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Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with pickled onions
youryum.com/recipes/smashed-cucumber-and-peanut-salad-with-pickled-onions · serves 4

Cold cucumber with a pink, sharp tangle

Quick pickled onions bring colour and bite to a cold cucumber salad that would otherwise be too gentle.

  • Vegan
  • Gluten free
Maren Ashby in her kitchen, in a dark apron, looking away from the camera
By Maren Ashby · Writes and tests everything here
Published 25 July 2026
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Smashed cucumber and peanut salad with quick pickled red onions
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Prep
15 min
Cook
—
Total
15 min
Serves
4
Per serving
178kcal
Effort
Easy

The onions are the reason this version works at a barbecue. They can sit in the fridge, they look good on a crowded table, and their sharpness gives the cucumber and peanuts a proper edge.

Pickle them first. Fifteen minutes in warm vinegar takes away the raw bite but leaves enough crunch to make the salad interesting.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Quick pickles

Salad

Equipment

  • Large chopping board
  • Chef's knife
  • Colander
  • Small bowl

Method

  1. Start the pickles

    Put the onion in a heatproof bowl. Stir the vinegar, boiling water, sugar and salt together, pour it over and press the onion under the liquid. Leave for at least fifteen minutes.

    If the cucumber is still wet when it meets the quick pickled red onions, drain it again. Water is not neutral here: it thins the dressing, carries the salt to the bottom of the bowl, and leaves the peanuts tasting like an afterthought. If the pieces feel soft, stop tossing. A few careful lifts with your hands are enough.

    Hands preparing quick pickled red onions smashed cucumber and peanut salad during the start the pickles step

  2. Smash the cucumber

    Crack the cucumbers with the flat of a knife, cut them into chunks and toss with a pinch of salt. Leave for ten minutes, then drain and pat dry.

  3. Dress the cucumber

    Whisk the lemon juice, zest and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber, peanuts and herbs and toss until the dressing clings to the rough surfaces.

    If the cucumber is still wet when it meets the quick pickled red onions, drain it again. Water is not neutral here: it thins the dressing, carries the salt to the bottom of the bowl, and leaves the peanuts tasting like an afterthought. If the pieces feel soft, stop tossing. A few careful lifts with your hands are enough.

  4. Drain the onions

    Lift the onions from the vinegar with a fork, letting the excess drip away. Keep a spoonful of the pickle liquid in case the salad needs more sharpness.

  5. Finish and serve

    Scatter the onions over the cucumber. Add a little pickle liquid only if needed; too much will make the bowl wet. Serve cold.

Cucumbers peanuts herbs and ingredients for quick pickled red onions smashed cucumber salad arranged on a kitchen counter
The ingredients for the quick pickled red onions version, ready before the cucumber gets smashed.

Why smashed cucumber works

Quick pickling is a timing trick, not long-term preserving. Warm water dissolves the sugar and salt, and the vinegar softens the onion just enough to lose its raw edge.

Do not pour all the pickling liquid into the bowl. The onion has already brought plenty of acid; the cucumber needs dressing, not a bath.

The small failures are useful

If the finished bowl tastes dull, add acid before salt. Cucumber and peanuts can absorb more seasoning than you expect, while too much salt makes the water come out faster. A teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar usually fixes the balance without changing the character of the quick pickled red onions.

If the cucumber has gone soft, serve it colder and stop stirring it. The texture will not return, but the flavour can still be good over warm rice or beside grilled bread.

For a different meal, replace the peanuts with toasted cashews, sunflower seeds or crisp beans. Keep the same smashed-and-drained method. The dressing is flexible; the texture work is not.

One last check before it leaves the kitchen: taste a piece from the bottom of the bowl, not the top. The dressing settles there, and a salad can seem seasoned on its surface while the cucumber underneath is bland. Lift the pieces once, adjust with a small splash of acid, then stop. The quick pickled red onions should be visible and distinct rather than folded into a single wet flavour.

Nutrition

Per serving, for 4 servings. Estimated from ingredient weights — it moves with the brands and cuts you actually use.

NutrientPer serving
Calories 178 kcal
Protein 6 g
Carbohydrate 14 g
Fibre 3 g
Fat 14 g

Source: Estimated from ingredient weights, USDA FoodData Central

Questions

Can I pickle the onions the day before?
Yes. They become softer and pinker overnight but keep enough bite for several days.
Can I use shallots?
Yes. Slice them thinly and give them the same fifteen-minute pickle.
Can I make this without sugar?
Yes, though a small amount rounds out the vinegar. Add an extra pinch of salt and taste before serving.

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