Low Carb Spiralized Cucumber Salad with Peanuts, Basil, and Ginger Miso Dressing is a balanced combination of complex flavors and different textures.
If we’re going to be friends, there are two things you should know about me. Firstly, there are some foods I can always be in the mood for. Indian is at the top of the list, and so is Thai. Secondly, I like to play with my food. And by play with my food, I mean experiment with flavor combinations and fusions of different cuisines (because it’s fun!). In this Low Carb Spiralized Cucumber Salad with Peanuts, Basil, and Ginger Miso Dressing, I borrowed inspiration from several global cuisines.
Paying homage to Thai food, I wanted a balance flavor profile for this dish; as a result, here are the ingredients I used to achieve this:
- Maple syrup (sweet)
- Sriracha and crushed red pepper flakes (spicy heat)
- Feta cheese, lightly salted peanuts, and tamari sauce or coconut aminos (salty)
- Rice vinegar and fresh lime (sour)
- Fresh herbs, garlic, and ginger (bitter)
- Tamari sauce, fish sauce, and miso paste (umami)
Japanese miso paste is one of the key ingredients here because of the depth of flavor it lends to the dish. Maple syrup might sounds like an odd sweetener choice, but it works really well because it adds complexity with a subtle woody, smoky, caramelized flavor. And then for balance, a touch of feta gives a bit of salty tang and creamy texture. As a result, this salad is an oddball combination of flavors and textures that marry beautifully.
Which Vegetables Can Be Spiralized
I’ve had really good results spiralizing the following vegetables, as well as the low carb vegetables I list in the next section:
- Beets
- Sweet potato
- Rutabaga
- Jicama
Low Carb Spiralized Noodle Options
I like using the following vegetables to make into spiralized “noodles” to use as a low carb noodle replacement:
- Zucchini
- Yellow summer squash
- Cucumber
- Turnip
- Daikon radish
- Broccoli stems
How to Use a Spiralizer
When I first got my spiralizer, it took me a while to figure out the best way in which to use it. Moreover, the biggest trick I discovered to yield the longest noodles is to make sure that the suction cups on the bottom of the legs are firmly affixed to the counter top. Additionally, it helps to hold the spiralizer steady with one hand as you crank it with the other.
Steps:
- Firstly, start off preparing the vegetable that you want to spiralize. To do so, wash and dry it, peel it if necessary (like for a turnip), and trim off both ends.
- Secondly, set your spiralizer on the countertop and make sure the suction on the bottom of the legs adheres.
- And then secure the vegetable on the prongs and push it flush with the blade.
- Finally, hold the spiralizer to steady it with one hand, and turn the crank with the other hand.
- And then watch those gorgeous noodles crank out!
There are just a couple easy tricks to making this spiralized cucumber salad:
- Use seedless cucumber if possible because otherwise it’s a bit too watery
- Wait to sprialize the cucumber until right before you want to eat it
- Don’t cook the cucumber, otherwise it’ll be too mushy
More Cucumber Salad Recipes:
- Creamy Cucumber Salad with Goat Cheese and Dill from An Edible Mosaic
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette from The Wholesome Dish
- Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad from An Edible Mosaic
- Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad from The Woks of Life
- 1 teaspoon fresh-grated ginger
- 1 small clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon light miso paste
- ½ teaspoon tamari sauce, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sriracha (more or less to taste; or use your favorite hot sauce)
- ¼ teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- 1 medium-sized cucumber, spiralized (see Note)
- ½ small-medium carrot, julienned
- ½ small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons crushed lightly salted peanuts
- Fresh basil, mint, or cilantro
- Fresh lime, to squeeze on top
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside for now (you can make this up to 3 days ahead and store it covered in the fridge).
- Right before serving, spiralize the cucumber, and gently toss it with the carrot and onion in the dressing.
- Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and top with the feta, peanuts, and fresh herbs. Sprinkle on a couple pinches of crushed red pepper flakes if desired, and serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top.
Make It For a Crowd: This recipe makes one serving, but it’s easy to double, triple, or even quadruple if you’re feeding a family.
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Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products I believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, I will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items, which helps me keep this site alive – thank you for helping to support An Edible Mosaic!
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
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