cucumbers is most of the fun! Of course, if you prefer not to smash, you can just chop your cucumber into 1-2 inch pieces and skip the smashing.

What are English cucumbers?

English cucumbers (also called hothouse, European, or seedless cucumbers) are long, and if you buy them at the grocery store, they usually have plastic wrap over them. They are typically long and seedless and slightly sweeter than regular cucumbers. They also don't need the skin removed at all. They are still crisp and refreshing and work perfectly in this Mediterranean-inspired smashed cucumber salad.

cucumber mint salad up close.

Do you need to peel the cucumber?

No, in this recipe the peel can stay on the cucumber! No need to peel an English cucumber.

Do you need to remove the cucumber seeds?

No, if you are using an English cucumber as recommended, you do not need to do anything.

Recipe tips:

  • As stated, if you don't have something to smash the cucumbers with (or prefer not to), you can just cut them into chunks.
  • For a bit of heat, add a dash of red pepper flakes before serving.
  • Not a fan of onion? You can always leave it out. Or you can mellow it out in some cold water after slicing, as suggested.
  • I highly recommend letting the cucumber sit with the vinegar for 10 minutes or longer before serving. This will allow the salad to really develop the flavors.
  • You can always add some crumbled feta on top of this salad if desired.

How to make:

First, take your cucumber and place on a cutting board. You can cut it into two pieces if you like.

Two pieces of cucumber on a cutting board.

Take out your instrument of choice (I love a meat tenderizer), and SMASH the cucumber into large chunks. Then, take a knife and chop roughly into pieces if needed.

Smashed cucumber on a cutting board.

Place cucumber in a bowl and add salt. (Also slice your red onions and add to a bowl with cold water if you want to tone down the onion flavor).

smashed cucumber in a bowl.

After 10 minutes, take your cucumber and drain any excess water. Return to bowl. Add your red onion, mint, and white wine vinegar and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes. Plate and enjoy. Season with black pepper and top with extra mint leaves, if desired.

cucumber mint salad on a plate with a fork from above.
cucumber mint salad on a plate with a fork.

Smashed Cucumber Mint Salad

Recipe by Aimee
Smashed cucumber mint salad is a delicious and healthy recipe full of Mediterranean flavors. The cucumbers taste fresh with a splash of vinegar and the bright flavor of mint.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Resting time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 28 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 English (seedless) cucumber
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons red onion thinly sliced
  • 3-4 leaves fresh mint plus more for garnish
  • 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Take your cucumber and place on a cutting board. Smash into large-ish pieces with your instrument (meat mallet, rolling pin, etc.) of choice. Chop any large pieces into salad-sized chunks (about 2 inches).
  • Place the cucumber in a bowl, add the salt, and stir to combine.
  • Slice your red onion thinly. Add to a bowl of cold water.
  • While the cucumber and red onion are resting, take 3-4 mint leaves and thinly slice them.
  • After 10 minutes, drain any excess water from the cucumber.
  • Remove the red onion from the bowl of water, dry it, and add to the bowl with the cucumber. Add the thinly sliced mint leaves and the white wine vinegar. Toss to combine, then let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Plate, and serve with black pepper and additional mint leaves, if desired.

Notes

  • If you don't have something to smash the cucumbers with (or prefer not to), you can just cut them into chunks.
  • For a bit of heat, add a dash of red pepper flakes before serving.
  • Not a fan of onion? You can always leave it out. Or you can mellow it out in some cold water after slicing, as suggested.
  • I highly recommend letting the cucumber sit with the vinegar for 10 minutes or longer before serving. This will allow the salad to really develop the flavors.
  • You can always add some crumbled feta on top of this salad if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 28kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 585mgPotassium: 239mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 161IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg

If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.

Tried this recipe?Tag @foodbanjo on Instagram and share your photos!
« Air Fryer Salmon with Crispy Skin
Air Fryer Croutons »

Share with others!

  • Share
  • Tweet

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hello!

foodbanjo-authors
Hi! I'm Aimee, and I'm so glad you stopped by! I love sharing easy recipes that are flavorful and delicious.
Read more about Food Banjo!

Air Fryer Desserts

Air Fryer Cinnamon Toast on a White Plate

Air Fryer Cinnamon Toast

Air fryer croissant french toast with whipped cream and berries.

Air Fryer Croissant French Toast

Donut on a plate with a glass of milk in the background.

Air Fryer Biscuit Donuts

Box of Trader Joe's chocolate chip pancake puffs

Trader Joe's Pancake Puffs - Air Fryer Instructions

Cinnamon sugar croissant up close.

Air Fryer Cinnamon Sugar Crescent Rolls

Apple pie crescent rolls on a plate

Air Fryer Apple Pie Crescent Rolls

Air Fryer

Salmon bites on a white plate.

Air Fryer Salmon Bites

Air fryer poached eggs topped with chives.

Air Fryer Poached Eggs

Crisscross zucchini on a white plate.

Air Fryer Crisscross Zucchini - Thomas Keller Inspired

Air fryer panko cod.

Air Fryer Panko Cod

Air Fryer cranberry apple crisp in ramekins topped with ice cream.

Air Fryer Cranberry Apple Crisp

Air fryer strawberry crisp with a scoop of ice cream.

Air Fryer Strawberry Crisp

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Nutrition Disclaimer
  • Food Blogger Resources

Recipes

  • Air fryer recipes
  • Recipes for one
  • Recipes for two

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Food Banjo