Cucumber Carrot Salad with Lemon-Vinegar Dressing and Thai Basil Recipe
A refreshing and vibrant Cucumber Carrot Salad featuring tangy lemon and ume plum vinegar dressing, enhanced with nutritional yeast and toasted sesame oil. This easy-to-make salad combines crisp julienned carrots and cucumbers tossed in a flavorful dressing, garnished with fresh Thai basil or cilantro and crunchy toasted sesame seeds or peanuts for a delightful texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Fusion
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ume plum vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Salad
- 2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled
- 2 large cucumbers, peeled
- ½ cup chopped fresh Thai basil or cilantro
Optional Garnishes
- Toasted sesame seeds or toasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- Flaky salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a large serving bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, ume plum vinegar, tamari, nutritional yeast, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper until well combined and smooth.
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel the carrots and cucumbers thoroughly. Using a hand-held julienne peeler, create carrot noodles by carving thin strips. For the cucumber noodles, peel and then carve around the seeds by rotating the cucumber, stopping once you reach the seeds to avoid bitterness. Place all the vegetable noodles directly into the bowl containing the dressing.
- Assemble and serve: Toss the carrot and cucumber noodles gently but thoroughly with the dressing to ensure even coating. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more tamari or a pinch of flaky salt if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh Thai basil or cilantro and top with toasted sesame seeds or roughly chopped toasted peanuts. Serve immediately for the freshest texture and flavor.
Notes
- To achieve the best texture, serve the salad immediately after tossing to prevent sogginess.
- Ume plum vinegar can be substituted with rice vinegar if unavailable, but it will subtly change the flavor profile.
- For added crunch, toasted peanuts provide a delightful contrast to the crisp noodles.
- This salad is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and low calorie, making it suitable for various diets.
- If you don’t have a julienne peeler, a mandoline or sharp knife can be used to create thin strips.
