Viral Cucumber Pepper Salad Recipe
Made with fresh veggies and sesame ginger dressing, this viral cucumber pepper salad is filled with flavor! And since everyone will love the sweet and savory combination of sweet peppers and spicy chili oil, this last-minute recipe is perfect for a party. But the best part about this simple side dish is that you can prepare it in minutes with just five basic ingredients.
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What Do I Need to Make Cucumber Pepper Salad?
You can use this easy recipe to whip up a delicious side dish for your next get-together with just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of prep work! Not to mention that the sweet and spicy combination of flavors in this easy salad is sure to be the hit of the party. To make your own TikTok pepper salad, add these ingredients to your grocery list:
- Mini sweet bell peppers
- Mini cucumbers
- Sesame ginger dressing
- Chili oil (I used chili oil crisp that has garlic and shallots; however you can also just use plain chili oil)
- Everything but the bagel seasoning
How Do I Make Cucumber Pepper Salad?
Since this easy side dish recipe does not involve cooking, it's perfect for a last-minute party or get-together! All you have to do is prep the ingredients and mix them together to make a delicious cold salad for everyone at your party to enjoy.
Step One: Prepare the Salad Ingredients
Before mixing up your pepper salad, you'll need to spend a few minutes preparing all the ingredients. Start by slicing all your mini sweet peppers into rings and removing the seeds. Then, thinly slice each of the mini cucumbers.
Step Two: Mix the Salad
Next, combine the sliced bell peppers and mini cucumbers with the sesame ginger dressing, chili oil, and everything bagel seasoning in a medium bowl. Stir all the ingredients together, and serve the salad immediately or chill until ready to enjoy.
Cucumber Pepper Salad Recipe Ideas
One great thing about serving a salad as a side dish is that you can easily adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes. Whether you want to transform the side dish into a meal or simply add more flavors to it, there are tons of easy adjustments you can make to this recipe. As you're preparing your own salad, try these variations and substitutions.
- Add more vegetables. While the viral recipe for this salad featured on TikTok uses only bell peppers and cucumbers, there's no reason you can't change things up! Mix in other vegetables, like corn kernels, green onions, tomatoes, chopped red onions, spinach, jalapeno peppers, or kale.
- Use full-sized vegetables. Making this salad with mini cucumbers and peppers is perfect for creating bite-sized salad bits quickly and easily. You can also prepare your side dish with cucumbers and bell peppers. Chop the larger vegetables into bite-sized pieces before mixing everything together.
- Try different dressing. You'll love the delicious combination of sesame ginger dressing and everything bagel seasoning. But that's not the only dressing you can use. Try mixing in some red wine vinaigrette or a simple vinegar and oil mixture to create a delicious side dish for your next party.
- Mix in some cheese. Add even more flavor to your salad with the help of some cheese. Mild cheese, like feta or goat cheese, will pair perfectly with the rest of the salad ingredients!
- Add some protein. Turn your cold salad into a full meal by mixing some protein in with the veggies. You can keep the salad vegetarian by adding edamame or chickpeas. Or stir in some meat or seafood, like chopped bacon, ham or shrimp.
- Stir in some seeds or nuts. Seeds and nuts give your salad some extra crunch. You can choose from a variety of delicious mix-ins, including sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, chopped peanuts, or pumpkin seeds.
- Make it pasta salad. Transform this veggie salad into a delicious pasta salad by mixing in some cooked noodles, like elbow macaroni or bow tie pasta.
Does Cucumber Salad Need to Be Chilled?
This salad tastes best right after it's prepared, so there's no need to chill it before serving. But if you want to make the salad in advance, it should be stored in the refrigerator to keep the ingredients fresh and crisp. It's best to prepare your cucumber salad no more than one day ahead of time to keep the vegetables from getting soggy as they sit in the dressing.
How Do You Store Pepper Cucumber Salad?
Once you're finished enjoying your homemade salad, it should be refrigerated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container and keep it chilled for up to three days. Keeping the salad any longer than three days may result in the vegetables breaking down and becoming soggy as they soak in the dressing and chili oil.
Viral Cucumber Pepper Salad
Ingredients
- 7-8 mini sweet bell peppers mixed colors, sliced into rings
- 4 mini cucumbers sliced
- ¼ cup sesame ginger dressing
- 1-2 tablespoons chili oil depending on how much heat you prefer. Note: I used chili oil crisp that has garlic and shallots; however you can also just use plain chili oil.
- 2-3 teaspoons everything but the bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing or serving bowl and toss to combine.
- Adjust chili oil and bagel seasoning to taste.
- Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
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