Pineapple Cucumber Salad (Printable version)
Juicy pineapple and crisp cucumber with lime, cilantro, and honey for a quick, refreshing summer side.
# Ingredient list:
→ Produce
01 - 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
02 - 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
03 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
05 - 1 small red chili, finely sliced (optional)
→ Dressing
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
07 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, add diced pineapple, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and red chili if desired.
02 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey or maple syrup, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour the prepared dressing over the produce mixture and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
04 - Serve immediately for maximum crispness, or refrigerate for 20 minutes to intensify the flavors before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This salad is as refreshing as a tropical breeze but comes together in just 15 minutes.
- It’s the surprising combination of fruity and savory flavors that keeps everyone sneaking forkfuls straight from the bowl.
02 -
- If you skip the chilling step, the flavors stay brighter but the salad won’t taste as integrated—both ways are good, but chilled is my favorite.
- Using a plastic knife for the pineapple helps avoid bitter, metallic notes—learned that one after a few mistakes.
03 -
- Drain off any juice that pools at the bottom before serving so everything stays lively, not soggy—trust me on this one.
- Letting little ones help with tearing herbs or stirring is a surefire way to get them excited to eat it, too.