Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes
Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad is your quick fix for a refreshing side dish. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping it crispy is to toss just before serving. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Roasted Green Bean Quinoa Salad and Garlic Roasted Cabbage Steaks.
Why This Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy cucumbers and sweet peppers
- Tangy lime dressing
- Ready in just 10 minutes
- Better than takeout
What You'll Need for Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 large cucumber
- 2 sweet bell peppers
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Optional: Crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- Optional: Sliced avocado
- Optional: Chopped fresh jalapeño
đź“ť Ingredient Notes
- cucumber: Use an English cucumber for fewer seeds and less water.
- sweet bell peppers: Any color will do. I like to use a mix for color.
đź›’ Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Mandoline slicer — Slices cucumbers and peppers thin and evenly for perfect texture. → See on Amazon
- Citrus juicer — Effortlessly extract more juice from limes for a tangier dressing. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes
- Prepare vegetables: Thinly slice cucumber and sweet peppers. Finely chop red onion and cilantro.
- Make dressing: Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and sugar.
- Toss salad: Just before serving, toss cucumber, peppers, onion, cilantro, and dressing. Add optional toppings if desired.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes
- Common mistake and fix: Don't dress the salad too far ahead to prevent sogginess. Toss just before serving.
- Pro tip: For a spicy kick, add chopped fresh jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dressing.
- Pro tip: To keep the salad cold, serve it on a bed of iceberg lettuce leaves.
Storing & Reheating Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store dressed salad in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The cucumbers may release water, so drain before serving. Make-ahead tip: Prepare vegetables and dressing separately up to 1 day ahead. Toss just before serving.
Freezing Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes
Not suitable for freezing.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Not applicable. Microwave: Not applicable.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a creamy version, add 1/4 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt to the dressing.
- Best substitution: Substitute red onion with shallots for a milder flavor.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: Easily double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your salad is too watery, drain some of the liquid before serving.
Want to level up this recipe?
Salad spinner — Ensures crispy salad greens every time. Pays for itself vs buying soggy salad at restaurants. → Check price on Amazon
Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber
- 2 sweet bell peppers
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Seasonings
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Optional Toppings
- Crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- Sliced avocado
- Chopped fresh jalapeño
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: Thinly slice cucumber and sweet peppers. Finely chop red onion and cilantro.
- Make dressing: Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and sugar.
- Toss salad: Just before serving, toss cucumber, peppers, onion, cilantro, and dressing. Add optional toppings if desired.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a creamy version, add 1/4 cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt to the dressing.
- Best substitution: Substitute red onion with shallots for a milder flavor.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: Easily double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your salad is too watery, drain some of the liquid before serving.
Storage
- Fridge: Store dressed salad in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The cucumbers may release water, so drain before serving.
- Freezer: Not suitable for freezing.
- Oven reheat: Not applicable.
- Microwave reheat: Not applicable.
- Make ahead: Prepare vegetables and dressing separately up to 1 day ahead. Toss just before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 45
- Protein: 1.5g
- Fat: 2.5g
- Carbs: 6g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sat. Fat: 0.3g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes FAQs
Prepare vegetables and dressing separately up to 1 day ahead. Toss just before serving to prevent sogginess.
Cucumbers release water over time. Drain excess liquid before serving if needed.
No, freezing will ruin the texture of the vegetables.
Add chopped fresh jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dressing.
Store dressed salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Drain before serving.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad | Ready in 10 Minutes and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
