This extra crunchy cucumber carrot salad is a delicious and refreshing summer salad that’s ready in about 10 minutes! Made with sliced cucumbers, matchstick carrots, celery and a light and simple homemade dressing, you’ll get plenty of crunch in every bite.
Need more salad ideas? Browse this roundup of healthy summer salad recipes!
Ingredients in this carrot and cucumber salad
- Cucumbers – Any kind will do, my favorite are fresh pickling cucumbers if you have them. No peeling necessary!
- Carrots – Again, no peeling necessary. Any type of carrots will work and you can even use rainbow carrots for a pop of color.
- Celery – With a mild flavor and hearty crunch factor, celery is the perfect addition to this light and crunchy salad.
- Homemade dressing – A simple and tangy-sweet dressing coats all the crunchy goodness in this salad. It’s made up of sesame and olive oils, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic powder and sea salt.
Loving this recipe? Be sure to check out our Asian-inspired cucumber salad and this apple walnut spinach salad.
Recipe tips and options
- Make ahead option – You can make this recipe ahead of time, just keep the dressing separate or it will get soggy. Simply toss the salad with the dressing 20-30 minutes before serving.
- Change the texture – You can completely change the look and texture of this salad by peeling the cucumbers, shredding the carrots or even turning either of them into noodles with a spiralizer.
- Crunchy substitutes for celery – If you’re looking for something different, try some chopped jicama, sliced radish or water chestnuts.
- Sweet & spicy – If you like this combination, add a little cayenne or red pepper flakes to the dressing. You may also need to add a little more maple syrup to balance things out.
Serving suggestions to go with this salad
Since cucumbers are the ultimate fresh summer ingredient, this salad pairs great with any of our healthy grilling recipes.
Some of our most popular grilling recipes are:
- Easy grilled chicken drumsticks
- Healthy grilled pineapple chicken
- Grilled steak using our healthy steak marinade
Your turn to try this crunchy carrot cucumber salad
Chop up a handful of ingredients, toss them with the easy homemade dressing and you have a refreshing, light and crunchy salad to serve up all summer long!
If you make this recipe, let us know how it goes by leaving a rating and review below. Take a pic to share on Instagram and tag us @realsimplegood, we love to see what you’re cooking!
More summer recipe ideas…
Light & Crunchy Cucumber Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 2 English cucumbers, ends removed and sliced, (or 5-6 medium pickling cucumbers)
- 2 medium carrots, matchstick cut
- 4 celery ribs, sliced
For the dressing:
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, (can sub white or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
For topping:
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cut up the cucumbers, carrots and celery as noted and place them in a bowl.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl or jar and whisk well.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to set.
- Toss immediately before serving and top with sesame seeds if desired.
