Vegetarian Recipes

Cucumber Salad

https://www.loveandlemons.com/cucumber-salad/

The first time I tried a sweet, vinegary cucumber salad, I was hooked. The cool, crisp cucumbers burst with tangy flavor, onion added just the right amount of bite, and a sprinkle of dill gave it an addictive, pickle-like taste. When English cucumbers started popping up at the farmers’ market this summer, I immediately thought of that first bite of cucumber salad, and I knew that I wanted to make a version to share with all of you.

This cucumber salad recipe is the quintessential summer dish. Like all the best summer recipes, it requires just a few ingredients to pack a big punch of flavor. It’s delectably salty & sweet, and the chilled cucumbers and onions are super refreshing on hot summer days. It takes just 15 minutes to make (including 10 minutes of hands-off chill time), so toss it together and enjoy it as a dinner side or – like me – eat it straight out of the bowl!

Cucumber Salad Recipe Ingredients

The best thing about this bright, fresh, addictive cucumber salad recipe is that it requires just 8 ingredients:

English cucumber! I use a mandoline to get my slices nice & thin.
Red onion. The thinner these guys are the better, so if you have a mandoline, use it for the onion as well as the cucumber.
Rice vinegar, sesame oil & honey combine to make a light, sweet & savory dressing for the crisp veggies.
Dill & mint. This combo adds delicious freshness to the cool cucumbers and onions.
Pickled mustard seeds. I list these as optional, but I highly recommend using them. Their flavor is a great complement to the dill, and they add tangy complexity to this super simple cucumber salad.

Add a sprinkle of sea salt, and you’ve got everything you need!

How to Make Cucumber Salad

This cucumber salad recipe is easy to toss together. Here’s all you need to do:

First, add the sliced English cucumbers and onion to a large bowl along with the honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and fresh dill. Toss it all together and put the bowl in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes.
After the mixture has chilled, transfer it to a serving dish, leaving behind any excess liquid.
Top the cucumber onion salad with fresh mint leaves and pickled mustard seeds, if you’re using them.
Season to taste and enjoy!

What to Serve with Cucumber Onion Salad

I have a hard time not gobbling up this salad as soon as I toss it together. On the days when it makes it to the dinner table, we love this recipe as a side dish with classic summer picnic fare like veggie burgers, black bean burgers, BBQ sandwiches, portobello mushroom burgers, and corn on the cob. It’s also delicious served with grilled vegetable kabobs and generous dollops of tzatziki.

The sweet rice vinegar & sesame oil dressing makes this cucumber salad recipe a great pairing with Asian flavors as well. Try it as a side with soba noodles, crispy tofu, or banh mi sandwiches. Add a scoop to a watermelon poké bowl, or pair it with sushi, spring rolls, or summer rolls to make a light meal.

If you love this cucumber salad recipe…

Try my watermelon salad, orzo salad, broccoli salad, Greek salad, or pasta salad next, or head to this post to see more of my favorite summer salad recipes!

Cucumber Salad

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Side dish

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ tablespoon agave nectar or honey
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
⅓ cup thinly sliced red onions
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
Pickled mustard seeds, optional (recipe below)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, optional

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, agave nectar, cucumber, onion, salt, sesame oil, and dill. Toss to coat and chill for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, leaving some of the excess water behind. Top with fresh mint, dollops of pickled mustard seeds, if using, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Season to taste and serve.

Pickled Mustard Seeds
½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup water

3 tablespoons cane sugar

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup yellow mustard seedsCombine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stir in mustard seeds, reduce the heat, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until the mustard seeds are plump.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada sauce is one of my very favorite things, ever. I love when it soaks into tortillas while baking and makes everything all tangy, spicy, and good. Mmmmm. 🤤 But when the selection at my local grocery store was less than impressive, I decided it was high time to try making some myself. This Easy Red Enchilada Sauce is a total game-changer, and now I can never go back to store-bought. It has ten times more flavor than anything I’ve ever had from a can and literally takes minutes to make. It’s a total winner.

red enchilada sauce dripping from a wooden spoon into a glass jar.

“INCREDIBLE! Super easy, made with common pantry staples, and way tastier than store bought.”

Sarah

Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

This EASY enchilada sauce is not an authentic recipe made with dried chile peppers that you’ll find in Texas or Mexico, but it’s a quick and easy version that anyone can whip up in their kitchen using basic pantry staples. But I promise, once you taste it, you won’t regret the shortcuts. It’s still bursting with flavor, and you’ll want to pour it over everything. However, if you want a made-from-scratch sauce with dried chiles in the mix, check out this Authentic Enchilada Sauce recipe from Isabel Eats.

close up of enchilada sauce dripping off a wooden spoon into a jar.

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Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

It only takes 10 minutes to make this super easy red enchilada sauce that is bursting with flavor.

Course Sauce

Cuisine Mexican, Southwest

Total Cost $1.32 recipe

Cook Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings ¼ cup each

Calories 53kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Ingredients

2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.08
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.02
2 Tbsp chili powder $0.60
2 cups water $0.00
3 oz. tomato paste $0.47
1/2 tsp ground cumin $0.05
1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
3/4 tsp salt or pepper to taste, $0.03

Instructions

Add the cooking oil, flour, and chili powder to a sauce pot. Turn the heat on to medium and whisk the ingredients together. Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to bubble. Whisk and cook the mixture for one minute once it begins bubbling.
After one minute, whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer it will begin to thicken slightly.
Starting with a 1/2 teaspoon, add salt to taste. I used about 3/4 teaspoon total. The sauce is now ready to use!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Video

Notes

*The water can be replaced with either vegetable broth or chicken broth for more depth, just be sure to reduce the salt added at the end to compensate.

A Note on the Spice Level

The “chili powder” listed in this recipe is a store-bought mix of spices used to season chili. It is not straight chile powder, or pure ground chile peppers, which can be extremely spicy. The brand of chili powder I use is completely mild, but other brands can sometimes carry some heat. If you are using a spicy chili powder, simply reduce or eliminate the cayenne powder from this recipe to compensate. The heat level of this recipe, using McCormick’s chili powder, is medium spicy, like a medium salsa.

Nutrition

How to Make Enchilada Sauce Step-By-Step Photos

Toast the flour: Start by adding 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp chili powder, and 2 Tbsp oil to a pot. I use McCormick’s chili powder, which is not spicy, just flavorful, so don’t be frightened by the large quantity in the recipe. All of the heat comes from the cayenne pepper.

Whisk these ingredients together and allow them to come up to a bubble over medium heat, whisking the whole time. Whisk and cook for one minute. This will toast the flour and chili powder, adding to the flavor depth and making sure that the flour doesn’t taste like paste.

Add the wet ingredients: After one minute, add 3oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and whisk in 2 cups water (or broth).

Simmered enchilada sauce in the sauce pot.

Simmer: Let the sauce come up to a simmer and it will begin to thicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to your liking. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and add more if needed. The salt will really help bring out the flavors. If you’re using broth in place of water, you might not need to add any at all.

And now you’re good to go! Drizzle this thick and flavorful enchilada sauce over all of your favorite foods and enjoy!

side view of a jar of enchilada sauce with a spoon.

How to Use Enchilada Sauce

Of course, the main thing you can make with this sauce is enchiladas! (Chicken enchiladas are a favorite). But I’m here to tell you that’s not the only thing you can make. Here are some other great ways I like to use my red enchilada sauce:

as a simmer sauce for meat (in a slow cooker or skillet)
as a rich sauce to smother burritos
combined with eggs and fried tortillas for Migas
combined with sour cream to make a creamy and spicy dip
as a replacement for taco sauce
a soup base (chicken enchilada soup or 30 minute posole)
to sauce up casseroles like Mexican lasagna, enchilada casserole, or taco stuffed shells

How to Store

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or portion out and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge (or, if you forget to set it out, run the freezer bag/container under hot water until it thaws!) Use it as directed in your chosen recipe.