Crushed Cucumber and Salmon Salad

Crushed Cucumber and Salmon Salad

Primal • Keto • Low-Carb • High-Protein • Pescatarian • Dairy-Free • Gluten-Free Option

Introduction

This Crushed Cucumber and Salmon Salad is a fresh, crunchy and flavour-packed meal made with hot-smoked salmon, crushed cucumber, red bell pepper, garlic, coriander and a tangy sesame-lime dressing.

Crushing the cucumber creates uneven edges that absorb more of the dressing, while the hot-smoked salmon adds a rich, savoury flavour and plenty of high-quality protein. Fresh coriander and garlic bring an aromatic element, and red pepper adds natural sweetness and crunch.

The dressing combines fresh lime juice, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and black sesame seeds for a balance of salty, acidic and nutty flavours.

Naturally low in carbohydrates and rich in protein, this keto salmon and cucumber salad makes a quick lunch or light dinner and is particularly useful when you want a fresh alternative to heavier keto or Primal meals.

Benefits of All the Ingredients

Red Bell Pepper

Red bell pepper provides crunch, colour and natural sweetness.

It is particularly rich in vitamin C and also provides provitamin A carotenoids, vitamin B6, folate and several naturally occurring antioxidant compounds.

Its sweetness provides a useful contrast to the salty smoked salmon and fish sauce.

Cucumber

Crushed cucumber forms the refreshing base of this salad.

Cucumber has a high water content and provides small amounts of vitamin K, potassium and other micronutrients.

Crushing rather than simply slicing it increases the surface area and creates irregular edges that hold onto the lime and sesame dressing particularly well.

Garlic

Fresh garlic adds a savoury, aromatic kick.

Garlic belongs to the allium family and contains naturally occurring organosulfur compounds. Slicing or crushing fresh garlic initiates reactions responsible for many of its characteristic flavours and aromas.

Its strong flavour works especially well with lime, sesame and fish sauce.

Fresh Coriander

Fresh coriander adds a bright herbal flavour that complements both salmon and lime.

It provides small amounts of vitamin K, vitamin C and provitamin A carotenoids, alongside naturally occurring aromatic plant compounds.

The amount can easily be adjusted depending on how strongly you prefer its distinctive flavour.

Hot-Smoked Salmon

Hot-smoked salmon provides the main source of protein.

Salmon contains complete protein with all nine essential amino acids and is naturally rich in the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

It also provides vitamin B12, selenium and, depending on the salmon, vitamin D.

Hot-smoked salmon is fully cooked during smoking and has a firmer, flakier texture than cold-smoked salmon, making it particularly well suited to substantial salads.

Smoked salmon can be relatively high in sodium, so additional salt is unlikely to be necessary.

Dressing

Lime Juice

Fresh lime juice provides the bright acidic element of the dressing.

Limes contain vitamin C and naturally occurring citrus flavonoids, while their acidity balances the richness of the salmon and sesame oil.

Fresh lime also pairs particularly well with coriander and chilli-style Asian-inspired flavours.

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce provides concentrated savoury and umami flavour, meaning only a small amount is needed.

Traditional fish sauce is produced by fermenting fish with salt, creating its distinctive salty, deeply savoury flavour.

Choose a product with a simple ingredient list. If preparing the salad for someone with coeliac disease, check that the particular fish sauce is labelled or confirmed gluten-free.

Rice Wine Vinegar

Rice wine vinegar adds acidity without overpowering the fresh lime.

Its mild flavour helps balance the sesame oil and fish sauce while keeping the dressing light and refreshing.

Choose an unseasoned rice vinegar without added sugar when keeping the salad keto and low-carb.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil provides the dressing's rich, nutty flavour.

It contains predominantly unsaturated fats and naturally occurring sesame compounds, including lignans.

Because sesame oil has a distinctive flavour, a tablespoon is enough to season the entire salad.

Black Sesame Seeds

Black sesame seeds provide additional nuttiness and a subtle crunch.

They contain unsaturated fats, plant-based protein and fibre and provide minerals including copper, manganese, magnesium and calcium.

Sesame seeds also naturally contain lignans, including sesamin and sesamolin.

Together with the sesame oil, lime and fish sauce, they complete the punchy dressing for this Crushed Cucumber and Salmon Salad.