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Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad – cool and spicy!
I know that cool and spicy seem like opposites, but in Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad, they come together beautifully. Fresh, crisp cucumbers, citrus from the lime juice in the vinaigrette and then there are those flavorful jalapenos!
I would have difficulty naming my favorite fresh from the garden vegetable. Cucumbers are right at the top of the list though. Nothing tastes the same as a fresh cucumber that you grew yourself. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying this salad though. Maybe you can grow some cucumbers next year, right?
Cucumbers from the Farmer’s Market are really good too
You just have to know how to choose them. You don’t want big, smooth cucumbers that are starting to turn yellow or white. Those are getting old and they were picked later than they should have been. Even slicers and English cucumbers should be dark green all over and have bumps. The exception would be cucumbers that are supposed to be yellow, but those will be labeled as suh.
If you are growing your own cucumbers, picking them on the smaller side and picking them often encourages the plant to make more cucumbers. That’s a win-win. More cucumbers to eat now and more to eat later.
Use the amount of jalapeno that suits your taste
If you are very fond of spicy food, you might want a lot of jalapeno in your salad. Or, you might just want a hint of spice. Cut a little piece of the jalapeno you plan to use and taste it. They can vary a lot in heat level, even from the same plant. I like to use 1 medium jalapeno, diced pretty small. That way, the heat is more evenly distributed in the salad, instead of getting a big piece in one bite, and none in another bite. I also like a lot of garlic flavor, so I use 1 very big clove, or 2 if they are small. Using a microplane zester makes short work of mincing a garlic clove.
Use lime juice instead of vinegar
Lime goes really well with jalapenos, and it is really wonderful with the cucumbers. It adds a fresh, lively flavor that is a bit unexpected, and so yummy.
Easy cleanup, because this is a one dish salad
I like to make the vinaigrette in the same bowl I plan to serve the salad in. One bowl – no extra dishes to do!
A mandoline makes short work of slicing
I love my el-cheapo mandoline. You can certainly spend more on one, and there are a lot of different styles. This mandoline is the one that I have, and the one I used when making this salad. A mandoline is not only fast, but you get nice, uniform slices that look nice on the plate.
It’s also handy for making something like Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles, another favorite recipe using fresh garden cucumbers.
Make Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad at least a few hours ahead of time
Making this salad a few hours ahead of time gives the flavors time to marry and infuse into the cucumbers. It will also free up you right before serving time when you might be occupied with other parts of the meal. Just don’t forget to take it out of the fridge! [yup, I’ve done that before 😒]
How to make Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad
Jalapeno Lime Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1 medium jalapeno
- 2 large garlic clove
- 1 Medium lime
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5-6 grind of fresh pepper
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
Cucumbers
- 6 pickling cucumbers [or two larger cucumbers]
Instructions
Make the vinaigrette
- In a bowl big enough to hold everything, whisk together the jalapeno, garlic, lime juice and zest, and salt and pepper.
- Whisk the oil into the mixture in a thin stream, until blended and emulsified.
Prepare the cucumbers
- Wash cucumbers well and slice thinly - a mandolin slicer is handy for getting this done quickly and evenly, but a good sharp knife will do the trick.
- Combine the vinaigrette and cucumbers.
- Make at least 1 hour ahead of time to blend the flavors - it is best eaten the day you make it, but if needed, leftovers should be stored in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more summer salads? How about Mediterranean Orzo Salad or Cucumber Avocado and Feta Salad?
This post was originally made in July 2013, updated in July 2023, and updated again in July 2024
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Oh I’m totally pinning this recipe. I too love cucumbers. Jalapenos are great also and this combination surely sounds delicious!
Oh, thanks Suzie – always appreciate those pins! it really is a natural combo of flavors, once you have the chance to try them together!
I love jalapenos, this looks great!
Thanks Foodie!
Love this! We have tons of cukes growing in our garden, and use most of them for salads. But you’ve given me a couple of ideas in yours, which I’ll certainly use. Super recipe – thanks.
Thanks John – hope you love them!
Sadly, my mint is in the same boat as your cilantro … no flood pun intended. I have never lived anywhere before where I had a hard time keeping mint alive. It usually tries to take over the planet and lives through anything! This salad sounds delicious and right up my alley. I can’t wait to try it! 🙂
Wow – you know you are having a challenging gardening season when your mint turns up it’s toes! And I hope you love the salad!
Coll and spicy at the same time sounds so fun for the tongue. I think even my teenagers who have an a aversion to food that is green might try this. Take care, bAM
A refreshing and scrumptious salad! Wonderfully summery and tasty.
Cheers,
Rosa
A garden with more square footage than my house is only a dream. I’m quite envious of your garden AND your cucumber salad.
I made this for company and it was a total hit. Served it for a Tex-Mex potluck and it was perfect. You may see some new visitors, because everyone asked for the recipe!
That’s great to hear – thanks for sending them my way!
Had this salad at a friends house and it was so good, I asked for the recipe. Cant’s wait to make it at home!
High praise – thanks a bunch!
I came looking for this recipe again, because it’s one of my favorites and here it is, all refreshed at the front again. A well deserved spot!
I’m glad that it was easy for you to find and even more glad that you’re making it again. Thanks!
Hi,
Wondering if there’s a zest step missing, since supplies listed zester. Thanks!
Hi Diane – my apologies, I did miss saying that the zest goes in with the lime juice. Fixed now and thanks!