The Miso Cucumber Salad is a refreshing, flavor-packed dish that brings together the cooling crunch of cucumber with the rich umami of miso. Balanced by the brightness of rice vinegar and lime juice, the shallots lend a delicate sharpness while roasted peanuts add a delightful crunch.
Whether served as a side dish at your next cookout or enjoyed as a light lunch, this salad is quick to prepare and incredibly satisfying. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegan, and packed with nutrients — a perfect way to bring clean, nourishing ingredients to your table with minimal effort.
Full Recipe
Ingredients:
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2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
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1 small shallot, thinly sliced
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1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
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1 tablespoon white miso paste
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2 tablespoons rice vinegar
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1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
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1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
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1 tablespoon maple syrup
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1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
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1 tablespoon lime juice
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
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Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
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In a small bowl, whisk together miso paste, rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, maple syrup, grated ginger, and lime juice until smooth.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced cucumbers and shallots.
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Pour the miso dressing over the cucumber mixture and toss gently to coat.
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Let the salad sit for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
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Just before serving, top with roasted peanuts, fresh cilantro, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
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Serve chilled or at room temperature for the best flavor.
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes
Kcal: 110 kcal | Servings: 4 servings
Introduction to Miso Cucumber Salad
Miso Cucumber Salad with Shallots and Roasted Peanuts is a vibrant, refreshing dish that’s quickly becoming a staple for health-conscious foodies and plant-based eaters alike. This simple yet elegant salad brings together fresh, crisp cucumber slices and delicate shallots, all tossed in a rich and umami-packed miso dressing. It’s then finished with roasted peanuts for a satisfying crunch that adds both texture and nutty depth to the dish.
Beyond its delightful flavor, this salad is a celebration of balance — it’s tangy, salty, subtly sweet, and wonderfully aromatic. With influences drawn from Japanese cuisine, it captures the essence of minimalist yet powerful cooking. Perfect for summer meals, potlucks, meal prep, or just a quick weekday lunch, this dish delivers maximum taste with minimal effort. It’s not just another salad — it’s a nourishing, energizing experience that caters to your body and your tastebuds.
The Role of Miso in This Dish
Miso paste is the star of this recipe. A fermented soybean paste rich in umami, miso brings a savory depth that ties the entire salad together. White miso (shiro miso), used in this recipe, has a milder and slightly sweeter flavor compared to darker varieties like red miso. It’s this balance that makes it perfect for lighter dishes like salads and dressings.
In the dressing, miso combines with rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, and maple syrup to create a complex, silky vinaigrette that coats each cucumber slice without overwhelming it. This unique fusion of flavors provides more than just taste — miso is also packed with probiotics, which are beneficial for gut health and digestion. Including miso in your diet can be a great way to support a healthy microbiome while enjoying its bold, umami punch.
Cucumber: The Cooling Component
Cucumbers are known for their cooling, hydrating properties, making them ideal for warm-weather dishes. In this salad, they serve as the crisp, juicy canvas that absorbs and balances the boldness of the miso dressing. Thinly slicing the cucumbers ensures they soak up the vinaigrette evenly, delivering flavor in every bite.
Besides their hydrating benefits, cucumbers are also low in calories but high in valuable nutrients like vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants. Their high water content (over 95%) makes them a fantastic ingredient for those looking to maintain hydration and promote skin health, digestion, and detoxification.
The Delicate Power of Shallots
Shallots offer a gentle onion flavor with a hint of sweetness and are far less aggressive than raw onions. When paired with cucumbers, they add depth without overpowering the salad’s light and clean flavor profile. In this dish, thinly sliced shallots meld beautifully with the miso vinaigrette, softening slightly as they marinate, resulting in a beautifully balanced tang and crunch.
Shallots also bring their own nutritional benefits to the table, being rich in flavonoids and antioxidants. They support heart health and may help lower inflammation. Their subtle flavor makes them ideal for fresh salads where raw onion might feel too bold.
Crunch from Roasted Peanuts
The final touch — roasted peanuts — adds an essential crunchy contrast that elevates the salad from simple to irresistible. Their nuttiness pairs harmoniously with the sesame oil and miso in the dressing, tying together the dish’s Asian-inspired elements.
Peanuts also provide plant-based protein, healthy fats, and a good amount of magnesium and vitamin E. Whether you use them whole or roughly chopped, they offer an addictive texture that’s crucial to the overall eating experience. If you’re allergic to peanuts, alternatives like toasted cashews or sunflower seeds can offer a similar crunch.
Nutrition Profile and Health Benefits
One of the most appealing aspects of this Miso Cucumber Salad is how healthy it is without compromising flavor. Each serving is low in calories but packed with essential nutrients, thanks to the whole-food ingredients used. The miso brings gut-friendly probiotics, cucumbers support hydration and detox, shallots deliver antioxidants, and peanuts contribute protein and healthy fats.
This makes the salad not just a side dish but a wellness-focused recipe. It’s naturally gluten-free and vegan, fitting easily into various dietary lifestyles. It’s also soy-free if you opt for chickpea-based miso and coconut aminos instead of tamari. You can prepare it in advance for meal prep, and it travels well in lunch containers, making it great for busy days when you want to eat clean without the hassle.
Why This Salad Works
Flavor balance is key in any recipe, and this salad nails it. The miso adds saltiness and umami, while the lime juice and vinegar offer brightness and acidity. Maple syrup contributes a soft sweetness to counterbalance the sharpness of the shallots and the miso’s depth. Toasted sesame oil gives it an aromatic warmth, and the peanuts round it off with texture and richness.
It also wins major points for versatility. You can easily add other ingredients to customize it: thin strips of carrot, edamame, radish, or even fresh herbs like Thai basil or mint work beautifully. Want to add protein? Try cubed tofu, grilled tempeh, or chickpeas. It’s the kind of recipe you can make your own.
Cultural Inspiration and Simplicity
This salad draws inspiration from Japanese and Southeast Asian cuisine, both of which emphasize the balance of flavor, texture, and visual appeal. By combining ingredients like miso, sesame oil, lime juice, and peanuts, it takes the best from different traditions and delivers a dish that’s globally inspired but incredibly accessible.
What makes this recipe particularly appealing is its simplicity. With no cooking required, it’s a no-fuss option that can be whipped up in 15 minutes or less. This makes it a perfect last-minute dish for guests, a light meal on hot days, or a meal-prep-friendly option that gets better as it sits and marinates.
Serving Suggestions
This salad can stand alone as a light lunch or serve as a bright, fresh contrast to heavier main dishes. It pairs beautifully with rice bowls, grilled tofu, veggie sushi rolls, or spicy noodle dishes. For a colorful spread, serve it alongside other vibrant vegan dishes like roasted sweet potatoes, seaweed salad, or steamed edamame.
Because of its aesthetic appeal — the glossy dressing, translucent shallots, and jewel-like cucumber slices — it’s a great dish for entertaining. It also makes for an elegant plated appetizer at dinner parties or potlucks, especially when garnished with sesame seeds, microgreens, or edible flowers.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
One of the many benefits of this salad is that it stores well. You can make it a few hours in advance and refrigerate it to allow the flavors to meld even more. The cucumbers will remain crisp if sliced thick enough, and the dressing actually improves with time. Store it in an airtight container and consume within 2–3 days for best quality.
If you’re prepping it in advance for entertaining or meal prep, wait to add the peanuts and fresh herbs until just before serving to preserve their crunch and brightness.
Conclusion
The Miso Cucumber Salad with Shallots and Roasted Peanuts isn’t just another vegan side dish — it’s a showcase of how clean, plant-based ingredients can be combined in thoughtful ways to create something truly delicious and satisfying. It’s crunchy, tangy, umami-rich, and refreshing, all in one bite.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Asian-inspired cooking or a newcomer to miso-based dressings, this salad offers an accessible introduction to these bold flavors. It’s as nourishing for the body as it is pleasing to the senses, making it a valuable addition to your weekly menu or next gathering. For anyone looking to elevate their salad game, this recipe is a must-try — simple, smart, and full of vibrant character.